SEAT Leon E-HYBRID 2021 review: Could it save you a paella cash? / Electrifying

To find out more about the world of electric cars, head over to www.electrifyi...
For those dipping their toes into the world of electrified cars, plug-in hybrids can make an awful lot of sense. Up to now, SEAT has been a make of only petrol and diesel cars, but now it has the full-electric Mii Electric city car and a brand new plug-in hybrid family hatchback - the Leon E-HYBRID.
The Leon has a lot in common with the Volkswagen Golf, Audi A3 and the Skoda Octavia. All those models have a plug-in hybrid in their ranges so the Leon E-HYBRID is SEAT's version and, unsurprisingly, it uses a lot of the same tech as those PHEVs.
Under the bonnet is a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine supported by a 12.8kWh battery and an 85kW electric motor. Scores on the doors are a 40-mile pure electric range and a 27g/km CO2 figure, which could make this a great car for families and business users alike, and all of this tech is wrapped up in a handsome body. The interior is pretty swish, too.
But is it a car that succeeds and, importantly, one you should be considering? Tom Ford finds out.
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If you like the SEAT Leon E-HYBRID then we think you should also check out:
Volkswagen Golf GTE: www.electrifyi...
Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid: www.electrifyi...
Renault Captur E-Tech PHEV: www.electrifyi...
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[@DanRyzESPUK]

I love this car! Need to save more 💸 to afford it. Well done SEAT!!

[@harrisonkristian8355]

Instablaster.

[@TMan786]

I see what you did there. Omelette you off with that one.

[@AndrewKNI]

Great review and nice looking car. Although I'm not a fan of touch screens. They just reduce the number of cars I would consider in future.

[@CambsEV]

I would suggest a PHEV doesn't need a home charger. You can run a PHEV perfectly well from the 3pin cable supplied and by charging over night when it's generally cheaper to do so depending on your tariff.

[@tomwookieford8445]

True, but you then need an external plug (or you’re out of a window!) and I’d be tempted to future proof if you have a driveway, and get a charger?

[@colinhennessy2844]

@@tomwookieford8445 Good idea and especially while the grants are still available!

[@lw2978]

@@tomwookieford8445 Many people who get a PHEV (like me) have a garage that they charge the car every night in via the 3-pin cable.

[@yup.4901]

Not sure bout PHEV's. I think I'd prefer full electric.

[@Lewis_Standing]

30k doesn't look great compared to kona / leaf / Niro / model 3 all not too much more with no exhaust emissions.

[@gingernutpreacher]

A bigger range and a smaller engine would make more sense

[@gavinbillington7193]

Hugh i am currently a full EV driver (3rd year) and if i am to be honest i can see how these PHEV cars fit for some and not others, for example 98% of my driving per year is under the 30-40 Miles per trip so the PHEV kind of car would fit my purpose and i can head off on trips when we are allowed and not worry about finding a charger. On the other hand you can with a bit of planning go to most places in the UK one even the smallest of EV batteries you just need to put in the time and effort planning prior to setting off which some people jsut can be bothered doing.

[@wrsswpiaus]

@@gavinbillington7193 In UK maybe, but try going electric in Poland, where there cities with no charging stations. Take me as an example. I druive around 40-50 km daily, but there are times when I need to make an unplanned trip to another city. The range of my current petrol car is around 900 km if I drive within limits. Also fueling takes about 10 minutes. Sometimes (rarely, but still) I drive up to 1.200 km a day. So a PHEV gives me the comfort of getting to the destination point quicker (no slow charging), but I can still drive emissions free daily. Also: Kia e-niro has around 455 km of real range. A PHEV I’m waiting for has about 800 km of real range. Charging Kia e-niro up to 80% takes roughly 50 minutes (if you can find a really rapid charger) and you regain arou d 360 km of range, whreas refuelling of the PHEv takes around 10 minutes and it takes me up to 100% of range. So on a 1.200 km route I have to refuel once (10 min) and take a couple of walks (total of 20 minutes of walk) so I loose 30 minutes on 1.200 km route. On the same route Kia e-niro takes over 3 hours longer... Electric cars may be cool in UK, but if you really travel, and want electric car ob daily basis, you just have to choose PHEV. It just depends how you use your car.

[@PeteTheL337]

I've had this car for about a year now. 2020 model. For me the hybrid bit falls apart due to the extremely slow charging. I overall really like the car, the cabin in mine is fantastic with 50/50 alcantara /leather seats. I could live with 11kwh battery if I could charge it back up in less than 30 minutes. The way I drive now is I lock the battery for longer trips. It will still use it but it's much more conservative. If I don't lock the battery it will drain it rather fast and then start recharging it using the petrol engine and that tanks efficiency. That will give me about 50-55mpg @ 50mph or around 40-43mpg @ 70-80 mph depending on what the road allows(I don't live in the UK) and that is after a 220 mile trip. The numbers would be a lot better if charging wasn't such an issue. There is suppose to be a 2024 version of the leon comming out with DC charging and double the battery size that might solve this problem. Maintance cost for me so fare has been: 1) 1 big service (60.000km) for around 1000 pound(complete oil service for engine and gearbox and sparkplugs among other things. 2) Next one will be standard oil service which is every 15000km or 1 year. Been quoted around 180 pounds for that. 3) Then there will be the next small service which is at 90000km. No idea what that is gonna cost. Not the most expensive car to maintain as long as nothing brakes but still a bit excessive. My old diesel would only need service after 30000km and it was 200 quid plus fluids :P

[@Sanpedranoazul]

With so many hybrids on the road, don't understand why Vauxhall discontinued the Gorgeous Ampera, well GM 🤷🏻‍♂️🙄

[@catalicos]

I'd say a PHEV like this is a good choice nowadays, taking in consideration some factors: You need to be able to charge, at home or at work, to make the most out of it. There are still many public free/cheap chargers also, issue is it takes some time.. You get the advantages of electric powertrains - emissions free, snappy torque, cheap to move around, remote/programmed pre-conditioning, added power. Also, as a negative for pure EVs, add a poor developing of the local charging network. I've tested a few electric cars now and I love them, but when it comes to charging it's just so weird and all over the place. At least in my country, the chargers are mostly slow (22kWh) and fiddly, just a couple per station and many times out of order. You need multiple apps and/or RFID cards for charging and many times the charging doesn't start on first try. So, to me it doesn't make sense going electric now, being that I will only own one car and will need it for everything from shopping runs to longer distance vacation drives. So for now I am still set to buy a combustion engine car and, for the added benefits of more power, remote pre-conditioning and the comfort of limited pure EV in town runs, I am considering a PHEV.

[@lw2978]

The issue with going EV for those buying (as opposed to leasing/Hp'ing) lies with being able to afford the £35k that you need to fork out to get one that has a cold-weather range of 200+ miles. This also applies to used EV's, whereas you can get a good 1 to 2 year old PHEV for £18k to 22k. If you have a short commute (sub-20 miles round trip), they can make a good choice.

[@martijnkosters9024]

It suffers from touchscreenitis. Shame.

[@paulcalvert8105]

I just wonder how efficient the battery will be after 5-10 years

[@JimmyJamesonJnr]

why don't they pair a diesel engine with the e hybrid drive train. Seems like a no brainer. More petrol engines equals more greenhouse gases.

[@PeteTheL337]

Mercedes has done this. I would love this myself but Mercs are just too expensive.

[@cannygrowabeard]

3:03 isn’t the battery at the back? Below the boot floor?

[@1958plymouth440V8]

It’s definitely not in the engine bay. The battery in the Leon is positioned below the rear seats in front of the rear axle, with the petrol tank moved below the boot floor.

[@benrgrogan]

I think by "in there" he meant in the car. At least that's how I took it (and it was definitely just a joke)...arent they usually somewhere between the Axels. Usually below the floor, in the boot or in the rear seats.

[@henryandrews2011]

In the last A3 etron the batteries were under the floor, the petrol tank was moved to beneath the boot floor and the electric motor was under the bonnet. I guess it's the same in the Leon.

[@richardhoyland9891]

I’m not interested in the PHEV or economy. I’m a company car driver who commutes ~150-200 miles a day. I also don’t pay for fuel. What if I have it for the cheap tax and never ever charge it? Will it break it?

[@amranfarah]

You would pay BIK tax! And there’s fuel tax to account for personal mileage too. But the big negative with these cars is ~33% reduction in boot capacity!

[@martinpower9593]

Had it for same mate i had a charger at home and it is a brilliant drive

[@SNORKYMEDIA]

the positioning of those door handles looks weird....

[@jamiep61]

I enjoyed watching the Video Review.

[@Electrifyingcom]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@jimjim7161]

Does hybrid power give you more overtaking performance?

[@jimmacgregor4122]

But this E-Hybrid starts at £32,800 - petrol only versions start at £20,400 - you would have to drive to the moon on electric power only to make up that price difference - and, with such a limited range, you're never going to do that. Hybrids can make a lot of sense - but not at these price differences.

[@kennymacm3031]

I'm looking at this as my next company car. Sick of being stiffed on tax for vehicles I barely use on the weekends

[@TheophilusPWildbeest]

So when you put your destination into the satnav it works out how best to optimise your use of electric to get you to your destination. But what about getting home again, because most of us tend do this on a regular basis. Can it be set to optimise for travel to a destination, switch off, then switch on later and drive home again?

[@frankd.3035]

of course, it can always calculate new trips from your actual point, or you can also record and save a trip and recall it later, even in a desert without streets.. as long as GPS is available.

[@steviesteve750]

This, or a Toyota Corolla 1.8 hybrid? At least we know what the latter's real world eco is like.

[@Lewis_Standing]

Call fake news on those mpg figures. Ev database quotes 150-180 mpg equivalents for pure EVs

[@tomwookieford8445]

It drives me mad. But the WLTP figures are all the ‘official’ stuff we get at the moment. Action is being taken!

[@Lewis_Standing]

@@tomwookieford8445 fair enough, I'll just have to imagine you raging after every take they make you refer to WLTP 😉

[@ahmadyousuf7926]

Keep up the good work 👏

[@Electrifyingcom]

Thanks, will do!

[@TheAllMightyGodofCod]

I don't really trust Seat, I have seen a lot of them age badly and the maintenance is high as you will pay the same as I do for the maintenance of an upper scale Audi or VW. But they do look good and they drive nicely, so if they just got rid of that silly touch screen and made this phev with a diesel.... Can you imagine how cheap it would be to run it and how good it would be in long motorway drives?

[@shanedeboss]

Considering it’s the FR model it looks so boring.

[@philipc239]

A much cheaper " self charging "hybrid or a full EV for me ✌😊

[@martijnkosters9024]

Do the fairies in the boot self-charge the hybrid?

[@philipc239]

@@martijnkosters9024 dont be lazy look it up

[@vladmihai306]

wow, the lost and found funny fifth gear presenter!

[@alanjenkinson7812]

Absolute waste of time if you’re a company car driver. BIK on a BEV 1%. Slower than an eNiro/Kona. No brainer, especially if you’re not doing intergalactic mileage - which most don’t. And its a VW so that range claim is utter bullshit. I had a Passat GTE & on a cold day you’ll be lucky to get 10-12 miles.

[@scottwills4698]

The new battery is bigger (but it’s still around 30 miles at best not 40 as claimed). (I’d go ID3, Eniro or Sr+ Model 3 though).

[@tomwookieford8445]

Fleets are glacial in the way they move metal though - even with the tax breaks. I think they worry that their fleet users would panic that they couldn’t do 800miles in a day without charging. It’s changing, but I think these phevs make people feel safer?

[@CumBrianFries]

This looks like a stunted and uglier version of the Genesis GV80.

[@Aphorism89]

The Genesis GV80 is ugly, this is beautiful.

[@CumBrianFries]

@@Aphorism89 Nah.

[@robsmith1a]

The main issue I have with PHEVs is you still have all the servicing expenses and mechanical faiure risk of a petrol car.

[@TheophilusPWildbeest]

But in mine I do 75% of my miles on electric, so wear and tear on petrol bits is only 25% of normal.

[@Lewis_Standing]

@@TheophilusPWildbeest and if you had a "proper" sized battery you would be able to do 100% miles on electric. Cold start on your petrol engine = inefficient and more particulates / air pollution

[@kiae-nirodiaries1279]

All the PHEV drivers I have met at charge points here in France say the same thing...they wish they had gone full EV. There are many cars now well capable of doing 200 miles on a cold day on the motorway and 300 miles in stop/start urban driving in the summer. Only on rare occasions would you have to do a little planning.

[@Telcontarnz]

It also adds complexity to the overall ICE package with complicated gears and modes. Range Extender is much better imo.

[@TheAllMightyGodofCod]

If it is not for you, don't buy it.

[@arealgoodman]

Europeans get all the cool stuff

[@hibbs79]

I love this channel I have subscribed. Good content and Tom is the best presenter by far.

[@Electrifyingcom]

Welcome aboard!

[@tomwookieford8445]

You are by far the most intelligent and good looking viewer... 😜

[@Alistair89]

Great channel and great video, I barely recognised Tom with his short hair

[@Telcontarnz]

PHEVs are a bad pathway to electric: 1. Still have the same motor, great box etc...in fact more complicated. 2. If you don’t hit the range projections (you wont) this is more serious on economy and you will use the engine a lot more than you thought. Going from 40 miles to 30 might change all commutes into using the ICE. The best transitional car is a range extender. More range on battery, less complicated than PHEVs, still have a generator to give peace of mind.

[@V_Dubya]

Wookie. I had to play the video just so I could congratulate you on the paella pun. Top punning

[@BHBeckenbauer]

Nice review!

[@alanketley4810]

Please do a review of Subaru hybrids

[@rpatel9901]

been trying to find out if I can charge this using the source London on street charging points opposite my house they operate at both 7 and22 k W and would it charge the leon 1.4 E hybrid in 4 hours as suggested?

[@martingrady7654]

Try pulling away using a FWD PHEV with 0-60mph power, the wheels just spin, better off being less powerful as its all or nothning.

[@andreiarama8745]

Plug-in cars exist ONLY because of the low CO2 in the WLTP tests. Like this they can still sell normal engined cars

[@DerLudger98]

Nah. I get 2 work and back only electric. To the supermarket and back, no engine running. But, I can drive 1000km whenever i want and dont have to wait hours for loading on longer roads

[@andreiarama8745]

@@DerLudger98 I presume you have an garage

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

@@andreiarama8745 no this plug in hybrid do zero co2

[@andreiarama8745]

@@louisbeerreviews8964 sorry what?

[@minniesaab7255]

❤❤❤❤❤❤