Long-term test review: SEAT Leon X-Perience ~ station of gear

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25 Aug, 2015 4:30pm Otis Clay

First report: Estate’s low-maintenance paint job is proving a hit with our high-mileage man

Considering that I drive 50,000 miles every year, it’s safe to assume any vehicle left in my care for more than a couple of months is going to see its fair share of dirt and grime as it pounds its way up and down the country.

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As a result, there’s always quite a lot of washing and cleaning to be done – and despite what my colleagues might think, I don’t just drive around trying to make our cars as filthy as possible. However, since the funky-looking SEAT Leon X-Perience joined the Auto Express fleet recently, I’ve found that keeping on top of cleaning doesn’t matter so much.

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The rugged Leon estate is the first car I’ve taken on after saying a fond farewell to the Ford Transit Custom. That was white, as you’d expect for a van, which meant it didn’t take long for anyone to realise I’d been racking up the miles. In contrast, my latest car has an amazing ability to hide the muck that gets thrown at it on a daily basis.

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The £575 optional chocolate paintjob – Adventure Brown in SEAT speak – isn’t an obvious colour for a model with such a sharp design. However, it complements the Leon’s youthful, outdoor, go-anywhere image – and best of all, from my point of view, it keeps me sailing past the many car washes I come across on my travels.

SEAT Leon X-Perience - interior Otis driving

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But don’t think I’ve just been won over because the X-Perience allows me to spend less time with a bucket and sponge. It’s also a great addition to our fleet because, so far, it’s been really nice to live with. That might sound bland and boring, but it’s exactly what you want from a car that spends most of its time covering long distances while carrying lots of kit.

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As a daily driver it’s been pretty hard to pick fault with, largely due to its super-smooth six-speed manual gearbox and punchy 2.0-litre TDI engine, which combine with the chassis and steering set-up to strike a really nice balance.

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The Leon is engaging to drive when my commute permits, and more refined when I just want to glide home after a long day. The ride is on the firm side – especially at the rear – but it calms down and cruises nicely when loaded up with my camera gear. Which brings me on to another plus point.

• SEAT Leon X-Perience vs Skoda Octavia Scout

The space on offer is great, with the boot swallowing a healthy 587 litres, or 687 litres once the moveable boot floor is lowered, and then 1,470 litres with the rear seats down. So there’s no problem battling for space when carting my equipment around with me on photo shoots.

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As we’re heading towards the tail end of summer, I’m already bracing myself for the arrival of some nasty autumn weather. I’m sure this paintjob will come into its own, disguising splashback from muddy puddles and grime from heavy rain.

But as we’ll be running the Leon through the winter, too, I hope we’ll be able to venture off-road and really give the four-wheel drive a workout, to investigate the car’s USP – and see if it really is any better than a regular Leon ST.

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Our SEAT previously went head-to-head with its VW Group cousin, the Skoda Octavia Scout, but was just pipped to the post. As we’re also running the off-road-inspired Octavia on our fleet, it’ll be interesting to see if the tables are turned after living with both cars for an extended period of time.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old living in Banbury, Oxon, with three penalty points.

Since its arrival, the SEAT has impressed with its carrying capacity and ability to cope with the daily grind. The niggling ride quality takes the shine off things a bit, but fuel economy of 52.4mpg is impressive given the four-wheel-drive system. So far, so good.

Model: SEAT Leon X-Perience SE Technology 2.0 TDI 150
On fleet since: July 2015
Price new: £26,905
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 148bhp
CO2/tax: 125g/km/£110

Options: Metallic paint (£575), SEAT Sound System (£260), rear side airbags (£300), adaptive cruise control with front assist (£515), divider net (£155)
Insurance*: Group: 20, Quote: £543
Mileage/mpg: 11,604/52.4mpg
Any problems?: None so far

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