The SEAT Leon may have just lost its crown of best family hatch to the new Vauxhall Astra, but SEAT won't rest on its laurels. The Spanish hatch is set to get a mid-life upgrade at the end of 2016, with tweaks all-round expected.
Despite this camouflaged prototype's extensive disguise, the Leon will only receive modest external revisions as the firm focuses its restyling efforts on its forthcoming SUV range. Tweaks to the front and rear-end design should see a sportier, sharper look than the current car but that will be all.
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In terms of the interior, its likely we'll see a general boost in quality and new materials, but the most significant change will be the new touchscreen infotainment system from the Ibiza. That will bring Apple Carplay smartphone connectivity to see it compete with the latest class contenters, including the Astra.
The current Leon's Euro6-compliant diesel engines are unaffected by the VW-Group emissions fiasco, so we can only expect incremental efficiency tweaks across the board. There may be an all-new edition in the form of an ultra-frugal 'Ecomotive' turbo petrol engine borrowed from the Polo Bluemotion, satisfying those put off by controversial oil-burners.
Read our in-depth review of the current SEAT Leon here...