Seat’s Leon got a lot of positive reviews when it launched last year, thanks to Seat’s new design philosophy and Volkswagen’s featherweight MQB platform. The 5-door Leon Mk3 ended up 90kg lighter than its predecessor, yet it was the biggest MQB hatch when it launched, courtesy of a wheelbase extended by 2.3 inches over the Golf and Audi A3.
The decision to go for a longer wheelbase, the same one used on the A3 Sportback, was surprising, but it soon started to make sense when Seat announced that it would roll out the Leon SC, a 3-door coupe version with the standard MQB wheelbase. Furthermore Seat announced that it would introduce an estate version of the Leon and now a Czech car site has leaked a series of gorgeous press photos.
So far Seat kept the Leon line-up simple, as a simple 5-door hatch, but now it is offering three flavours and both the SC and ST look quite appealing indeed.
The estate is said to feature a 587-litre boot, which is a bit less than the Golf Variant and Octavia Combi, at 605 and 610 respectively. However, the Leon looks a lot more dynamic than its German and Czech siblings. The rear end looks like the lovechild of an Audi A3 Sportback and an Ibiza ST, which means it looks a lot better than most compact estates. In other words, it does not look like a hearse, but rather a nice hatch with a sporty backpack.
There is still no word on pricing or availability, but the ST should make its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The 5-door and the SC are competitively priced, hence the ST should be no exception. It should end up quite a bit cheaper than the Golf or A3, probably on par with the Octavia Combi, but with a lot more flare.
