New car news

10 February 2009 - 10:00

Differently the same

There’s a new Seat Leon coming to Geneva. Here it is. It’s completely different. Really, it is.

OK, we admit it. It’s not very different. In fact, if you’ve spotted any of the changes, pat yourself on the back and treat yourself to a digestive biscuit. A chocolate one.

The revised Leon gets bigger headlights, a larger glass area at the rear and some new wheel designs, along with a few tweaks to the centre console and steering wheels. All of which you’d already picked up on though, right?

Under the surface, however, the changes are more significant. The Leon gets Seat’s new ‘XDS’ traction control, which uses electronic trickery to mimic the function of a limited slip differential.

There are new engines, too – the 208bhp ‘TSI’ petrol engine from the Audi A5, along with a 168bhp common-rail turbodiesel. No extra power for the Leon FR or Cupra, though. Which is probably a good thing, considering.

The new Leon will reach UK roads this summer, by which time we might have figured out how to differentiate it from the current model.