SEAT Leon X-Perience (2014 – 2018) Review

SEAT Leon X-Perience (2014 – 2018) At A Glance

4/5

+Well-made. Capable in bad weather thanks to four-wheel drive. Easy and relaxing to drive. Spacious interior and comfortable. Can tow up to 2000kg.

-Not as practical as a Skoda Octavia Scout. Limited range of engines.

Insurance Groups are between 19–24
On average it achieves 82% of the official MPG figure

SEAT is pitching the Leon X-Perience at people with surfboards, skis and mountain bikes – but you don’t need to be what marketing people call a ‘lifestyle’ customer to appreciate this comfortable, capable estate. For towing trailers, caravans or for handling a tough British winter - the X-Perience is a stylish, accomplished family car.

The X-Perience is differentiated from the standard Leon ST estate by more rugged exterior styling, a raised ride height and standard all-wheel drive. This Haldex 4x4 system defaults to front-wheel drive under most conditions, but if it detects slip it can send power to the rear wheels to maintain traction.

There is one engine choice – a 2.0-litre TDI diesel – but it is offered in two configurations. There is a six-speed manual option with 150PS and a six-speed DSG automatic with 184PS. Both have the same emissions of 129g/km and the same official economy figure of 57.6mpg, but the 184PS model accelerates slightly faster.

The cabin of the Leon X-Perience is more or less the same as in the Leon ST. That means material quality is very good, with a solid but plush feel to the plastics. It’s spacious, with room in the back row for adults to sit in comfort thanks to generous leg and head room.

The boot, at 587 litres, is big enough for most uses and can be expanded easily by folding the rear seats. Maximum volume is 1470 litres, but if that isn’t enough there are roof rails as standard for attaching top boxes. There are also various practical options like a bicycle rack and tow bar.

Towing is an area in which the Leon X-Perience excels - the manual model is rated to tow a braked trailer up to 2000kg. Paired with the user-friendly all-wheel drive system, the X-Perience is an ideal car for pulling caravans or horseboxes across fields or down forest tracks.

For someone who needs a stylish and practical estate for all seasons, the Leon X-Perience is a great choice – but it does face tough competition, especially from within the Volkswagen Group. The Skoda Octavia Scout is about the same price and has a more spacious boot, but if you value style the Leon is a winner. 

SEAT Leon X-Perience 2014 Road Test

Long Term Test SEAT Leon X-Perience 2.0TDI DSG

Real MPG average for a SEAT Leon X-Perience (2014 – 2018)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

82%

Real MPG

38–57 mpg

MPGs submitted

17

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Ask Honest John

Best estate car with all-wheel drive under £10,000?

"I am looking to buy a used mid-size estate car. As I drive a lot in Europe during winter, I could probably do with 4WD. Also, it should be reasonably economical as I drive a lot of long distances, and not too dull. My budget is around £7,000 to max of £10,000. I've been thinking of the BMW F30 3 series xDrive, but not sure if a high-mileage example could be a false economy, and if the xDrive all-wheel drive system is reliable. I'd be very keen to hear other recommendations, too. "
The F30 3 Series is a good car and the xDrive all-wheel drive system is well regarded, but you'd likely be looking at a pretty leggy example for your budget which could prove costly to run. We'd also be looking at the Audi A4 Avant/Allroad, VW Golf Alltrack or, Skoda Octavia Scout or SEAT Leon X-Perience. To be honest, though, a good set of winter or all-season tyres on any estate car would be more effective in adverse conditions than four-wheel drive and regular summer tyres.
Answered by Lawrence Allan

Will I get more into the boot of a fully laden Volkswagen Golf Estate than I would my current Ford Mondeo Estate?

"I currently drive a 2013 Ford Mondeo Estate which we've used as a family car for camping holidays. Squeezing as much as possible into the boot is essential, with the back seats up as I have two children. According to your specification pages, my current car has a boot capacity of 537 litres, and yet smaller class cars appear to have bigger boot capacity. The Volkswagen Golf Estate has 605 litres, the SEAT Leon Estate has 587 litres and even the Volvo V60 (criticised as not being a load-lugger) at 557 litres. So, will I get more into the boot of a fully laden Volkswagen Golf Estate than I would my current Ford Mondeo Estate?"
Yes. The Skoda Octavia estate and, of course, the Skoda Superb estate are even bigger. You should consider a Superb estate: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/skoda/skoda-superb-2015-estate-road-test/ That's 660 litres to the load cover.
Answered by Honest John

Which car offers smoother ride - SEAT Leon X-Perience or SEAT Ateca (both 4WD)?

"In your opinion, between SEAT Leon X-Perience and SEAT Ateca (both 4WD), which one has a more composed ride?"
The X-Perience is 4WD only and fully independent suspension only. The Ateca comes with a variety of drivetrains and the 2WDs have inferior twist beam rear suspension. All on the same MQB subframes. Ride depends on the size of the wheels and the profile of the tyres. Bigger the wheels and lower profile of the tyres, worse ride.
Answered by Honest John

Need an all-roader - which model do you recommend?

"We want to change our Audi A4 All Road 2.0 TDI. Which would you suggest we replace it with? We quite like the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, SEAT Leon X-Perience and Subaru Outback. Are there any other makes/models we should be considering?"
I was very favourably impressed by the VW Golf Alltrack: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/volkswagen/volkswagen-golf-alltrack-2015// Also by the SEAT Leon X-Perience: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/seat/seat-leon-x-perience-2014-road-test//
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a SEAT Leon X-Perience (2014 – 2018) cost?