The New SEAT Leon ST Estate

This will be the first time that the SEAT Leon has been offered with three body style choices, with the regular five door SEAT Leon hatchback and the three door SC models already on sale. 

The SEAT Leon ST has 207 extra litres of boot space than the regular hatchback, with 587 litres available when the rear seats are in place. Though that trails the Skoda Octavia Estate which has 610 litres and the Volkswagen Golf Estate that has 605 litres. The model cannot match these rivals when the rear seats are folded either, it's maximum capacity being 1,470 litres. SEAT has achieved this increase over the hatchback by adding 27cm to the length of the car, though the wheelbase stays the same. The ST is only 45kg heavier, with the same suspension settings. 

New alloy wheels with multi spokes and a slender roof in silver also sets this model apart from the five door, though it looks a little like a stretched elongated version of the standard car, rather than a standalone model. The engine range has been carried over too, including the efficient 1.6 litre TDI Ecomotive, which returns 85.6 miles per gallon and emits 88g of CO2. The FR tops the range, which is powered by either a 178 brake horsepower 1.8 TSI engine or a 181 brake horsepower 2.0 TDI. Reportedly, six speed manual and seven speed DSG automatic transmissions will be offered with the four wheel drive and on more powerful variants of engine. 

As well as the Volkswagen and the Skoda, the SEAT Leon ST is also up against the Honda Civic Tourer and the Ford Focus Estate. Prices have not been revealed for the Leon ST model yet, though it is expected to cost around £750 more than the five door hatchback. The range should start from about £16,400. 

The SEAT Leon ST will make it's official debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show and the company have hinted that it may also offer the estate as a Cupra model aswell, which would make it a direct rival to the Focus ST Estate from Ford.