The article was originally produced on December 12, 2014, some facts and prices may have changed since then.

Seat Leon X-Perience

With higher ground clearance, four-wheel drive, screen and threshold wideners, the new Seat Leon X-Perience is ready for Sweden.

First it was Audi, then Volkswagen and finally Skoda. The Volkswagen Group's class journey is a fact and the brand within the group that is currently getting the most focus on climbing is Seat. What has been missing from the model program has been a four-wheel drive all-road version. With X-Perience, this gap is now filled and the car is cut and cut for the Swedish market. It is also an opportunity to enter the company car market where we lacked an attractive model, says Sanna Strömbäck who is market and PR manager at Seat.

Leon belongs to the same size class as Golf. In 2013, the model came in a combi version that is perfect for the small family or the active person who wants to be able to bring a little more than just a couple of bags. If there is something that works well here in Sweden, it is combi models, so Seat's addition of the Leon ST Kombi was a move in the right direction. But to really achieve the perfect combination that is guaranteed to attract buyers, an important detail was missing, four-wheel drive. Few countries in the world sell as many cars with four-wheel drive as Sweden. We are used to the fact that the weather can change and the way the roads are during winter. Feeling safe behind the wheel with reliable four-wheel drive is a calming element for many in the otherwise stressful everyday life. Add to that that the four-wheel drive on the Leon X-Perience also comes from Swedish Haldex. Since last summer, it is also possible to order the Leon ST Kombi with Haldex four-wheel drive. But what really means that the Leon X-Perience, in addition to its four-wheel drive, will attract the Swedish buyer is the increase in ground clearance of 17 mm compared to the regular ST Kombi, as well as the new robust appearance, which has both screen and threshold widths. There are no models that do as well in Sweden as the so-called all-road, or cross country models in Volvo parlance. From the beginning, the whole concept was a misconception when Audi saw raised and masked BMW 5-Series cars driving around that were actually test cars for the upcoming X5. Audi perceived the whole thing as a new type of car model and produced its A6 Allroad, which was the first for this type of model. Volvo quickly caught on with the V70 Cross Country. The funny thing in this context is that BMW still hasn't made its own all-road version of the 5 Series.

To get over logs and rocks, or yes, potholes and rice, the Leon X-Perience is available with four different engine options, one petrol and three diesels. The Leon X-Perience is not an all-terrain vehicle, but actually did quite well on a landscaped off-road course during the test drive outside Barcelona. The 180 horsepower petrol engine is a very fine machine with 280 newton meters of torque. Together with the DSG gearbox, which is standard for the petrol and the strongest diesel, the ride is silky smooth on the smooth, EU-funded roads around Barcelona. On the off-road course, there is also the opportunity to test one of the diesel versions with 184 horses. Even though it has rained and there is a lot of mud, the car makes its way without any complaints, which feels safe if we were to exchange the mud for snow. If you choose the petrol version, you end up with an average consumption of just under 0.7 liters per mile. The diesels, on the other hand, pull just under half a liter regardless of size. For those who really want it, front-wheel drive will also be offered in just over a year.

The driving environment is very pleasant in the Leon X-Perience. elements of alcantara in the doors and seats give it a premium feel, which the brand lacked. All buttons and controls are clearly visible and you quickly feel at home. The seating comfort in the bowled sports seats is very good thanks to good lateral support and the aforementioned alcantara, which prevents you from sliding around in the seat. If you choose navigation, you get a touchscreen-based system that contains most of what you could want from an infotainment system with blue-tooth connection to the mobile phone and much more. For those who need to load a lot, the Leon X-Perience swallows a whopping 1,470 liters if you fold the seats in the back. This is done very easily with a lever from the tailgate. With the seats folded up, 587 liters can be stored in the back. 

There is no doubt that the Seat Leon X-Perience is cut and dried and worth its price for the Swedish market. However, it remains to be seen whether the Spanish nerve will attract buyers more now that Volkswagen has just presented its forest mule version of the Golf called the Alltrack.