Within the Volkswagen Group, they're moving hard towards electric vehicles. All to tame the CO2-ghost. However, they won't tame it by only...
building electric cars, so they also have plug-in hybrid technology. Take this Seat Leon for example. They haven't only put...
that hybrid-technology in the hatchback, but in the station wagon as well. Ten years ago however, Renault said that the future would...
be fully electric. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains would only be temporary solutions, so Renault didn't invest in them.
In 2021 however, reality caught up fast with Renault, so they had to react and build their own plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
They've put it in several cars, like the Megane Wagon. Plug-in hybrids don't come with the financial benefits anymore in the Netherlands,
but it still offers a low amount of CO2-emissions which in turn means that the added taxes are low. That's good for the purchase price.
In other words, you get quite a lot of performance for quite a decent price. And if that's not enough for you, you're also improving the world.
Those people are very thankful as well.
Both cars are plug-in hybrids, but they've both taken completely different approaches. Renault uses an atmospheric 1.6-litre petrol engine...
producing 91 horsepower. That's not a lot, but it's connected to an electric motor producing 49 horsepower.
Additionally, there's a small electric motor acting as a starter generator, producing an another 25 horsepower.
The first electric motor and combustion engine both have their own gearboxes, whilst the secondary electric motor supports the clutch.
Together, the power units produce a system output of 158 horsepower. It's a brilliant system which works seemlessly.
You can hear the gear changes, and you won't know which power source is producing at that time, and it's not always as sparkly.
Sometimes, it feels a tad slow.
Renault fits the Megane with a 9,8 kWh-battery pack, which means you can drive fully electrically for around 40 km. That's not bad.
After that, it becomes a regular hybrid, in which the electronics will decide what power source to use.
It's become a lot heavier though, something you'll feel. However, they've set the springs and dampers in a way that...
it has remained an incredibly comfortable machine without becoming too soft. It's not sturdy or anything, but it's more than decent for daily use.
The interior has remained pretty much the same. It looks very neat and the materials feel nice. I do have to say, it's not the most...
spacious interior available. I mean, the space up front is more than fine but it's a bit cramped in the back.
If we move even further back and look at the boot, we can't say anything else but that it's very compact.
The battery pack is fitted beneath the floor, which reduces the available space above the floor. It also means you can't fit the cables underneath...
the floor. You'll have to put them in the boot as well, which costs you a few litres as well. But that's the way it is.
The drivetrain in the Leon is basically the same as the drivetrain in the plug-in hybrid Golf. That means it's powered by a 1.4-litre TSI...
producing 116 horsepower, connected to a DSG-gearbox. Right inbetween the two however, there's an electric motor, which brings...
the total system output to 204 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque. That's quite a lot for a middle class station car and having said that,
it's more than alright. It's not like the Renault-drivetrain is slow or anything, but this is a tad faster.
The Leon has a bigger battery pack than the Megane as well; a 12,8 kWh-unit to be precise.
That will take you 46 kilometres on a single charge, which is a tad further than in the Renault.
Driving electrically is done with the push of a button in the Renault. You just have to push the EV-button. However, in the Leon you'll...
have to navigate through some menu's. That's too bad, but if you're able to find the setting, you'll be cruising around electrically.
Not just in the city, but on motorways as well. And when the battery eventually runs out, it becomes a hybrid again.
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that this car is heavier than a regular Leon, but Seat was able to mask the additional...
weight a tad better than Renault. The Leon feels more dynamic without becoming too uncomfortable or anything.
Seat has found a better balance than Renault, and they already did a good job for starters.
When it comes to driving assists and safety systems, the Leon has more features than the Renault. As standard, even, so the points go to Spain.
The interior in this Leon is similar to what we know from other versions. A very clean interior. It might be even too clean, because they seem...
to have minimalized almost all of the physical buttons. It's all in the menu now, and it's a bit too much for me.
I already mentioned you had to navigate through menu's to find the EV-mode, but it's the same for a lot of other functions.
That's very distracting, which I don't really like. Call me old-fashioned, but it's easier to operate the volume with a turning knob instead of...
swiping across a small bar over here. The same goes for the temperature. Renault has done it properly with separate knobs for both features,
whilst Seat has hidden it all away in the menu's. That's too bad.
When it comes to space however, Seat claws back some points. The Leon is more spacious in the front and it most certainly is in the back.
I'm almost 2.00 m. tall, and I've got more than enough space in the back, whilst I'm quite cramped in the back of the Renault.
The boot is more spacious than in the Renault as well. There's even space underneath the floor for the charging cables, or oil or something.
If that's not enough space for you, both cars are allowed to tow trailers. The Renault can tow up to 750 kg whilst the Seat is allowed to tow...
1.500 kg. That's double the amount.
Right, let's wrap it up. Renault has built a decent plug-in hybrid, but Seat offers more power and space.
However, that does come at a price. Prices for the Renault start at only €33.000, whilst the entry level Leon will cost you at least €38.500.
And that's quite the gap, if you ask me.