2014 Seat Leon ST X-Perience revealed - exclusive pictures
* Exclusive studio images of Seat's all-new Leon X-Perience * Based on the Leon ST, adds all-wheel drive * Due on sale at the end of 2014, priced from £25,000 (est)...
The new Seat Leon X-Perience has been revealed, and will be an off-road version of the small family estate.
Every Leon X-Perience comes with the latest Seat all-wheel drive system. It sends its power to the front wheels in normal driving conditions, and then transfers it to all four when more traction is required. An electronic differential helps aid traction in corners as well. The ride height has also been raised by about 15mm to improve ground clearance.
The Leon X-Perience is visually set apart from the rest of the ST range by plastic cladding around the wheelarches and the door sills. The bumpers also get aluminium-look skid plates. It also gets chromed exhaust pipes, a choice of 17-inch or 18-inch alloy wheels and a black roof rail. It also comes with LED front and rear lights.
As well as the visual changes to the exterior, Seat has also upgraded the interior for what is set to be a range-topping model.
It gets a selection of new materials – the seats are fabric as standard, but can be specified with black leather or brown Alcantara covering as an option. There are X-Perience logos on the door sills and steering wheel, while orange stitching features throughout the cabin.
It comes with adaptive cruise control, the latest version of Seat's infotainment system and an emergency braking system as standard.
The lugagge space is unchanged over the standard Leon ST, with 587 litres available with the seats up, and 1470 with them folded.
Only two engines will be available on the Leon X-Perience – a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel which is linked to a manual gearbox, and the 181bhp 2.0-litre diesel from the Leon FR, which is offered with only a DSG automatic gearbox.
The changes to the Leon's ride height and the addition of the all-wheel-drive system have a negative effect on the car's efficiency. The smaller diesel emits 126g/km, up from 106g/km on the ST, while the larger engine emits 133g/km, up from 122g/km.
Full UK pricing and specification are yet to be confirmed, but the Leon X-Perience is expected to start from around £25,000 for the smaller diesel, rising to around £27,000 for the more powerful model. It will go on sale towards the end of 2014.
