06/10/08

• Price14,745
• We like...Style, performance
• We don't...Cabin looks cheap in places

Should you buy this sporty small hatchback, over its dearer, more sober sister-  under-the-skin, the VW Golf?Think on this. This Seat Ibiza Leon is £800 cheaper than an equivalent Volkswagen Golf. Both cars have identical engines and similar running gear. For cabin space, they’re much alike and each has five doors. Pop up the bonnet of the Seat and you’ll quickly spot a scattering of parts marked ‘Volkswagen’ and ‘Audi’.

So the Seat and the VW are sisters under the skin. But which should you buy? If classy image matters most, the VW is worth the extra. Nothing at the price approaches the Golf for sober, understated cool.

And the Seat, wisely, dsn’t even try. Instead, it’s got a pared-back look to its cabin that’s quite appealing. Meanwhile the body is practically shaped to give a big inside but the designers have also worked hard to create neat touches such as outer handles for the rear doors, recessed into the window glass.

Seat trades on the sportiness of its cars, pitching itself as a Spanish answer to Alfa Romeo. It’s no surprise then, to discover that the 1.4 turbocharged petrol motor in this car sounds gruffer and rawer than it ds in the Golf. That’s a pity, because this engine’s smoothness is a strong reason to like it elsewhere.

Still, here it spins freely to punt the car along at a lick. The benefit of such a small-capacity petrol engine producing a lot of power is low carbon dioxide emissions and good fuel economy. And, because the Leon is the lighter car, it has the drop on the Golf, completing the 0-60mph sprint more quickly and also promising to travel a little further per gallon.

The Leon’s a tidy thing to drive, quick in its responses to wheel and throttle and well controlled across a series of bends. It isn’t as forgiving over a broken road surface as a Golf, though: you’ll hear and feel more bumps and crashes.

The interior is as roomy as a Golf’s although the dark fabrics inside and the high window line makes it feel more confined, especially if you’re sat in the back. It’s plainer and simpler than the VW’s but it’s fine at the price. Its equipment list beats the equivalent Golf hands-down: you won’t get two-zone climate controlled air-con in the VW, unless you pay extra, and it’s also got gizmos such as tyre pressure monitors. These check the amount of air on start-up and send an alert if the pressure is too low or high.

What about second-hand value? Golfs have always lost value more slowly than most but, according to the experts, the Leon keeps pace, retaining the exact same percentage of its original cost after three years. And while this car is relatively new, Leons can be snapped up second-hand at all ages and prices. They’re excellent buys.

Now we really like Golfs. But the fact that this Leon is a little cheaper, is sporty where the similar Golf isn’t and is a few hundred quid cheaper to begin with would cast doubts. And, finally, the realisation that the Leon sells in smaller numbers and, for that reason, is more exclusive, might just tip our decision its way.

• Engines1.4 TSi
• Power124bhp
• 0-60 mph9.7sec
• Economy44.1mpg
• CO2g/km155
• Insurance groups8
• EuroNCAP
• Airbags6
• Seats5

Motors.co.uk value verdict: