Let's talk styling

[Mr Pig]

The whole range, not just one model. What do you like, what do you think could be better?

I'll kick it off. While everyone is talking about how good looking the car is it dawned on me that it always looks better in photographs than it does in real life doesn't it? From certain angles especially. I have an ST and in the flesh it looks fatter and dumpier than the brochure and I blame a few things.

Car's too tall. Don't get me wrong, headroom is a good thing but with the seat right down I could drive the thing it a top-hat! I'm 5.10 by the way.

The centre crease in the bonnet. Never liked this design feature. Makes the bonnet look higher than it is.

The rear end on the ST is too rounded. I can see what they've tried to do, make it look more like a hatch, but if I wanted a hatch I would have bought a hatch. Make the rear end more upright and I get more storage space and the car looks longer.

Number two. The styling of all of the cars in the Seat range is too similar. Sure, you want to have a family resemblance but they look like the same car in different sizes. Smacks of laziness, lack of imagination or limited resources.

Wing mirrors are great though aren't they? :0)

 

[hydrostatik]

Did you wake up on the wrong side of the car this morning?

Agree the styling is too similar across the range but how does any other car maker not suffer the same fate? BMW 1,2,3,4,5 look broadly similar. Audi 1,3,4,5,6,7 look broadly similar. Ford Fiesta, Focus etc etc. The only thing that differentiates them is size really and the styling that goes along with the sizes.

Seat don't make a huge range of different sized cars. Their newest offering the cross over thing is just a Leon pretty much.

I'm not disagreeing with you but surely all makers have this issue.

I have the 5 door so styling wise I think mine looks great although I'm not sure I like the crease on the bonnet either.

The Golf estate has exactly the same issues your describing and it's down to the size. These cars aren't estate cares in their own right are they? They are just estate versions of the hatchback. I'm assuming the ST is still based on the MQB chassis here, as with the Golf.

If you want a long sweeping estate with plenty of space then buy a Mondeo, Passat, Insignia etc. Styling wise these cars look better due to the increased size and room in which the designers have to play. If you want a box then buy a Yeti or similar.

With all that being said I don't like the front wings and wheel arches too much. They managed to update pretty much everything from the mk2 and keep it looking broadly similar and at the same time completely different. Everything worked pretty much except the front wings and wheel arches. They look pretty weird IMO but maybe my colour brings it out.

I've only had mine a week so can't really comment too much but so far it's lookin pretty nice.

When you selling yours then







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mr Pig]

Agree the styling is too similar across the range but how does any other car maker not suffer the same fate?

Yeah, some do but just because other people sh** doesn't mean it doesn't stink. And some brands are a lot worse than others. A Fiesta and Focus both look like Fords but a Fiesta does not look like a small focus.

I'm assuming the ST is still based on the MQB chassis here, as with the Golf.

Of course. My point is not that the styling of the ST compromises load space, although it does. My point is that from certain angles it makes the car look like a jelly mould.

Generally I think the styling of the car is pretty good but I reckon they've held back deliberately. I expect to see a sharp looking face-lift in a year or two. If VW have enough money left that is..

 

[hydrostatik]

Yeah, some do but just because other people sh** doesn't mean it doesn't stink. And some brands are a lot worse than others. A Fiesta and Focus both look like Fords but a Fiesta does not look like a small focus.



Of course. My point is not that the styling of the ST compromises load space, although it does. My point is that from certain angles it makes the car look like a jelly mould.

Generally I think the styling of the car is pretty good but I reckon they've held back deliberately. I expect to see a sharp looking face-lift in a year or two. If VW have enough money left that is..

I agree with everything you said.

 

[Damo H]

I think the ST looks better than the 5 door, it's rear window fits the shape of the car better. Similar to the 3 door in fact. The 5 door rear side window is too much like me current model Seat.

 

[100andthirty]

I usually work from the inside out. As long as a car looks smart, then I am really only worried about how nice it is inside and how well it goes. I have owned many cars thay were not regarded as beautiful, but worked well enough to gain a firm place in the family's heart. The only real mistake we made was with a 1.4 Ibiza, simply because it was too small for our needs and needed thrashing to make progress.

Using my criteria, our Leon 1.2TSi 110 SE is blooming marvellous; the second best car we have ever had. (The best is a mk11 1.8TSi SE Plus Skoda Superb estate which we have still got)

 

[pvm1234567890]

I absolutely love the look of my ST - looks better in the flesh than in the pictures, in my opinion. The only non-standard items on the exterior of my car are the mirror caps and 18" alloy wheels, as I added the titanium pack.

And just for reference - the boot in the Leon ST is bigger than the Insignia. Didn't look at the Mondeo as I have to have pride in what I drive whistle, and the Passat was just too expensive for the packaging.

 

[hydrostatik]

Not saying those other cars are better by any means lol. I've come from both a Mondeo (06) and an Insignia (11) and I wouldn't recommend either compared to the Leon.

Kinda wish I'd gone for the titanium pack though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pvm1234567890]

Kinda wish I'd gone for the titanium pack though.

Aye, I get a lot of comments related to the wheels first, then when they walk around the back or the front and see the FR badge, I'm usually there for a while!

 

[fabiavrs2004]

I looked at the Octy, but no equivalent to the FR in 1.4 petrol just the vrs and a lot more to get a similar spec, must admit though, the Octy is a bit bigger inside

 

[daniel575]

What I find odd is that from the front it looks *big* but from the rear it appears to be much smaller. Similiar to the BMW hatches.

 

[rossandjet]

Styling

Hi
I have always wanted to personalise my cars and I am considering adding a thin red line down the side of my car as in the picture (6mm wide) just following the cars own styling.

What I have done in the picture is only a mock-up and I am sue it would look a lot better done by a pro.

I don't want the lines to look vulgar, just to break up the rather bland white.

I have spoken to one or two people about it and the "paint man" is concerned that it might show a jagged edge when the masking tape is removed. He recommended having it done in vinyl tape.

My concern is, (having played with tape) that I don't think it would stick where the styling comes to a point.

Any thoughts!!!!


Sorry I can't get the picture to open !!!!!!!

 

[DEAN0]

I can't get the picture to open !!!!!!!

You can see the image if you follow the link but not sure why it wont show

 

[DEAN0]

worked it out - you need to use the direct link - you used the e-mail link

 

[100andthirty]

Looks good on your mock up. Don't think a red line would do much for mine, though; it's red already!

 

[golfhappy]

Hi
I have always wanted to personalise my cars and I am considering adding a thin red line down the side of my car as in the picture (6mm wide) just following the cars own styling.

What I have done in the picture is only a mock-up and I am sue it would look a lot better done by a pro.

I don't want the lines to look vulgar, just to break up the rather bland white.

I have spoken to one or two people about it and the "paint man" is concerned that it might show a jagged edge when the masking tape is removed. He recommended having it done in vinyl tape.

My concern is, (having played with tape) that I don't think it would stick where the styling comes to a point.

Any thoughts!!!!


Sorry I can't get the picture to open !!!!!!!

You ones are describing coach lines. Hell we used to do these all the time! The panel beater i was speaking to the other night was just saying how he used to stick them on 1300E.s that's a classic mk1 ford escort for those who don't know.

 

[Curtly]

Looks good, I'd be interested to see what it looks like if instead of red you colour matched it with the titanium pack

 

[rossandjet]

Thanks for the replies and image posting advice.

I think most of the people that had the skill to do this sort of work by hand are few and far between now.

Arthur

 

[AndyG_TSi]

Independent rear suspension across all the mk3 Leon range would be good.....I think you have to go for an FR to get independent rear on the mk3??

Also, I've been considering changing my mk2 Leon recently and ive been looking on auto trader at 2-3 year old cars & comparing what's what.

Been considering a 1.4Tsi ACT Leon in Fr spec and was comparing it to the mk7 Golf.
VW do a 1.4 ACT DSG in GT spec.

Now I maybe wrong, but I don't think SEAT offer a DSG gearbox in anything less than a 1.8Tsi in FR spec and was thinking SEAT was maybe missing a trick in matching VW with gearbox/engine combinations.

Leon 1.4Tsi ACT DSG Fr anyone??

 

[Joe_3490]

Independent rear suspension across all the mk3 Leon range would be good.....I think you have to go for an FR to get independent rear on the mk3??

Also, I've been considering changing my mk2 Leon recently and ive been looking on auto trader at 2-3 year old cars & comparing what's what.

Been considering a 1.4Tsi ACT Leon in Fr spec and was comparing it to the mk7 Golf.
VW do a 1.4 ACT DSG in GT spec.

Now I maybe wrong, but I don't think SEAT offer a DSG gearbox in anything less than a 1.8Tsi in FR spec and was thinking SEAT was maybe missing a trick in matching VW with gearbox/engine combinations.

Leon 1.4Tsi ACT DSG Fr anyone??

Just looked on the Seat website and yes they do supply the 1.4 EcoTSI engine with DSG