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1.4 TSI ACT or 1.8 TSI?
- Thread starter mrbugle
- Start date
Had the car for 7 months now, Engine is amazing! Anyone that drives the car cannot believe it's a 1.4.
Stick it in Sports mode and virtually no lag unless you change gear really early.
No weird noises.
Every now and then you can feel it changes from Eco to off but never from the other way round and it's barely noticeable when you can tell.
My first VAG car so never had any experience with the standard 1.4
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My Leon 1.4 ACT is just a month away from being a year old, and I total agree with the above, plus the engine warms up nice quickly in the winter too. No oil use in 6,000 miles and has averaged 46.5 mpg (mixed town & country roads).
I have just ordered a 1.8 TSI after a test drive in both. My partner also has a polo GT with the 1.4 act, it is absolutely brilliant but I was slightly disappointed by the 1.4 act Leon, it didn't have the same eagerness as the polo. The 1.8 felt like it was the right engine for the car, it revs higher, and the driving experience is more like the 1.4 act in the polo. If you want an economical petrol engine with a sporty trim id go for the 1.4 (and its not slow by any means) if you want more of an all round performance package and an engine with more potential go for the 1.8 (its not super quick by any means) both good cars!
yours the 140 or 150, Ken? am thinking of moving to an XP or the new Ateca SUV later this year, and I think I may well go back to petrol....although if there's a 1.5 in the pipeline might be worth waiting for that!
The engine offered in the Leon at launch was the 1.4 140ps available on both the SE and FR room. This was then replaced with the 150ps Act in July 2014 (earliest builds were September 2014) for the FR trim. At the same time the 1.4 non act was downgraded to 125ps for the SE trim.
I guess the idea being that the FR has the warmer set of engines
Original turbo?
I run 267bhp on my APR tuned 1.8TSI, and it goes for less fuel than before the tune.
What have you done to yours to get 280?
It's the question I'm asking myself at the moment do I have another 1.8 or go for the 1.4 ACT this time.
I currently have the 1.8 which is now almost 3 years old. Mine was actually one of the very first 1.8's available in the UK. I love the car and I still can't really make my mind up whether to keep it another year or two or swap my car at 3 years as I've always done.
My 1.8 is a manual and I would like to try the DSG next time as I've heard lots of good reports about it.
Having loved my current 1.8 my natural choice would be to go for the 1.8 DSG but I do wonder how much of a difference I would notice if I had the 1.4 ACT DSG instead. I was quite surprised how expensive it is and not as much less than the 1.8 as I would have expected. I suppose I Would save a bit on fuel, tax and insurance if I had the 1.4. I know I am the only one who can make the decision but the question I keep asking myself is "Do I really need the 1.8? I just done want to spend the next few years regretting not having another 1.8. I know that people will say take a test drive but I never think you can really tell from just an hour or so with a car. It's looking more and more that I will play safe and have another 1.8.
I currently have the 1.8 which is now almost 3 years old. Mine was actually one of the very first 1.8's available in the UK. I love the car and I still can't really make my mind up whether to keep it another year or two or swap my car at 3 years as I've always done.
My 1.8 is a manual and I would like to try the DSG next time as I've heard lots of good reports about it.
Having loved my current 1.8 my natural choice would be to go for the 1.8 DSG but I do wonder how much of a difference I would notice if I had the 1.4 ACT DSG instead. I was quite surprised how expensive it is and not as much less than the 1.8 as I would have expected. I suppose I Would save a bit on fuel, tax and insurance if I had the 1.4. I know I am the only one who can make the decision but the question I keep asking myself is "Do I really need the 1.8? I just done want to spend the next few years regretting not having another 1.8. I know that people will say take a test drive but I never think you can really tell from just an hour or so with a car. It's looking more and more that I will play safe and have another 1.8.
My dad has the 1.4 ecotsi with DSG in the Leon FR - this after years of Golf TDI ownership - with the last one being the 150 TDI. He says the 1.4 is an outstanding engine which is powerful, smooth, quiet and in his words very torquey. Obviously I don't have the 1.8 to compare against but I am taking ownership of the 1.4 150 in my new Ibiza tomorrow.
This week's Auto car has a comparison with the 1.4 FR, an Astra, Focus and Mazda 3. Guess what wins, they do mention about its lack of engine size but overall are very happy. I suppose SEAT have no 1.8s in their press fleet.
It depends a lot on your driving style, the 1.4 is a punchy little engine but it can be a bit breathless (even in the wifes smaller polo) so if you enjoy the performance of the 1.8 you will notice the difference in the smaller capacity, but if you drive the 1.8 well within its limits the 1.4 might be a good option.
I've done almost 6,000 Miles in mine(1.4 FR) since picking it up late December last year, and I am enjoying it more and more, especially now the slightly better spring weather is coming, still need to go for a long drive, but now that's coming next month
I own Leon ST 1.4 TSI ACT FR for ca.1,5y. One of the first MY2015 builds, from mid 2014.
Driven already 29.000km, 50% long journeys on highways, 40% in city, 10% country roads. Consumption 6.6l/100km (I am not fuel saver driver), anytime has enough power to overtake, to speed up. On German highways no problem to reach 210-220 kmh.
No issue since the beginning, no LED light alignment issue, no door ratless.
Still enjoying my car.
I preferred extras for the price and tax differences between 1.4 TSI ACT and 1.8 TSI.
Driven already 29.000km, 50% long journeys on highways, 40% in city, 10% country roads. Consumption 6.6l/100km (I am not fuel saver driver), anytime has enough power to overtake, to speed up. On German highways no problem to reach 210-220 kmh.
No issue since the beginning, no LED light alignment issue, no door ratless.
Still enjoying my car.
I preferred extras for the price and tax differences between 1.4 TSI ACT and 1.8 TSI.
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I have a 1.4 and never struggle or feel it has to be ragged or is underpowered and you can certainly have a lot of fun in it. The 0-60 time if you want to be technical is it .5 or so of a second second different but realistically will you ever notice?
For cheaper running costs, very punchy engine driven right, low rev cruising when you need, 1.4 All the way
I know it's always going to be bias toward the engine people have but personally the
.4 cubic capacity difference in the engines shouldn't be the decider. They are both great well rounded and we'll known engines and I doubt anyone on here will say they regret the one they've bought, if your mind set is based on a 1.8, aim for that.
For info I stepped down from a 1.8 Zetec naturally aspirated, and the 1.4 TSI is equal to an old-school 2 litre car for performance
Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk
For cheaper running costs, very punchy engine driven right, low rev cruising when you need, 1.4 All the way
I know it's always going to be bias toward the engine people have but personally the
.4 cubic capacity difference in the engines shouldn't be the decider. They are both great well rounded and we'll known engines and I doubt anyone on here will say they regret the one they've bought, if your mind set is based on a 1.8, aim for that.
For info I stepped down from a 1.8 Zetec naturally aspirated, and the 1.4 TSI is equal to an old-school 2 litre car for performance
Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk
I thought I was really going to have to accept compromise when I got the 1.4 ACT engine. However I was wrong because most of the time I am under 3k revs where this engine is at its best. Low down grunt is almost diesel like in delivery and provides lots of power where most needed. Very rarely do I need to give it many revs but when I do there is enough power to hold a gear to 6k for say overtaking. So it manages about 42 mpg (but I think it is still loosening up), company car tax b/k is cheap and less than the FR diesels, and the FR spec makes it entertaining to drive and look at. If I want to go quick then I have a Mk2 Golf with about 220bhp for that. Other than for remapping purposes I can't really see the 1.8 being able to tick as many boxes as the 1.4.
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