1.8 TSI 180 vs 2.0 TSI 190 Leon ST

[Tabsy]

Hello all,

I am looking to get a Leon ST in the next 3 months and I'm undecided on which engine to go for, the 1.8 180 BHP or the 2.0 190 BHP. I have ruled out the 1.4 & 1.5 as I have always wanted a fast estate (but not wanting to go as fast as a cuppa). I am happy to buy one up to 18 months old but not brand new.

Has anyone driven them both back to back and is there a huge difference? I test drove the 1.8 a few years ago but haven't found one close enough to test drive recently and the 2.0 TSI is still very new so not loads available on the market at the moment. The 1.8 did impress me but the idea of more torque from the 2.0 TSI is tempting. Also what are the real world figures line between the two. Published figures have them only a few mpg apart, but this doesn't represent real world driving.

Thanks in advance for you help and info.

 

[Tabsy]

To add to this, I will only be doing about 6000 miles a year, so defo don't want a diesel.

 

[Tabsy]

Anyone?

 

[ajg74]

I've got a 1.8tsi DSG currently and have asked my dealer to give me a shout when they get a 2.0tsi DSG in, they haven't had one yet. I will give my thoughts on here when I've driven one.

 

[Tabsy]

Cheers mate, how are you finding the 1.8 DSG. I may still go for one of them as they are going to be available cheeper.

 

[ajg74]

It's a great car, has a nice balance of performance and economy, is very smooth and thus is pretty deceiving to how fast you are actually going.

 

[Mr Mustard]

Would be interested in this too. Bit more power with the 2.0, but a bit more weight, so I would expect the performance to be the same. Maybe a bit worse economy with the bigger engine.
The 2.0 has the wet clutch DSG though so hopefully more reliable. Had to have the clutch packs changed when our 1.8 was 3 1/2 years old due to shudder between 2nd & 3rd. I think it's beginning to show problems again.

 

[IMC]

Have the 1.8 for about three years now and I love it, it is a good engine which has a reasonable mileage/performance balance. There is a video on youtube comparing the 2.0 and 1.8 performance and I would say it is more or less the same.
However having said all of this - if I am to make the choice now, probably would go for the 2.0 purely because of the DSG. The DQ200 on is not bad by any means it goes well with the engine, but reliability is not so great and it has virtually no room for performance upgrades.

 

[SteveFR]

Surprised to hear that the 2.0 Tsi 190PS is so similar in performance to the older 1.8, as I thought that the extra 28% of torque (320Nm vs 250Nm) which is unleashed by the new improved DQ250 would noticeably help acceleration.

In the official figures for the Audi A3 with those engines the 2.0 is half a second quicker to 60mph than the 1.8, so I’d have expected the same would also be true for the Leon.

 

[Jazzjames]

Surprised to hear that the 2.0 Tsi 190PS is so similar in performance to the older 1.8, as I thought that the extra 28% of torque (320Nm vs 250Nm) which is unleashed by the new improved DQ250 would noticeably help acceleration.

In the official figures for the Audi A3 with those engines the 2.0 is half a second quicker to 60mph than the 1.8, so I’d have expected the same would also be true for the Leon.

The 28% extra torque will be noticeable in daily driving in the lower revs, but when you’re accelerating flat out you’re using the top end power, and the 2.0 is only 10hp more and thus hardly any quicker.

 

[LouG]

I've only driven a 2.0 Ateca, but I was very impressed with the low down grunt and launch from standstill. Good economy with the 7 speed DSG too.

 

[SteveFR]

The 28% extra torque will be noticeable in daily driving in the lower revs, but when you’re accelerating flat out you’re using the top end power, and the 2.0 is only 10hp more and thus hardly any quicker.

Cheers for the explanation.

I’ve currently got a 180PS with the DQ200 and it was a bit sluggish around town until having a Shark stage 1 remap which made it a much nicer drive.

However I’ve got a smidgen of upgraditis and the facelifted Mk3 with the DQ250 sounded tempting but I see that Shark have ceased trading whilst Revo are still developing maps for the TSI 190, so guess I might as well just wait until the Mk4 is released.

 

[phate101101]

I'm guessing as I haven't researched but I assume they introduced the 2.0 tsi 190 for WLTP? - I wonder how the WLTP MPG compares, or it could have been to introduce the petrol particle filter (or w/e it's called) - like what Audi did with they 1.4 tfsi -> 2.0 tfsi

 

[italianjob]

I've got the 190 in my Octavia and it gives around 53MPG average on a long run (according to the computer). It's a cracking engine, may as well go for this if you can over the 1.8
It's also reasonably quick and the 7 speed DSG is buttery smooth.

 

[SteveFR]

I'm guessing as I haven't researched but I assume they introduced the 2.0 tsi 190 for WLTP? - I wonder how the WLTP MPG compares, or it could have been to introduce the petrol particle filter (or w/e it's called) - like what Audi did with they 1.4 tfsi -> 2.0 tfsi

I don’t know about WLTP but according to the “Real MPG” figures submitted on Honest John the 2.0 is slightly less thirsty than older 1.8 TSI: 36.7mpg vs 36.3mpg

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/seat/leon-2013