Seat Leon vs Volvo V40

[CyberGene]

Apple and oranges, I know, and it's a SEAT forum after all but here's my problem. I almost ordered a new Leon SC FR this week, however they quoted me 3-4 months for delivery (4 months with 18" alloys). And I already sold my mk2. This means I will have to use a bicycle and a public transport for some long time. It would be almost unbearable. So, I started looking around and checking other brands and their in-stock quantities. And here's the dilemma:

Volvo V40 is the only option I liked. Compared to the Leon:

- considerably more expensive: £3600
- No LED lights (only LED DRL)
- No sat-nav
- No leather seats (pure textile)
- No lane assist and no high beam assist
- No rain sensor
- No front parking sensors
- No folding mirrors
- smaller wheels: 16" vs 18"
- slower 0-62: 8.8 sec vs 7.5 sec
- less frugal: 1.6 gasoline vs 2.0 diesel

+ "City safety" system for low speed collision prevention
+ Reversing camera
+ TFT instrument cluster with changeable themes, etc (this is really cool!)
+ classy interior, seats very comfortable and adjustable
+ arguably more beautiful outside and inside at least to me
+ two-level trunk, rear seat perfectly flat when folded
+ 5 years warranty vs 2 years
+ Available immediately (vs 4 months waiting)
+ better residuals

To be honest, I felt a little bit better in the Volvo, on the other hand it is considerably more expensive.

What would you do?

 

[gar074]

Judging by how chronically unreliable my wife's V50 has been, and how much it has cost to service and to fix over the last 4 years and 80,000 miles, personally I wouldn't touch another Volvo with a barge pole. Too much cost-cutting where it doesn't show (poor quality components, lots of Ford bits, etc etc). I find it hard to believe that the Chinese-owned Volvo will be any better.

The Leon it replaced did 130,000 largely fault-free miles. Wish we'd replaced it with another one.

 

[mryanski]

I drive a v40 r-design through my work, is a lovely thing in a straight line (5 cyl diesel burble) but the steering is over assisted and the whole car just feels heavy and lifeless. Have just bought a 1.4tsi Leon which feels much more alive in the bends

 

[gh2]

My decision was between the V40 and the Leon too.

The interior of the Volvo is much classier than the Leon with some really nice details. I think its unusual external styling makes the Volvo stand out on the road, especially the R-Design versions. It drove really well and the T3 petrol engine - 150hp - had some grunt.

The one thing that really put me off the Volvo was the lack of visability. The rear windscreen is narrow and with reversing sensors, I guess I could have coped with that. However, the B pillars are so wide and the seats so close to the door I couldn't see anything over my right shoulder. I didn't feel confident when changing lanes on the motorway or pulling out at awkward junctions.

 

[mryanski]

I totally agree with the lack of visibility, made worse in the R-designs by the roof lining being dark grey making the interior quite dark and dingy. The light up gear knob also looks a bit "halfords" and lets the classy interior down. Oh yes and the boot is surprisingly small too, especially with a space saver spare wheel.

 

[cilurnum]

Been though this. Volvo's are lovely looking cars, the equipment is great but.......they're a lot more expensive to the point where if you want a better interior you could just get a Golf and the engines are inferior to the Golf's and Seat's. If the engine is already inferior before you start, why bother?

It's a no brainer really. It's the Seat. The Golf has simply become too expensive in my book.

 

[skidpan]

V40 was on our short list,the ES T3 to be exact. Looked great and the interior was a really nice place to sit once you were in BUT it was not easy to get in and the rear was very cramped.

When we enquired at our local dealer and asked for details about a T3 ES petrol he simply said "we don't sell ES models and we don't sell petrols, nobody wants them". So we voted with our feet and tried another dealer, pretty much the same. Once we looked at the Leon it did not really matter, suited us perfectly, drove brilliantly and was £4000 less (broker deals).

 

[Bubbs]

Don't forget that you can get a 5 year warranty on Seat factory orders too. It costs a bit (£400?), but is transferrable, and cheaper than paying out for a big repair.

 

[andrew_ww]

My decision eventually whittled down to a choice between a v40 and a Leon. In the end it was visibility (lack of) and the exceedingly cramped rear passenger area that put me off the V40

 

[weatherlight]

Volvo does not have a reputation to be a reliable car, + the engines are inferior. (I dont think Seat had it as well in the past, before it became VW) Personally reliability, safety, performance (both fuel economy and power combined) and comfort is what I look in a car in that order.