What are Leon FR's really like.....

[terrymcg]

I am just about to buy a 56 plate Leon FR TDi, but have read a lot of bad reviews! Particular points they reffered to were:

1. Climate control is very poor, more like conventional air con.

2. A pillars are really annoying and obstruct your view while driving.

3. The road noise is unbearable.

Can anyone comment/shed any light on these? Is it just people being picky?

Thanks,

Terry

 

[jezyg]

I am just about to buy a 56 plate Leon FR TDi, but have read a lot of bad reviews! Particular points they reffered to were:

1. Climate control is very poor, more like conventional air con.

2. A pillars are really annoying and obstruct your view while driving.

3. The road noise is unbearable.

Can anyone comment/shed any light on these? Is it just people being picky?

Thanks,

Terry

1) Some poeple don't find th climate good enough but many are more than happy with it. Its not best system but far from bad.

2) A pillars from some angles do indeed abstruct view but you get use to them and drive accordingly.

3) Agian there is tyre noise but it is down to personal perception. Type of tyres fitted makes a difference to the noise level.

Best bet is to go and have a long test drive as it is the hard ride that divides opnion the most on the pre FL FR and you need to be the one happy with the car.

 

[RickyD1975]

Terry it all depends what you driving currently and what other cars your comparing the FR to.

I have an 07 Cupra and wouldn't say that the climate control is poor and is no different in my opinion to say the like of a Ford Focus.

Yes the A-pillars can be a nightmare, although the new Ibiza is the same. You just get used to it.

Many peope complain about the ride on FR's and Cupra although its down to personal choice if you can live with it or not. A lot of people have changed the standard springs/shocks to improve the overall ride quality.

Try driving a new shape Civic Type R and its apparently a lot worse than the FR/Cupra.

Good Luck

 

[terrymcg]

I currently have a mK5 Golf R32 and was looking at an FR as a good cost saving exercise, but not sure how it will be going from the Golf build quality to the FR, engines aside!

 

[RickyD1975]

I currently have a mK5 Golf R32 and was looking at an FR as a good cost saving exercise, but not sure how it will be going from the Golf build quality to the FR, engines aside!

I'm sure you'll get used to it. Build quality I would say is an par with the Golf apart from the plastics used on the interior. I nearly bought a MKV Golf GT TDI 170 before I chose the Cupra. I'm still a very happy man.

I think it will be the traction that you will miss and the sound of the V6. The mid range poke of the FR won't be far off the R32 to be honest.

 

[IanG]

Try driving a new shape Civic Type R and its apparently a lot worse than the FR/Cupra.

I used to have one and the ride in my FR is much better

 

[predo]

I used to have one and the ride in my FR is much better

wow ctr must be really bad then...

 

[UltraViolet]

My views (as someone who has owned a lot of different cars, some dedicated sports and some more typical commuter tools

1. Climate control is very poor, more like conventional air con.
TBH I really like the duel climate in my '09 FR. I have found it so far to be very good. Certainly it is better clearing the windscreen than my previous commuter tool ('53 plate Passat)
Gets warm pretty quickly and maintains temperature well. Not sure what else people would be looking for. I have not had the car in summer yet though.

2. A pillars are really annoying and obstruct your view while driving.
I've driven cars with worse viability. They could be better, but as said, you get used to it.

3. The road noise is unbearable.
Rubbish. It is a car with a sporting bent, so you have tyres which suit that. So obviously going to be a bit louder than a motorway barge. Unbearable is far too strong though. My commute includes a concrete sectional motorway, I can still talk normally to my passengers which is far more than I can do if travelling at motorway speeds in my CRX.

 

[dimension_fm]

ok before this i had a Golf TDi SE for 2.5 years, it was a great car and loved it.

Then i got an Leon TDI (FR550) which has the 18's on it without even test driving it and only on recomendation from a few people.

So jumped out the golf and into the leon and what i noticed was the sh*t im going to kill myself in this as it was sooo quick (not an issue for you), the ride was hard and on the motorway home the road noise was loads more, i then noticed that while driving round town the pillar was right in the way of where i wanted to look.

As for the climate control, had the car almost a year and never had any problems with it, it seems to work ok.
I have got used to everything that was a problem, i dont think about the ride just the handling which is great, i dont notice the pilar and im used to the road noise aswell and accept the build isnt as good as the golf or an A3 but:

I have lost count of how many people comment on how great it looks and these are young and old people and finally everyday i get in it and grin when i put my foot down, its probably the only car i have had that i look forward to driving and its not wearing off even after so long and i have had loads of different cars from minis to cabriolets, jeeps to mercs, the FR is my fav!

So what im trying to say is, if you want a comfortable motorway plodder then go for a golf SE, if you want to put a smile on your face and still have a sports ride and better fuel econ then FR all the way.

 

[Sooty torques]

I've got a March 08 FR TDI on 18's, had it from new.

1. Climate control is fine, def no worse than anything else I've come across in similar price range. We drive through France to Spain every summer (July - August) to stay with in-laws for 3 or 4 weeks - works fine over there. We also drive over for Christmas and Easter (loads of snow, especially in France) with mucho sub-zero temps and again, climate works fine, keeping us snug and toasty over the Central Massif and Pyrenees. Dual zone is great as the wife likes to be warmer than me.

2. I'm always amazed that so many folks make a fuss about the A-pillar. Can't folks move their heads any more? Is it too much effort? You just get used to it and look round it. Not the best and not the worst A-pillar I've come across.

3. The road noise is fine, but then as others have said, the great handling and roadholding has to come at a (little) price I suppose? As I said, we've driven across europe for 6 or 7 hour blasts across all sorts of road surfaces and classifications, but haven't come across anything that I would describe as "unbearable" even over some woeful French "Chausee Deforme" sections which are pretty grim. The road noise in the wife's Yaris is terrible at anything over 40-ish...

Agreed that you need to take a long test ride before you part with your cash if you are unsure or have any doubts.

 

[nc30rider]

I am just about to buy a 56 plate Leon FR TDi, but have read a lot of bad reviews! Particular points they reffered to were:

1. Climate control is very poor, more like conventional air con.

2. A pillars are really annoying and obstruct your view while driving.

3. The road noise is unbearable.

Can anyone comment/shed any light on these? Is it just people being picky?

Thanks,

Terry

These are all the bad point s of the car

The DPF and firm ride are also an issue
Every car has its bad points

When you drive it though,all this will be forgotten especially on the Twisties

If you follow some pointers on this site about wheel alignment, tyre choice and a few other things then I cannot recommend the TDi FR highly enough

 

[jezyg]

My views (as someone who has owned a lot of different cars, some dedicated sports and some more typical commuter tools

1. Climate control is very poor, more like conventional air con.
TBH I really like the duel climate in my '09 FR. I have found it so far to be very good. Certainly it is better clearing the windscreen than my previous commuter tool ('53 plate Passat)
Gets warm pretty quickly and maintains temperature well. Not sure what else people would be looking for. I have not had the car in summer yet though.

You have the FL Leon and the dual climate is much improved lifted straight out of the Golf VI with bespoke buttons. Was very impressed with it and as good as the dual zone climate I had in my 1er.

My only other issues is the fitting of the 3 parts that make up the centre console and instrument cowling all the gaps look a little unsightly and looks a little cheap and shame it was not addressed on the FL.

 

[m888khn]

you pay for fr only 18900 where similar golf will cost you 23000.well 3 year ago i have driven golf 140 bhp did not like it & then i bought fr 150.i think its much better than golf.now i have cupra 08 reg i think its comfortable

 

[SpursMadDave]

There are loads of posts on the good vs the bad but most owners will agree that the good completely outdoes the bad with the Leon FR (TDI or TFSI)

 

[Jon FR]

My views (as someone who has owned a lot of different cars, some dedicated sports and some more typical commuter tools

1. Climate control is very poor, more like conventional air con.
TBH I really like the duel climate in my '09 FR. I have found it so far to be very good. Certainly it is better clearing the windscreen than my previous commuter tool ('53 plate Passat)
Gets warm pretty quickly and maintains temperature well. Not sure what else people would be looking for. I have not had the car in summer yet though.

2. A pillars are really annoying and obstruct your view while driving.
I've driven cars with worse viability. They could be better, but as said, you get used to it.

3. The road noise is unbearable.
Rubbish. It is a car with a sporting bent, so you have tyres which suit that. So obviously going to be a bit louder than a motorway barge. Unbearable is far too strong though. My commute includes a concrete sectional motorway, I can still talk normally to my passengers which is far more than I can do if travelling at motorway speeds in my CRX.

100% agree with all that.

 

[allbutt55]

my 08 fr is great fairly good as a family car loads of room in the back for the kids,

but then when you are all alone right foot gets planted and the car comes alive you forget its a tdi its so much fun great value for money in my view

yes dpf is a issue for me but not for long

 

[Tfsi_Mike]

I am just about to buy a 56 plate Leon FR TDi, but have read a lot of bad reviews! Particular points they reffered to were:

1. Climate control is very poor, more like conventional air con.
Dont use it often but has always done the job for me

2. A pillars are really annoying and obstruct your view while driving.
My hate about the car! Drove a MK5 Golf Gti and found roundabouts and bends much easier. Really wish there was more visibility. The little bit of glass does nothing to me to help it

3. The road noise is unbearable.
Even with a Miltek Non Res exhaust on my Cupra isnt too noisy.

Can anyone comment/shed any light on these? Is it just people being picky?

Thanks,

Terry

Love my Leon. Feel the interior (dash mainly) looks a tad cheap next to the S3 / Golf versions although I replaced my climate illumintion with white / blue / red which made it look crisper and subtly better.

On the std suspension (think it would be very similar to Fr?) the ride wasn't too harsh at all

 

[kezFR07]

I currently have a mK5 Golf R32 and was looking at an FR as a good cost saving exercise, but not sure how it will be going from the Golf build quality to the FR, engines aside!

alrite pal, currantly got a tfsi fr and I'm looking at getting a R32 next really like em but I'm a bit worried about mpg. I'm currantly getting around 26mpg in the fr what do you average in the golf? Cheers

 

[terrymcg]

Well chaps, I have gone and done it! Swapping my R32 for the FR on Wednesday! It will have until the 30th December until the manufacturers warranty runs out, does anyone know the cost to extend this?

Also, what are common things to check for and how do you check them, just so the dealer can fix before I am out on the 30th!

 

[OLDOILER]

Well chaps, I have gone and done it! Swapping my R32 for the FR on Wednesday! It will have until the 30th December until the manufacturers warranty runs out, does anyone know the cost to extend this?

Also, what are common things to check for and how do you check them, just so the dealer can fix before I am out on the 30th!

Check for full service history - I assume its nearly out of warranty, if not get it covered for a year.
most things have been covered but it is a "Clubmans car" and ride will be a bit hard and once remapped you will find the mid range poke simlar to the R32. With the current weather you will miss the 4 x4 traction though!! - happy driving......................................