One of the first models from the Volkswagen Group's portfolio to use the MQB platform back in 2012, the third-generation SEAT Leon is very close to its retirement. The Spanish company is busy working on its successor and these new spy photos confirm the engineers are progressing rapidly with the development of the vehicle.
About two months ago, we spied the new Leon for the first time, but back then the prototype was heavily camouflaged and featured fake plastic body panels, a set of auxiliary lights at the front, and weirdly disguised interior. This new prototype sheds most of the additional panes to reveal much more of the hatchback's actual shape.
The overall proportions of the vehicle appear to be almost unchanged over today's model, but most of the shapes, as far as we can judge, are sharper and more aggressive. In fact, the new Leon will be a tad larger than its predecessor with a couple of inches added to the wheelbase. This, in turn, should free up more room inside the cabin and provide a larger cargo area.
SEAT has already dropped the three-door version of the Leon and when the new generation model debuts we will see a five-door hatch and a wagon. According to some sources, a Leon-based crossover is also in the cards set to be positioned slightly below the current Ateca.
As far as the engine lineup is included, probably the most important novelty will be the addition of a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The Leon is expected to become the brand's first electrified model offering a pure electric driving range of about 31 miles (50 kilometers).
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