SEAT Leon 5F facelift 1.5 TSI, 130 PS, 6-speed manual (2018–2020)

Research for this car

• Generation guide SEAT Leon III (2012-2020): known problems and buying guide

  Check the airbag recall and the DQ200 gearbox first. Ask for proof of the EGR and DPF care on diesels.

• Engine guide VW 1.5 TSI and eTSI (EA211 evo) petrol: problems, costs and what to check

  Cold-start judder, oil use, coolant leaks and 48 V faults are the risks, so buy a late car with software and service records and check the oil and coolant.

Known issues for this car

Before you buy this car

From the generation guide

1. Cooling pressure test (EA211 1.4 and 1.5 TSI). Ask a garage for a cooling system pressure test. Bad result: the pressure drops, or the coolant level keeps falling.
2. 1.5 TSI judder (manual). Pull away from cold in first gear at low speed. Bad result: judder that comes back after a software update. Ask for the software update record.

From the engine guide

1. Oil use (no scanner). Check the dipstick and top-up history. Bad: low level, blue smoke, or ring work without an invoice.
2. ACT and camshaft (scanner). Listen for a shudder when the engine switches from two to four cylinders, and read faults. Bad: constant shudder, EPC light, or camshaft codes.
3. Coolant (no scanner). Check the level cold; look for white residue or a sweet smell near the thermostat module. Bad: low level, stains, weak cabin heat.
4. Particulate filter (scanner). On a short-trip car, read soot load and GPF codes. Bad: GPF lamp or regeneration faults.
5. Cold start (scanner). Start stone cold; pull away in 1st and 2nd. Bad: judder between 1,200 and 1,800 rpm. Ask for the update record; a scanner shows the ECU version.
6. Recall check. Enter the VIN in the official recall check. Bad: an open 24ER, 24EV or 24EP campaign.

Running costs

ADAC figures for 15,000 km a year over 60 months

ADAC versions