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THIS is a huge week for radical new models; in this issue you can read first verdicts on the all-electric MINI and the ever-so-cute Honda e. And yet in volume terms, the biggest new car is probably the SEAT Leon (above), which we visited in a studio last week. SEAT was still something of a VW Group basket case before the third generation of the Leon arrived in 2012. It stitched together lots of the same chassis and engines as the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and the Skoda Octavia in a package which had, well, just a little bit more Latin flair than the German and Czech offerings. The result was a smash hit. Well over a million Mk3 Leons have been shifted over the past seven years. Including…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram MINI is on the way to becoming an all-electric brand. It’ll launch a raft of EVs and plug-in hybrids in the near future – and the process that began with the Countryman PHEV continues with this, the MINI Electric. The company’s first full production EV is based on the conventional three-door hatch, switching its combustion engines for a 32.5kWh battery and an electric motor. The former is mounted under the floor within the standard car’s transmission tunnel, so there’s no impact on cabin or boot space. Let’s be clear on this, though: this is still a small car, and even kids will feel hemmed in after longer stints in the back. But time spent in any of the four seats is limited, because the MINI Electric has a…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor “Zipping through traffic and racing away from the lights become a fun new game” Electric motor Power/range 152bhp/125 miles Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.3 seconds/90mph IF the thought of switching from petrol power to electric has crossed your mind, then 2020 could be the year to do it. Around two dozen new cars powered purely by electricity will be arriving in the next 12 months, and the cutest will be the Honda e. This funky new offering has the potential to really stand out in a sea of small EVs like the MINI Electric (see Page 6), Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa-e. But with prices starting at £26,000 and a range of as little as 125 miles, is the Honda e an expensive piece of jewellery or a compelling…

Price £24,400 THERE are three trim levels to choose from, but MINI prides itself on the fact this electrified model is cheaper than a like-for-like, petrol-powered Cooper S. It’s less expensive than the Honda e, too, but the trade-off is a more conventional cabin that does without any of the Japanese model’s cool quirks. Price £26,160 TWO versions of the Honda e are available. The entry-level car costs £26,160 and gets the three large screens, and cameras for mirrors as standard. This model also gets a less powerful electric motor. The £28,660 Advance model packs more power, but the range is shorter because of its larger wheel and tyre set-up. Range 145 miles THE MINI can’t compete with the Renault Zoe for WLTP-rated range, but on paper it beats the…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk “Rear cabin space is much improved and the aperture to get into and out of those back seats is wider”MARCUS KEITH SEAT vehicle and chassis development engineer ● More cabin space in Mk4 hatch ● PHEV has 38-mile electric range SEAT has been scoring big sales with its SUVs recently, but the company’s revival was really kick-started by the third generation of its Leon family hatchback, first introduced in 2012. Now the fourth iteration of the VW Golf and Ford Focus rival is here, ahead of UK sales starting in late spring. The Mk3 Leon sold more than a million units and it was always known as one of the more striking offerings in the family car class. As such, SEAT’s design team hasn’t interfered too much with the…

SEAT vehicle and chassis development engineer Marcus Keith joined us to explain more about the latest Leon. Q When did the project for this Leon actually start? A “About four years ago. We sat down and discussed the characteristics of the Mk3 Leon, looked at how it compared with its peers and rivals, and then took on board advice from our colleagues in product marketing on trends and the areas that we needed to focus on.” Q The car looks very similar to the previous model and has the same boot capacity as before. So practicality wasn’t an issue for existing Leon customers? A “Actually, the boot size is the same on the five-door, but it’s larger on the estate. And the big thing is inserting the 50mm into the…