How far does one tank of fuel take you in your car?
I don't know, I've driven SEAT's latest green machine from Mid Wales to Cardiff then to Wigan and back and only managed to use just over half a tank.
SEAT claims the Leon Ecomotive will do more than 900 miles on a single fill. Couple this with reduced CO2 emissions and enthusiasts now have a sporty car that also takes care of your wallet as well as the environment.
I don't know, I've driven SEAT's latest green machine from Mid Wales to Cardiff then to Wigan and back and only managed to use just over half a tank.
SEAT claims the Leon Ecomotive will do more than 900 miles on a single fill. Couple this with reduced CO2 emissions and enthusiasts now have a sporty car that also takes care of your wallet as well as the environment.
The whole world is going green and cars are no exception. When car manufacturers set the target of 130g/km exhaust emissions as an average for their entire range in Europe by 2012, the introduction of cleaner petrol and diesel engines continues to gather speed.
The Volkswagen Group recently introduced its 1.6-litre TDI turbodiesel engine which emits just 99g/km in some cars with the help of some extra fuel-saving technology. Not only is it a new generation 'clean' engine, its low CO2 figure currently means no VED road tax costs, it is congestion charge exempted and company cars users get away with paying just 13 per cent in Benefit-in-Kind tax.
VW family member SEAT has introduced the same 1.6 TDI engine into its Leon Ecomotive five door family hatchback and CO2 emissions are that all important 99g/km.
Throw in low-rolling resistance tyres and a five-speed gearbox with extra-long ratios, and the result is a combined fuel figure of 62.8mpg.
The truth is, many of us want to help the environment but many of us aren't ready to drastically change our lifestyles.
But, in the same way recycling has been made easier by introducing different coloured binbags, SEAT has introduced technology that lets the Leon maintain its style and performance while improving efficiency.
Some of you may be familiar with the Ecomotive terminology, with the first SEAT Ecomotive, an Ibiza, launched in 2007. As the type of technology used in greener models becoming more widespread, SEAT has decided to adopt a new E-Ecomotive tag for the absolute 'greenest' model in the range, while others that share some of the technology gaining the Ecomotive name.
With the introduction of a fuel saving start/stop system - which means the engine automatically switches off when the vehicle isn't moving and starts again once your journey resumes - and an energy recovery system, which captures the energy produced by the alternator to reduce fuel consumption everytime you slow down, Ecomotive is SEAT's equivalent of the energy saving light bulb.
Expect to see more of it across the SEAT range in future, with a few models adopting the new E-Ecomotive badge reserved for ultra-low CO2 models.
The Ecomotive may have lost a little of the Leon's sporty edge but it was still a pleasure to drive and handled really well. The Leon has always been one of my favourite cars in terms of driving position.
Being a touch over six foot tall I find the set-up of the cabin to be near perfect, and as a result gear changes, accelerating and braking always feels smoother than other cars of its class.
The car doesn't look bad either. Its range of 16" alloy wheels, five inch colour media system and sat nav system and colour options mean make the Spanish model an attractive purchase at £18,140.
By Richard Jones
The Volkswagen Group recently introduced its 1.6-litre TDI turbodiesel engine which emits just 99g/km in some cars with the help of some extra fuel-saving technology. Not only is it a new generation 'clean' engine, its low CO2 figure currently means no VED road tax costs, it is congestion charge exempted and company cars users get away with paying just 13 per cent in Benefit-in-Kind tax.
VW family member SEAT has introduced the same 1.6 TDI engine into its Leon Ecomotive five door family hatchback and CO2 emissions are that all important 99g/km.
Throw in low-rolling resistance tyres and a five-speed gearbox with extra-long ratios, and the result is a combined fuel figure of 62.8mpg.
The truth is, many of us want to help the environment but many of us aren't ready to drastically change our lifestyles.
But, in the same way recycling has been made easier by introducing different coloured binbags, SEAT has introduced technology that lets the Leon maintain its style and performance while improving efficiency.
Some of you may be familiar with the Ecomotive terminology, with the first SEAT Ecomotive, an Ibiza, launched in 2007. As the type of technology used in greener models becoming more widespread, SEAT has decided to adopt a new E-Ecomotive tag for the absolute 'greenest' model in the range, while others that share some of the technology gaining the Ecomotive name.
With the introduction of a fuel saving start/stop system - which means the engine automatically switches off when the vehicle isn't moving and starts again once your journey resumes - and an energy recovery system, which captures the energy produced by the alternator to reduce fuel consumption everytime you slow down, Ecomotive is SEAT's equivalent of the energy saving light bulb.
Expect to see more of it across the SEAT range in future, with a few models adopting the new E-Ecomotive badge reserved for ultra-low CO2 models.
The Ecomotive may have lost a little of the Leon's sporty edge but it was still a pleasure to drive and handled really well. The Leon has always been one of my favourite cars in terms of driving position.
Being a touch over six foot tall I find the set-up of the cabin to be near perfect, and as a result gear changes, accelerating and braking always feels smoother than other cars of its class.
The car doesn't look bad either. Its range of 16" alloy wheels, five inch colour media system and sat nav system and colour options mean make the Spanish model an attractive purchase at £18,140.
By Richard Jones
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