SEAT has scooped a brace of prestigious national awards with the news that versions of the recently revised Leon family hatch have been named Eco Car of the Year and Sporting Car of the Year in Scotland.
The super-frugal Leon E Ecomotive took the eco prize while the fiery Leon Cupra R saw off the challenge from a raft of exciting cars to be named Sporting Car of the Year north of the border.
As ever, the prestigious awards were organised by the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW), whose members voted for their favourites in a number of car categories including the new eco class, launched in 2009.
Director of SEAT UK, Peter Wyhinny, led the Brand’s celebrations at the ASMW’s glittering awards ceremony on 5 November, at the Fairmont Hotel in St Andrews.
Welcoming the Leon’s double success in Scotland, a particularly rare achievement for one car in the hard-fought annual awards, Peter Wyhinny said: “I’m understandably thrilled by these two great votes of confidence in our car. No matter which version you opt for the latest SEAT Leon provides a stylish, sporty and practical family hatch and I’m sure drivers all over the country will continue to appreciate its advantages in increasing numbers.”
Since its revisions 12 months ago, when the five-door Leon benefited from some subtly revised styling along with a raft of important engineering changes and equipment upgrades, both press and public reaction to the big-selling SEAT has been overwhelmingly positive.
Giving his verdict on SEAT’s twin successes John Murdoch, President of the ASMW, said: “The sporting category is always a crowded one and causes much debate among ASMW members. In various forms our winner is already a familiar sight on Scottish roads but, in the new flagship Cupra R guise, we believe it is the most thrilling and value-for-money hot hatch on sale today.”
Turning to the Leon’s eco triumph he said: “The result is exceptional. In real-world driving conditions the Leon E Ecomotive is more economical than any of its direct rivals, while its keen pricing and exemption from road tax make it a sure-fire winner with canny Scots.”
