Seat Leon wins best Lower-Medium Car award, outdoing the Ford Focus and BMW 1-Series
Peter McDonald (left) collects Lower-Medium Car award at Fleet News ceremony in London
Leon was awarded the best medium-sized car category at the largest awards event in the fleet industry, the Fleet News awards. The 2014 ceremony took place on 19 March in London.
The prize formally identifies the Leon as undoubtedly the best medium-sized family hatchback for fleet users – a verdict decided by the Fleet news panel of experts.
Stephen Briers, the Fleet News Editor-in-Chief, was excited about the outcome: “The Leon is one of the great all-rounders in the sector with desirable looks, strong residual values and very low running costs. The new model represents a big leap forward compared to the old car. It’s bang on the fleet button with a range of body styles, good kerbside appeal and a quality interior.”
SEAT UK’s Head of Fleet and Business Sales explained that these awards often go to premium manufacturers like BMW and Mercedes Benz, who took most of this year’s awards, but that the Leon beat them all in what is probably the ceremony’s most important awards category.
His response was that Leon being awarded the best lower-medium car is a testimony to the fleet team and the SEAT brand, showing that the expert judges – who are from leasing companies and big players in the fleet industry – are confident to recommend the Leon as the best hatchback in its category, as well as the services of the SEAT network.
It was also a time in which key fleet customers got to partake of the excitement surrounding the win, with 14 important buyers in attendance.
Peter, Head of Fleet and Business Sales, added that there had been huge increase in sales this year (indicative of the rising popularity of the Leon), with March 2014 seeing 2.5 times more cars sold than March 2013 – growth that is sure to be accelerated by the recent win.
Overall, SEAT brand achieved a personal best by being nominated for three awards:
- Small Car for Ibiza
- Medium Car for Leon
- Estate Car for Leon ST