1.2 TSI

downsizing — Seat Leon Style 1,2 TSI 110 HP

I like Volkswagen's 1,2 TSI engines. They are a good example of successful downsizing. But Volkswagen has moved on. By going down to three cylinders, both consumption and CO2 emissions are reduced. The new 1-litre engines have even got more horsepower and higher torque, but not the same driving pleasure.

Seat Leon is not a bad car. It is as big as the Volkswagen Golf and more beautiful than the Audi A3 (in my own humble mind). Leon is a lot of car for the money – a car for sensible people. Maybe not in Norway, but in the rest of Europe. In the last five years I have spent many miles in Seat Leon, - as rental cars. NOK 1 for 740 days with unlimited mileage is very affordable.

Widespread engine

My car this time is relatively simply equipped. The engine is the well-known 1,2 TSI with 110 horsepower. This engine is found in a wide range of models, including the Volkswagen Polo, Golf, Golf Sportsvan and Touran, Audi A3, Skoda Fabia, Rapid, Octavia and Yeti. How the 1,2 liter is experienced in the Seat Leon could just as well have been conveyed from one of the other models on the same platform, for example the 2018 Volkswagen Golf 1,2 TSI.

Lower consumption and CO2, but...

In 2019, the Volkswagen group chose to replace the four-cylinder 1,2-liter with a three-cylinder 1-liter. The new engine uses less petrol, has lower CO2 emissions and weight - and consequently lower taxes. On the road, the two engines have a lot in common, especially in the way the power is delivered. With a 6-speed gearbox, the revs can be kept down to around 1500 revs in quiet city traffic, and then you don't hear the engine as much. It is only when you need to go a little harder that the engine is heard. The 1,2 engine, with its slightly high-frequency hum, undoubtedly sounds like a small engine. Nevertheless, I think it sounds better than the three-cylinder 1-litre engine, where the sound image lies in a lower pitch, but with the unmistakable sound you get from three cylinders. It's a sound that reminds me of an outboard I had a few years ago. If it had only been the sound image that had been sacrificed, I should not have said anything. But the 1-litre engine doesn't feel as responsive when we move up from the very lowest rev register. It feels like a slight turbo lag. In addition, I sense vibrations and roughness through the driveline at low revs.

Good torque

The 1,2 engine gets a maximum torque of 175 Nm already from 1500 revolutions. Then the curve is flat until 4000 revolutions. Then you have a good torque throughout the rev range you use during daily driving. The 1-litre engine gets a maximum torque of 200 Nm first from 2000 revs up to 3500. But already at 1500 revs the torque is as high as in the 1,2 engine. The curve makes a small crack at 1500 revs to give extra boost at low revs. On paper, everything looks very promising.

Alright "Golf engine"

On the road with "my" 2018 Seat Leon, with the four-cylinder engine, I can pick up the revs carefully from 1200 revs completely smoothly, without vibrations. There is no noticeable turbo lag at startup. The turbo kicks in so early that you rarely notice it. As long as the turbo is on, the 1,2 engine seems very responsive. This is what makes the drive more fun than other similar drives.

After 860 km, the average consumption ended at 0,54 liters per mile measured on the car's trip computer. It's not bad for a car in the Golf class on southern European motorways and traffic that occasionally requires hard use of the gas. Based on previous experiences with the 1 liter engine, I would hardly have saved more than 0,04 - 0,05 liters per mile with the new engine option.

Consider going up an engine size

Regardless of whether you drive the 1-litre engine or the 1,2 engine, there is no denying that it is about the basic engine. You can buy much more exciting engines for the Seat Leon, for example the 1,4 engine with 150 horsepower and Active Cylinder Technology (ACT) which cuts 2 cylinders when the engine runs effortlessly. It is this engine that sits in the cars that are brought into Norway. The Norwegian tax system means that these cars then end up in a price gap where the car buyers choose other cars that are more widespread than the Seat Leon. Both Golf and A3 offer similar engine solutions for those who do not want the 1-litre engine.

Conclusion

The point of comparing the two base engines from the Volkswagen group is that base engines don't have to be boring. The 1,2 TSI is not experienced as a boring engine. The 1-litre TSI engine provides both better performance and lower consumption (win-win), but it feels less engaging to drive. As a "keen driver", I conclude that the Volkswagen Group's downsizing has been more successful on paper than in reality.

If you are considering buying a used Golf, A3 or Octavia, don't worry that you will get the 1,2 engine instead of the new 1-litre engine. On the contrary. I promise you will like it.

Seat Leon

The Seat Leon comes every moment in a completely new edition. Today's model was presented in 2012 and received a small facelift in 2017. Life with "my" Leon's over several years has been good. Super noise isolation – better than its brother Audi A3. The design still keeps up with the times. The driver's seat feels like other cars from the same group and the space conditions are identical to the Golf. So is the technique.

Should you come across a newer Seat Leon on the second-hand market, just go for it. Then you get a car like few others. Don't listen to the advertising. Seat does not make you younger, more attractive or more urban. It's just a sensible everyday car.

Facts

Consumption and benefits

	1,2 TSI 110	1,0 TSI 115
Consumption l/mile (combined driving)	0,49	0,44
0-100 in seconds	9,9	9,6
Top speed	194	198
Emission standard	Euro 6	Euro 6
CO2 emissions g/km	114	102
Horsepower	110 at 4600-5600 rpm.	115 at 5000-5500 rpm.
Torque (Nm)	175 at 1400-4000 rpm.	200 at 2000-3500 rpm.
Net weight	1138	1127
Trailer weight w/brakes	1300	1000

About the test car
Seat Leon 1,2 TSI Style 6-speed manual
Year Model: 2018
Mileage: 24340
Km driven: 864
Owner: Europcar.es

Source
AUTO-DATA.net

PHOTOS

See photos of the Seat Leon around France, 20 miles from Seat's production site. The town is called Céret and here the cherries are just ripe. They are sold from everywhere - from private gardens - and sales stalls have been set up everywhere. Every year the mayor of this small town sends a box of ripe cherries to the French president in Paris.

See

polo engine — Successful facelift, but a new model is just around the corner.

I am sure that the 1,2 TSI engines will be found in the new Polo which is expected to arrive next year.

- Is Polo okay?

The man from the rental car company smiled broadly. The Polo costs a few tens more per day than the Corsa I had actually ordered. Deep down, I had wanted to try the brand new Opel Corsa instead of the Volkswagen Polo, which I have driven countless times in the past as a rental car. But I never say no to being upgraded.

Volkswagen will soon present its new Polo. The sister model, the Skoda Fabia, is already out in a new generation. It doesn't help that the Polo got a small facelift 2 years ago. Today's model is starting to age. But one thing the new Polo will inherit from its predecessor, namely the fine 1,2 liter TSI engines with 90 and 110 HP respectively.

Look and feel

Checkered seat covers in durable material. Seat cushion that can be jacked up and down at the back. Adjustable steering wheel. All control levers are where they should be. I noticed new radio. It delivers good sound and is perceived as a class up compared to the competition. Manual air conditioning worked well, but was not really required in the Catalan November weather.

On the outside, I noted the 15-inch alloy wheels. The nice pepper gray color (Urano grey) dresses the car, and highlights the glossy strip from the last facelift, which divides the upper and lower parts of the front.

Sensible, I think. It says a four on Look-and-feel.

Driving pleasure

On our way north from Barcelona, we went up along the C-32 which meanders along the coast. With the evening mist seeping inland, we experienced a more beautiful road than the highway we normally take, - the one that goes into the country, - which continues into France, - and where the right lane consists of a continuous column of semi-trailers. Unfortunately, the nice C-32 came to an abrupt end and we had to enter a normal two-lane national road with unclear bends, hilltops and roundabouts in the direction Mediterranean Highway south of Girona. The other cars on the road were clearly known locally and kept a high pace. A bit in the fastest team, I thought, but still kept up. Occasionally I misjudged a bit, and almost had to throw the car into bends, or brake hard just over hilltops and out of bends. That's when you notice if you have a good car. The Polo is such a car. No surprises. It responds exactly as I expect, and I know exactly where I have it.

The engine delivers an almost flat torque curve from approximately 1400 to 4000 revolutions. During rapid acceleration from a standstill, the engine's sound pattern tells when the turbo is active. The good torque gives the feeling of driving a bigger car - at least a bigger Polo engine than 1,2 litres. During active driving, it is necessary to use the gear lever a bit to keep the engine speed where the good torque is located. During rapid acceleration there is therefore no point in pulling the engine all the way out on the gears, otherwise no problem as the 5-speed gearbox is easy to work with. If this isn't the best Polo engine, it's a lot of fun once you get to know it.

Comfort

The seating comfort is not up to the Peugeot 208. You have to have a bit of luck to find a decent sitting position when the height adjustment only raises the rear edge of the seat, but you still pass.

Plus the low noise level. I noticed that Volkswagen has done a good job of reducing road noise in connection with the latest upgrade. In addition, the TSI engine has a very pleasant sound, even when pushed. If you try to push it from a standstill, it sounds like not all cylinders are firing before the turbo kicks in. I would also like to highlight the radio which I notice has been upgraded. Good sound and intuitive touch screen.

Place

If you don't absolutely have to drive a car with straight arms and a straight ankle on the clutch foot, it's fine to sit 4 grown men in this car on a long drive. It's tight for fifth man, but it works. I myself am 1,88 and can barely sit behind myself. The luggage compartment with the seats folded down holds more than you realize, but with the seats folded up you only have 280 liters available in a two-part luggage compartment. It is in the middle of the tree for cars in the 4-metre class.

Safety

The newest Polo is probably one of the best in its class when it comes to active safety. I would particularly like to highlight the braking properties. Please note that only the models from 90 HP onwards have disc brakes both front and rear. The 3-cylinder models have rear drum brakes.

The Polo scored highly in NCAP when it was introduced in 2009, and still keeps pace with the latest cars. Switchable airbag on the passenger side and ISOFIX for child seats. New models can be ordered with adaptive cruise control for just NOK 2.

Economy

Our Polo with 90 horses costs 212, and is imported to Norway only in the Highline edition. There is a lot of driving pleasure for the money. For 800 you get 219 horses. It is an engine that is well suited to the Golf as well, but the price difference between the Golf and the Polo has never been more favorable than it is now. Previously, the "big" Polos moved well into the Golf's price range.

If you are thinking of buying the Polo, I recommend taking the DSG automatic transmission for a drive. The 1.2 TSI with DSG is a fantastic drive unit, with both 90 and 110 horses.

With mixed driving, it should be possible to drive well under a pint per mile with our test car. Even after 10 days, I have to admit that I never took any real measurements. I experienced the petrol consumption as low, and do not doubt the stated consumption figures: 0,60 (city) and 0,40 (country road). The petrol tank only holds 45 litres, but gives an OK range. Our car had start/stop and recovery (recuperation) of the braking force which supplies power to the battery.

If you buy a new Polo today, you can probably count on a slightly higher loss in value in the very first years than if you had waited for the new model, which will probably arrive next year. But the outgoing Polo seems reasonably priced right now, at least compared to its big brother Golf. If I were to single out something that could drag Polo's used car prices down, it would have to be Volkswagen's scandal with the emissions measurements. There have been signals that this also includes the TSI models.

So far the 1.2 TSI is perhaps the world's best Polo engine?

The torque in the motor
Very good and safe driving characteristics
Quiet

No one special.

HONEST ABOUT CARS

Driving pleasure on the altar of downsizing?