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Had a Leon 1.4 TSi 140 PS but ours was SE trim which we preferred. No difficult to get out of sports seats with plastic bolsters, no rubber band tyres, no rhard sports suspension. Unfortunately they stopped doing the SE with the higher rated engine in about 2015 so if you want the 140 (and the subsequent 150) PS version then its FR or nothing. The car was brilliant, absolutely loved it, only changed it because a change of circumstances made it too small, bought a Skoda Superb with the 1.4 TSi engine, loved it that much.
When the wife had a new car a couple of years after we bought the Leon it was an obvious choice to get another TSi but in a smaller car. Tried the Polo with the 90 PS 1.2 TSi and although we did not expect to make the same progress we could it the Leon we were very disappointed, the 8 year old Micra 1.2 we were changing was a better drive. Tried to find a 110 version to drive (even tried Skoda a Seat) but none locally so gave up and went back to another Nissan.
3 years later circumstances dictated the Nissan was no longer suitable (why does this always happen?) and having heard good things about the 1.0 TSi we arranged a drive in a Fabia with the 95 PS engine. It was absolutely brilliant but after a short drive in one withe the 110 PS engine we bought one of those. The extra £600 was value when not only did you get extra power you also got a 6 speed box and better brakes. In theory we should be changing the Fabia now but its so good its a keeper for a few more years.
Would I want a Leon with the 1.0 TSi, not driven one but my gut feeling is I would be disappointed. The 125 PS 1.4 would be higher up my wish list if I really wamted to avoid the sporty bits.
We looked at the Swift when we bought the Micra and found that although it was a bigger car the space inside was about the same and the boot was smaller, not at all well packaged but as other have said probably great fun. The Leon is a much bigger car all round.
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“ Would I want a Leon with the 1.0 TSi, not driven one but my gut feeling is I would be disappointed. The 125 PS 1.4 would be higher up my wish list if I really wamted to avoid the sporty bits.”
I’d agree but recently I’ve had the pleasure of a wee shot of a colleague’s 1.0 TSi Leon and I was very impressed by how flexible and perky it was. Had he told me it was the lower output 1.4 TSi I would’ve believed him. It was quiet and strong enough but sadly that charismatic 3cyl thrum was missing.
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They’ll drive very differently - at your price point the Swift Sport will be the 1600cc naturally aspirated engine - it’s huge fun, but if you want to make progress you have to be prepared to be in the right gear at the right time. The Leon is turbocharged and will give its performance without having to use a lot of revs. Neither is right or wrong, but try both and see what you think.
Nope there are 101Boosterjet Swifts under 8k on Autotrader right now. Less than 30k miles is very easy at your budget.
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“ Nope there are 101Boosterjet Swifts under 8k on Autotrader right now. Less than 30k miles is very easy at your budget.”
The only Sport 1.4 Boosterjet I can find under £8,000 is a cat S write-off. It’s a Sport the OP is seeking but I’d also point them to the 1.0 Boosterjet which goes very well with 109bhp in a lightweight body.
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Cheers for the responses so far guys.
So right now I have my eye on one of each. I found seemingly nice Leon fr at 7450, but I got a detailed history report and I'm a bit concerned by some of the MOT history... But I am a total noob at this so perhaps you could have a look through and tell me if this is actually a good buy?
www.freecarcheck.co.uk/full-report/?reg=VlRGamVFMH...=
www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105122530099?p...1
The dealer seems well rated and it does come with 12 months AA, 3 month warrenty and a service at point of sale... Im just a bit concerned by the plate changes and the rubbing on the arches, do you reckon it was lowered at some point? Provided this is actually OK, I'll probs go with it. But I have also considered spending a grand more than my budget and going with a newer Swift 1.2 attitude.
www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104231717597?a...c
I dont need to test drive the Swift, it's actually the car I learnt to drive in, I know I like the way it feels compared to the selection of Enterprise Car Club cars Ive driven over the last few years... I have just never driven the Leon...
Cheers in advance if you take the time to look through that history!
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I’d leave the Leon unless you can afford to get the newer generation model. The example here uses the older chain driven TSi motor and they’re known for timing chain failures, so much so that the firm switched back to a belt in later models. The Suzuki would be by far your most reliable option but the 1.2 is a bit slow compared to the 1.0 turbo. Personally I’d find it quite acceptable though as with these it’s the handling which makes them such a joy to drive. Running costs are low too. So no question here between these two, I wouldn’t touch that Seat.
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Certainly a lot of Swifts (and Celerios) around my neighbourhood, possibly due the main dealer being only a few miles away but those I've spoken to seem very pleased with them. Reliability seems largely guaranteed.
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I’d leave the Leon unless you can afford to get the newer generation model. The example here uses the older chain driven TSi motor and they’re known for timing chain failures, so much so that the firm switched back to a belt in later models.
Have to correct you there SLO, the Leon in the OP's link @ £7450 is a 3rd generation car which is fitted with the brilliant belt drive 140 PS 1.4 TSi engine. Its pretty much the same Leon I had with the notable exceptions of the fact its an FR with the Tech pack both of which make it more desirable than the SE I had. But it seems very over priced, Mine sold in December 2017 (over 3 years ago) for under £8000 with only 30,000 miles. The car is the advert would have been due a cam bet change @ 6 years, if its not been done it's a circa £400 job at a dealer with water pump, tensioners etc.
The Suzuki would be by far your most reliable option but the 1.2 is a bit slow compared to the 1.0 turbo.
That is why the OP really needs to get a longish drive in the Leon and Suzuki if they are the final 2 on his short list. The performance of the 2 cars will be radically different but as can be seen from the links the Swift is far newer for less money thus far less of a risk long term.
I mentioned above that we have a Fabia 110 PS which we find brilliant. Not as fast as the Leon but it would be faster than any Swift baring the Sport models. If you consider the Swift big enough for your needs the Fabia would potentially suit you just as well.
Found an example of a 110 PS Redline one on Autotrader. I drove a car exactly like this before we ordered ours but for us the sports seats made it unsuitable, we bought one with "normal" seats. Price wise its between the Seat and Swifts you linked to but its way newer than the Leon, it would be my choice.
Have a look www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103260607991?b...1
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“ Have to correct you there SLO, the Leon in the OP's link @ £7450 is a 3rd generation car which is fitted with the brilliant belt drive 140 PS 1.4 TSi engine.”
Absolutely correct Skidpan, should start wearing my glasses. It is of course an early 3rd gen car and the belt driven 1.4 TSi is an excellent engine.
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The Leon I linked to has had the timing belt done, along with a bunch of other stuff including wheel realignment which hopefully sorted the issue with the rubbing. Seen receipts for the work, was carried out about 6months ago and done very few miles since...
I guess I'm just gonna have to make a choice. Which as I have mentioned, I hate doing lol. I feel like leon is more car for the money at this point, but it might turn into more of a money pit in the long run, with higher repair costs and a lower reliability rating. But then again, has significantly lower tax, relatively similar real mpg and is 1500 cheaper to begin with than the swift attitude I'm swaying towards - looks are quite important to me, even though I know that's probably a silly thing to pay attention to. The swift also has a rev camera and better infotainment from what I can tell. Oh, and comes with the balance of manufacturers warrenty...
Honestly, I thought buying your first car was supposed to be fun! I'm just too fussy for this game, esp with my budget haha. I just really want to get the best all rounder for my money. I'm going to go test drive the Leon on Monday and see how I feel.
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My other half has the 1.4 engine in her 2018 Leon FR. It is the lower powered version (123hp).
It is a great engine that is flexible and plenty quick. Lovely gearbox and loads of room inside.
However, it was spec'd with 18" alloys which she loved the look of...
With its twist beam rear axle rather than independent and those wheels it is crashy and unsettled over bumps and suspension joints on the road.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/71426/why-is-the...d-
Recommended all the same. Just be aware.
Edited by groaver on 14/05/2021 at 17:07
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Can I add my vote. Avoid the 1.2 Swift whilst a perfectly decent car, its not in the same ballpark as the 1litre turbo. It's a great car.
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TBH, I'm a bit confused by the link to the Swift the OP has provided. Not because I have any issue with the Swift in n/a 1.2 form (it is a very light car next to its rivals, and the 1.2 is a sweet unit), but because of the thread title.
"Suzuki Swift Sport/Seat Leon Fr 1.4"
I've highlighted Sport, because the word in the context of Suzuki Swift means either a n/a 1.6, or a 1.4 turbo, not a 1.2 (or a 1.0 turbo). Both versions of the Sport offer similar performance to the Leon, though obviously the n/a 1.6 has to be worked harder than the 1.4 turbo, which is much more muscular thanks to the turbo torque at low revs.
Which is best?. Really depends on what you want from the car, but I remember reading about the newer 1.4 turbo Swift Sport when it first came out, and most articles considered it less fun than the older car. If you see yourself spending a lot of time on the road, the extra torque of the 1.4t would make it more relaxing. But if you don't, I think I'd favour the older 1.6 over the 1.4t, or the Leon. It would be easy enough to find a nice one within your budget, and they are simple, reliable machines. Just have a very close look for any accident damage!.
As to the 1.2 Dualjet, I'd be happy enough with this for reasons I've already mentioned, but it is hardly a car you'd consider as an alternative to a 1.4 turbo Seat Leon.
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Haha yeah that's fair... I know the 1.2 attitude isn't a sport variant, however imo it has the best looks of the range outside the 1.4 sport, which I unfortunately cannot afford. I'm not a boy racer as such, I don't need something with proper OOMPH power, I value looks highly though, and if I wanted to get it tuned up in the future I'm sure I could get the 1.2 a lot punchier than it is stock...
I defo have considered the old 1.6 sport closely, you're right, I could get a good low mileage example in my budget easily, and from what I've read they are great cars that will still get around 40mpg.
I swithered too much on the Leon 1.4 I linked and now it's gone unfortunately. I'm just in a struggle between my heart and my head right now... Heart says get a Leon, head says get a swift... I certainly think the Leon is the better looking from the outside in the fr spec, and obviously has the better performance. But I can get a Swift at a much lower mileage, and particularly the newer ones have a really nice interior imho... I'm just a switherer, and there are just so many potential cars I like the look of with higher mileages that I could get, but a lot of them are diesels that are gonna cost more to maintain... I view 40mpg as the baseline economy I'm willing to go to, and I don't want to pay more than 155 a year in road tax for sure, so it's been enough of a struggle to tie it down to these two! They are my 2 favourites out of the petrol options...
You guys have all been a great help though. I feel like on balance the swift gets a lot of admiration as an all round sensible yet fun car, so I should probably just go with my head on this one as its my first car and I'm not rich lol.
Other than the Fabia, which is simply don't like the look of inside or out unfortunately, feel free to chuck in any other options you think I'm forgetting about. I mean, if a diesel with upto 100k miles isn't as bad an option as I think it is right now, that would sure open up my options massively...
Apologies for the ranting and thanks for baring with me haha.
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Haha yeah that's fair... I know the 1.2 attitude isn't a sport variant, however imo it has the best looks of the range outside the 1.4 sport, which I unfortunately cannot afford. I'm not a boy racer as such, I don't need something with proper OOMPH power, I value looks highly though, and if I wanted to get it tuned up in the future I'm sure I could get the 1.2 a lot punchier than it is stock...
I defo have considered the old 1.6 sport closely, you're right, I could get a good low mileage example in my budget easily, and from what I've read they are great cars that will still get around 40mpg.
I swithered too much on the Leon 1.4 I linked and now it's gone unfortunately. I'm just in a struggle between my heart and my head right now... Heart says get a Leon, head says get a swift... I certainly think the Leon is the better looking from the outside in the fr spec, and obviously has the better performance. But I can get a Swift at a much lower mileage, and particularly the newer ones have a really nice interior imho... I'm just a switherer, and there are just so many potential cars I like the look of with higher mileages that I could get, but a lot of them are diesels that are gonna cost more to maintain... I view 40mpg as the baseline economy I'm willing to go to, and I don't want to pay more than 155 a year in road tax for sure, so it's been enough of a struggle to tie it down to these two! They are my 2 favourites out of the petrol options...
You guys have all been a great help though. I feel like on balance the swift gets a lot of admiration as an all round sensible yet fun car, so I should probably just go with my head on this one as its my first car and I'm not rich lol.
Other than the Fabia, which is simply don't like the look of inside or out unfortunately, feel free to chuck in any other options you think I'm forgetting about. I mean, if a diesel with upto 100k miles isn't as bad an option as I think it is right now, that would sure open up my options massively...
Apologies for the ranting and thanks for baring with me haha.
As I said, I'd be perfectly happy with a Swift 1.2 Dualjet, its a great little car and I'm sure won't give you any trouble at all.
Regarding its power and performance, what everyone seems to forget about is weight, and how that relates to a given power output. It is fair to say the Swift isn't going to be a rocket ship, but consider this: At the same time as 'your' Swift was sold, you could have bought a Fiesta with a n/a 1.1 making 85bhp. This is only 4bhp down on the Swift, so not much difference, right?. Wrong!, you see the Swift weighs 890kg, the Fiesta weighs 1135kg, that is an extra 245kg before you have put anything in the car!. Power to weight ratio for the Swift is 100bhp per tonne, in the Fiesta it is 75bhp per tonne. And I can also confirm that while the Swift is physically smaller than the Fiesta, the Swift has more space for rear passengers, worth bearing in mind if you are giving your mates a lift somewhere.
We have an Ignis with the exact same engine, so am pretty familiar with it. The Ignis is a little lighter than the Swift, but ours is the AGS automated manual which narrows the weight difference to about 30kg, and I am perfectly happy with the performance.
While I like the Leon (I think it is a better looking car than the Golf), I wouldn't have been to keen on the FR because of the harsh ride on those big wheels and stiffer suspension.
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