Sector: Lower medium Price: £24,385 Fuel: 57.6mpg CO2: 129g/km

To say that within the Volkwagen Group, SEAT has been a bit light on the SUV and crossover front is a bit of an understatement. Volkwagen has Golf Alltrack, Tiguan and Touareg, Audi is all ‘Qs’ and Allroad and Skoda has Yeti and Octavia Scout.

OK, there used to be the Altea Freetrack, but Cinderella is now off to the ball. Leon X-Perience, in some ways a successor to the Altea Freetrack, with its Haldex four-wheel drive system is merely the starting point. SEAT showed the 20V20 SUV concept at the recent Geneva Show and there will be a compact SUV arriving in showrooms next year after making its debut at the Geneva Show 2016.

X-Perience is based on the Leon ST estate model with 15mm raised ground clearance and the almost obligatory sill and wheel arch protective mouldings. As we have hinted, all models get the latest version of the Haldex four-wheel-drive. This smart system drives the front wheels only for most of the time, but when loss of traction is detected, it will divert drive to the rear wheels. It is infinitely variable, capable of sending all the drive to the rear wheels when necessary, or any front/rear drive split it senses is best. For traction in snow and ice, or towing a trailer onto a muddy field, it’s an ideal system.

X-Perience comes with a Boris-baiting diesel-only power option featuring the 2.0TDI engine used extensively across the Volkwagen Group. There’s a choice of 148bhp with SE or SE Technology spec or the 182bhp version available only with the excellent DSG twin-clutch six-speed automated transmission and SE Technology spec. Choose either engine for fuel consumption and emissions that are said to be the same 57.6mpg combined and 129g/km CO2. That means BiK tax at 23% in 2015/16 and VED at £110 per year. All models are Euro 6 compliant.

X-Perience models are well specified with a host of optional equipment too. A full-length panoramic sunroof is on the options list as is adaptive cruise control. The boot has a floor that can be set at two levels, giving a capacity of 587 litres, expanding to 1,470 litres with the rear seats folded.

If you have driven a Haldex-equipped model before, the Leon X-Perience will not hold surprises. The raised suspension is noticeable when getting in, but otherwise it feels like a Leon ST, until you get under way. The 4×4 system is unobtrusive, as it’s intended, but ride quality is more compliant than the front-drive Leons. That combination of slightly higher driving position and greater comfort would appeal to older drivers, but you are more likely to find those with “Active Lifestyles” featuring in marketing material.

With crossover and SUV sales still growing and the cars seen as desirable, it ought to ensure some competitive leasing prices as RVs should hold up well, maybe with a bit of help from arriving SEAT SUVs next year. It’s a welcome addition to the Leon range, offering more design verve than an Octavia Scout.

Verdict:

Leon X-Perience doesn't do anything especially new, but signals SEAT’s entry into the crossover and SUV sector. It offers all the advantages of the ST with all-weather traction.