Electric Car Awards 2023: Best used hybrid family car

Lovely though that new Audi A3 40 TFSIe is, we can offer you a cut-price used alternative: the Seat Leon e-Hybrid. You see, the two cars are virtually identical under the skin, and if you’re willing to sacrifice a little of that showroom-fresh smell and the prestige of owning an Audi, you can have almost everything the A3 offers for nearly half the price.

We’ve always rated this latest iteration of the Leon very highly, and the plug-in e-Hybrid adds an extra dimension to its many qualities. What you’ll get is a spacious and practical family hatchback that’s not only good to drive and comfortable to
ride in but also has the added virtue of being able to travel for up to 40 miles (officially, at least) on electric power alone – exactly matching the A3’s figure. That means if most of your journeys are short and you can plug the car in regularly, you really will save on your petrol bills.

And whereas a new A3 will set you back around £35,000, you can now buy a 2020 example of the Leon e-Hybrid for just £19,000. This is less than it would cost to buy a good example of the previous-generation (2013-2020) A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid or the old, Mk7 version of the Volkswagen Golf GTE, newer versions of which would cost you far more. You’ll also get a newer car than you would if you bought a Hyundai Ioniq PHEV for the same money, and one with a longer electric-only range.

In actual fact, used is the only way to go if you want a Leon e-Hybrid. Seat had to withdraw the car from the UK market last year due to supply issues, and there’s no news yet on when it’ll be back. Never fear, though: plenty are available on the used market, and if you do buy one, you’ll get a smart, practical and immensely enjoyable family car.

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