The Leon ST has been quite a mile muncher lately, taking myself and colleagues to many corners  of the UK.

The car we have on test is finished in a  disappointingly dull shade of grey-brown, called Technic Grey. The colour begins to look muddy very quickly after these long journeys, and slides into anonymity in a car park. It’s a shame, as the sleek lines of the Leon suit colours with more contrast, with a range of blues, whites and reds better emphasising the good looks of this practical estate. Seat’s online configurator shows that the light grey interior on our model is one of two no-cost options, the other being a much more practical black.

The configurator also shows that a wide array of options are available – some fitted to our test model, others not. Those not fitted include £180 tinted glass, £300 driver assist pack – which includes lane and beam assist, and the snappily named £120 Safety Pack 1 – which includes tiredness recognition alerts.

The car is also available with an £80 foldable front passenger seat – perfect for those flat pack missions, though it would be some feat to fill the long, cavernous boot and still require that additional space.

Christopher Smith