With its appealing looks, excellent handling capabilities and practical interior, the Seat Leon is a cracking family car.

The current Leon has played a major part in the brand’s resurgence in recent years - and it’s not hard to see why buyers are drawn to this stylish family hatchback.

The car, which was refreshed in 2017, comes with a range of engine options, but this 1.5-litre petrol version is undoubtedly a nicely-powered vehicle.

Indeed, the 130ps engine offers a superb blend between brisk performance and decent fuel economy.

During a family holiday to Cornwall over Easter, I was able to make the most of both of those qualities, achieving good mpg while using cruise control on the motorway on my journey down from West Yorkshire, then enjoying good acceleration and handling on the Duchy’s rural roads.

The Leon is certainly a neat-handling car with impressive body control, remaining well-planted through corners.

The steering is precise and gives a pleasing level of feedback, instilling confidence when cornering and making the sure-footed Leon exceptionally easy to position on the road.

This version of the Leon goes from 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds but, in real world driving conditions, it feels a good deal more poky than the figures might suggest.

That power is delivered smoothly as the car feels eager and willing to pick up pace.

At motorway speeds, the Leon is a refined cruiser, with very little by way of engine and wind noise.

The slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox further enhances the driving experience.

In terms of looks, the exterior of the five-door Leon gives it instant appeal. Its design lines have been carefully crafted to create a streamlined shape, while the distinctive front and rear bumpers add to its character.

Meanwhile, the full LED headlights are also eye-catching.

Once inside the Leon, it’s a pleasant place to be.

The dashboard is smart and there’s a soft leather-covered steering wheel and gearknob.

There are one or too cheaper materials that can be spotted, but it’s generally a well put-together cabin.

There’s no shortage of space up front and in the back, with the car easily able to accommodate two adults, two children and all the associated luggage during our family road trip.

For the driver’s added convenience, the steering wheel moves in and out, and up and down, to allow you to find the perfect driving position.

The seats are on the firm side and, on the six-hour jaunt west, I found myself stopping a couple of times to take a stroll in order to loosen up - of all things - an aching backside!

The Leon is equipped with advanced technology such as Pedestrian Protection and Traffic Jam Assist. The former acts as an extra pair of eyes, senses if someone is crossing in front of the vehicle and alerts you with an acoustic and a visual signal before automatically applying the brakes. The latter, which was useful in the inevitable M5 traffic jams, calculates the distance from other cars and controls your acceleration, maintaining a safe and steady distance from the vehicle ahead.

On this version, there’s an easy-to-use 8.0in touchscreen, with clear graphics, along with DAB radio, a multi-function steering wheel, and two USB sockets.

I found the satnav often got slightly confused on some of Cornwall’s more remote roads, instructing me to turn off to the left or right when, in fact, it was merely a corner in the road.

However, after a week in this car’s company, the overall impression is that of a stylish, reliable, practical car which can be fun or frugal depending on the driver’s mood and the car’s mode.

SEAT Leon 5dr FR EVO

PRICE: £21,520

ENGINE: 1.5-litre petrol 130PS

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual driving front wheels

AVG FUEL ECONOMY: 42.2-46.3 mpg

CO2 EMISSIONS: 113 k/km

0-62 MPH: 9.4 seconds

TOP SPEED: 126 mph

TORQUE: 200 Nm at 1,400 - 4,000rpm