SEAT Leon vs Toyota Corolla
Figures updated
The SEAT Leon and Toyota Corolla are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the Mk4 (2020–) Leon and the Mk12 (2019–) Corolla on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 242,509 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the SEAT Leon for the lower price, or the Toyota Corolla for lower fuel costs.
- The SEAT Leon is the cheapest to buy new: from £25,995, £4,850 less than the Toyota Corolla.
- Their boots are much the same size: SEAT Leon 380 litres, Toyota Corolla 361 litres.
- Their MOT records are close: once age and mileage are taken into account, they fail about as often as each other.
- The Toyota Corolla is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £187 a year less than the SEAT Leon at 7,500 miles a year.
| Figure | SEAT LeonMk4 (2020–), 5-door hatchback | Toyota CorollaMk12 (2019–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £25,995 to £40,165July 2026 price list (best) | £30,845 to £37,345September 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 380 litres (best) | 361 litres |
| Length | 4,368mm | 4,370mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,800mm | 1,790mm |
| Height | 1,456mm | 1,460mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 115–204 PS (best) | 140–178 PS |
| 0–62mph | 7.7–10.4 sec | 7.4–9.1 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2025) | ★★★★★ (2019) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Diesel, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Hybrid |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 47.9–65.7 mpg | 57.6–64.2 mpg |
| CO2 | 28–134 g/km | 100–110 g/km |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.8p a litre, today's UK average | £1,162 (50.4 mpg) | £975 (60.1 mpg) (best) |
| Diesel198.4p a litre | £1,102 (61.4 mpg) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £1,102 (diesel) | £975 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 | £200 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 116Well above average (best) | 112Above average |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 23.6% (best) | 32.2% |
| Failed at 3 years old | 12.3% | 9.2% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 18.3% | 11.7% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 24.3% | – |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (2.8% of tests) | Position lamp (4.7% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Nothing stands out | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 181,734 | 60,775 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 9,400 | 8,300 |
| On sale | 2020 on | 2019 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the SEAT Leon or the Toyota Corolla more reliable?
There's little in it. Once age and mileage are taken into account, both fail their MOT about as often as each other (reliability scores 116 and 112, where 100 is average).
›Which is bigger, the SEAT Leon or the Toyota Corolla?
They're almost the same length (4,368mm and 4,370mm). Their boots are much the same: 380 and 361 litres.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the SEAT Leon or the Toyota Corolla?
The SEAT Leon: new prices start at £25,995, £4,850 less than the Toyota Corolla (from £30,845). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the SEAT Leon or the Toyota Corolla?
Comparing petrol versions, the Toyota Corolla costs about £187 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£975 against £1,162), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the SEAT Leon or the Toyota Corolla?
Euro NCAP gave the SEAT Leon 5 stars (2025) and the Toyota Corolla 5 stars (2019). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the SEAT Leon or the Toyota Corolla?
Pick the SEAT Leon for the lower price, or the Toyota Corolla for lower fuel costs. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.