THE hills and villages around Barcelona have been alive with the sound of revving engines as SEAT test drivers put the company's latest Leon through final public road testing ahead of its launch.

Expected to arrive in UK dealerships in the Spring, the new fourth-generation Leon has been developed with real-world driving in mind, says the Spanish company, and will come with a range of petrol, diesel, mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains.

The plug-in hybrid electric version uses a 1.4-litre petrol engine, an electric motor and a 13kWh lithium-ion battery pack which combine to produce 201bhp of power and are mated to a six-speed DSG auto transmission.

SEAT claims that the Leon plug-in hybrid will have a usable range of 38 miles on electric power only with recharging of the battery taking less than 3.5 hours via a 3.6kW AC inlet.