Faults:

The car is still new. I just got it last week and have put 1,000 on it.

There have been no faults so far.

Initial build quality seems to be up to Volkswagen and Audi standards. It even smells like a new Audi...

General Comments:

This review is based on my experience during a trip to Germany this weekend.

Although I'm treating it very nicely the first 2,000 or so kilometres, it's hard to keep from flooring it every chance I get.

Performance is excellent. There is so much power in every gear at almost any speed. Above about 100 km you can shift up to 6th gear and the revs will drop to around 2000 RPM, but it will still respond lively when you want to accelerate.

The engine sounds great, especially when the turbo kicks in.

The suspension is relatively sporty, but not to the point of becoming uncomfortable. Cruising at high speeds it feels like a larger, much more expensive car.

Having 5 doors and a large boot make it very practical as well.

The trim level in Holland has been upgraded for the 2002 model year, so to my surprise I got 8 speakers instead of 4, electric windows in the rear and electric mirrors.

Other standard features include: anti-lock brakes, traction control, alloy wheels, air-conditioning, board computer, sport seats.

Anyone considering to buy a Golf or an Audi A3, should have a serious look at the Seat Leon 20VT.