The Spanish subsidiary of Volkswagen, SEAT, announced the launch of a new ‘Extreme’ version of the Leon hatchback. Unlike what that word, and the car’s appearance, may suggest, it is extreme in terms of frugality. Called the SEAT Leon Ecomotive, it is capable of an astonishing 86.5 mpg (UK).

With that kind of economy you can’t expect much performance, and indeed, it’s not delivering. SEAT Leon Ecomotive is powered by a 1.6-litre TDI diesel engine, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox whose ratios are spaced for optimum efficiency. It only makes 110 PS.

This car may struggle to overtake, well, anything else with wheels, but it is a very cost effective way of getting about with CO2 emissions of just 99 g/km. That is music to the ears of the average British motorist who pays road tax based on his car’s emissions. You could say the Leon Eco is also good value, considering the amount of kit you receive.

Available in all three body styles (SC, five-door and ST) the Ecomotive is priced from just £19,360. Standard equipment include everything you get with the SE specification: 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights with cornering function, cruise control, a leather steering wheel and gear knob, air conditioning, electric windows all around (aside from SC versions), Bluetooth hands-free phone system, SEAT Easy Connect multimedia system, and a front armrest/storage box.