The Seat Leon has been named Car of the Year 2013 at the Auto Express New Car Awards.

The Leon also won the Best Compact Family Car award and the Alhambra won Best MPV. The Skoda Citigo won best city car and the Ford Fiesta won the supermini category.

Steve Fowler, Auto Express editor, said the Leon won the top award due to its combination of style, quality, kit and for the way it handles on the road.

He said: “You get all that at a bargain price, while running costs will be ultra-low, too.

“The Seat Leon has beaten some superb cars to be crowned Car of the Year – it’s that good.”

The award has been received the same week Seat launches the three-door Leon SC. The Leon range will also see a Leon ST estate model too.

Auto Express New Car Awards Winners 2013

City Car Skoda Citigo
Supermini Ford Fiesta
Compact family car Seat Leon
Family Car Mazda 6
Five-seat MPV Ford B-Max
Estate Car Skoda Octavia Estate
Crossover Mazda CX-5
Compact SUV Range Rover Evoque
Large SUV Hyundai Santa Fe
Hot Hatch Ford Fiesta ST
Convertible Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet
Coupe Porsche Cayman
Roadster Porsche Boxster
Pick-up Volkswagen Amarok
Compact Executive Car BMW 3 Series
Executive Car  BMW 5 Series
Luxury Car Range Rover
Performance Car Toyota GT 86
Green Award Vauxhall Ampera
Design Award Range Rover
Driver Power Award Lexus
Hall of Fame Ian Robertson, BMW
Safety Award Volvo V40
Van of the Year Ford Transit Custom