Long-term report: Getting to grips with the Cupra Leon
Cameron Richards has been enjoying his first month with this spicy Spanish hot hatchback.
Ever since I started out as a motoring journalist, I’ve spent a lot of my time driving high-riding SUVs and electric cars which do the job but maybe don’t get the pulse racing. So you can imagine my excitement when I was told I would be living with the new Cupra Leon in hot ‘VZ’ format.
As a lover of hot hatchbacks, I think it’s a breath of fresh air when car manufacturers continue to invest in making fun, practical and engaging hatchbacks and not just throwing all of their eggs into the crossover and SUV basket.
The first month living with the Cupra has simply flown by – in a good way.
Some hot hatchbacks go overboard with their exterior and interiors to make them different from the cooking models that they’re based on, but that’s not the case with this Spanish alternative.
When I took delivery of the car, instantly, I was drawn to how discreet it looks. You have to remember that this car features a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that develops nearly 300bhp, but to many, it just looks like a normal Seat Leon – which I love.
The only telltale giveaway is the larger 19-inch wheels and the quad-exit exhaust tips, which give the car a really meaty growl to it. I’ve been using it for trips around town and on longer journeys to the airport, and as an everyday commuter, it’s superb.
The car is very practical with four adults easily managing to clamber aboard with no issues with head and legroom, while the boot can swallow loads of larger items, and the handy ski hatch is something rare to find on a hatchback.
Cupras tend to have lots of copper accents on their interiors, and the Leon is no different. The cabin itself feels high quality, and there are loads of little cubby holes, which just makes everything on a day-to-day basis that little bit easier. The infotainment screen is slick, bright and easy to use. The best thing is that you can turn off the annoying speed limit warning and lane departure from a simple button on the steering wheel.
The starter button and driving modes are located on the steering wheel too giving it that sportier edge. ‘Cupra’ mode is the most exciting, as it opens the exhaust valves, giving a deeper tone, it automatically downshifts the gearbox and you can change gear via the paddle shifts located behind the wheel itself.
It’s not been all sweetness and light, though. A few irritations have crept in, with one of them being the sports bucket seats, which look great and do a good job of supporting you, but on a long journey, they are not the most comfortable. Plus, the removal of physical buttons for the climate control – they’ve been replaced by touch-sensitive sliders – does my head in when trying to adjust the cabin temperature on the move – what was the matter with buttons?
However, the Leon’s Achilles heel has to be its fuel economy. On a longer trip to Stansted airport, the car achieved an impressive 44mpg, however, short trips around town will make the fuel economy suffer with low to high 20s achieved, making it quite a thirsty car to run.
I’ve got the Leon for another five months, and I can honestly say that I’m really looking forward to seeing how it performs with a lot more journeys planned. It’s great driving a car on a daily basis that is exciting to get behind the wheel, which is also practical and very easy to drive despite its power.
Everyone who has been in the car has loved it, from its performance and looks, right down to the interior design and spacious cabin. Here’s to more smiles per miles with the Cupra Leon.
