Cupra Leon review

So far we’ve only driven the updated Cupra Leon in its proper hot hatchback form, so that’s the car that we’ll focus on here. Although if you’re listening Cupra, we’d still love to have a go in the 328bhp estate…

So, talk to me about this 2.0-litre…

Well, the EA888 four-cylinder will no doubt be familiar from elsewhere in the VW Group. In the fastest Leon hatch it makes 295lb ft of torque to go along with the 296bhp, which means that – provided you can get the power down through the front wheels – it’ll hit 62mph from a standstill in 5.7 seconds and will run on to a top speed of 155mph.

The engine is super punchy, but traction does seem to be a bit of an issue. On anything less than bone dry tarmac the hot Leon will spin its front wheels if you try to set off in a hurry. Hankooks are the standard tyre though, so an upgrade could solve some of that issue. Bit of character too, isn’t it?

The seven-speed DSG is as smooth and seamless with its shifts as ever, and there are paddles mounted behind the steering wheel for when you feel the need to take over. It’s a familiar but supremely strong powertrain, although be warned that you’ll immediately want to switch off the ludicrous augmented engine sound in the sportier modes. Thankfully the Leon also gets an Individual mode with good customisation options. 

Can it do corners?

It really can. Yes, it tends to favour understeer initially, but get your corner entry right and the trick electronic front diff will pull the nose into a corner, and when the rear does let go there’s plenty of warning. Plus, you get an ESC Sport setting to wind off some of the interference from the traction control.

That said, it isn’t as aggressively raw as a Honda Civic Type R, nor does it offer the wheel-cocking antics of a Hyundai i30N. It’ll offer you decent countryside thrills, but it’s a bit more serious than its lairier rivals.

What’s the ride like?

Well, if you’re going for the 296bhp hot hatch then even the entry-level VZ1 trim comes with the VW Group’s multi-stage DCC adaptive dampers. That means you can soften up the suspension – helpful given the state of the UK’s back roads where this car shines. It rides bumps remarkably well in its more forgiving modes.

Does it guzzle fuel?

Official fuel consumption in the 2.0-litre hatch is between 36.2 and 37.2mpg, which you’ll likely only see if you’ve got helium in your shoes. We averaged around 28mpg, although that did include some, erm… spirited driving.

The hybrids will do much better of course, with the two PHEVs rated at a frankly ridiculous 744.4mpg for the 201bhp version and 684.2mpg for the 268bhp. These are of course unicorn figures unless you happen to drive strictly within the car’s range and charge at home, although the claimed electric range of between 70 and 80 miles depending on spec is really quite impressive. That’s up from just over 30 miles on the pre-facelift PHEVs. Could be a gamechanger. Oh, and you can now fast charge them at up to 50kW too.