Cupra Leon review

This hot hatchback used to be known as the Seat Leon Cupra, but the Spanish carmaker’s fast badge has been teased out into a whole sub-brand. Henceforth, then, this shall be known as the Cupra Leon.

We’ve always liked the fast Leons here – a bit more power than a Volkswagen Golf GTI for a slightly lower price. What’s not to like about that? The Cupra badge has brought some new challenges, though, forcing the car to become more ambitious than just being a GTI alternative.

It certainly looks the part…

Doesn’t it just. Cupra facelifted its take on the Leon in early 2024 to make it look less like a Seat and more erm… Cupra-ey. That means it now gets a more aggressive shark-nose front end with a very toothy grille, plus triangular LED headlights, big wheels, beefy arches and new rear lights with an illuminated badge and proper lightbar. Lots of copper touches too. Very smart.

What are my engine choices?

There are a whole host of options to choose from, but the range kicks off with a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-pot pumping out 148bhp and connected to a six-speed manual. We told you this wasn’t just a Golf GTI alternative these days – the Cupra Leon now has to do multiple jobs.

To that end, you can spec the same 148bhp 1.5-litre engine with a seven-speed auto gearbox and a mild-hybrid system, or you can have it as a full plug-in hybrid with a six-speed auto and a 19.7kWh battery for between 70 and 80 miles of all-electric running. Do that and you’ll get either 201bhp or 268bhp. 

The one you really want though is the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that sends 296bhp through its front wheels, so it’s essentially a Golf GTI Clubsport that speaks Spanish, though like the VW, you can only have a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. Shame.

As hot hatch rivals ebb away around it, Cupra has chosen to shout about its potency with a new, 325bhp Leon VZ and a stripped-out Leon TCR that you can ditch the back seats from.

Oh, and there’s an estate version of the Cupra Leon too. It can be specced with almost exactly the same powertrains as the hatch, but rather than 296bhp and front-wheel drive, the top-spec 2.0-litre turbo makes 328bhp and sends that through all four wheels. So yeah, that’s an alternative to a Golf R wagon.

What about the numbers?

If it’s pure speed you’re after, the extra power in the estate gets you from 0–62mph in a tidy 4.8 seconds, while the 296bhp hatchback does it in 5.7s and the more powerful of the two PHEV hatches in a stately 7.1s. Which is what a few hundred kilos of battery and electric gubbins will do, really.

Want to shift your own gears? The base-spec 1.5-litre engine and manual combo gets a 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds, which drops to 8.7s if you spec the auto and mild-hybrid setup.

How much is it?

Prices start from £32,140 for that entry-level 148bhp pure petrol in manual guise and £33,960 for the auto. If it’s a PHEV you’re after, then the 201bhp version starts at £39,050, while the 268bhp iteration is £42,400. All can be made more expensive with posher trim levels, of course. 

The most powerful hatch starts at £43,775, which is about £500 less than the equivalent Golf GTI Clubsport. The Leon Estate starts at £34,455, while the 328bhp performance wagon kicks off at £47,570. Got all that? Good.

The Cupra Leon is a car of many different characters. The base petrols and hybrids are eminently sensible, but lack the true thrills the Cupra name formerly stood for. They're a decent stab at an exotic, luxe-feeling hatch or estate - but stop short of proper entertainment.

Not to matter, because the 2.0-litre Leon - whether it's a FWD hatch or 4WD estate - is the one to go for: it’s decent fun with sharp handling, good character and a snappy DSG gearbox.

Does it have the flat out appeal of cars like the Honda Civic Type R or Toyota GR Yaris? Probably not. There’s no real cutting edge here, but it’s a handsome thing, plenty practical and ever so slightly cheaper than the equivalent Golf GTI Clubsport. 

And crucially, a survivor amidst the current hot hatchback bloodbath.