Cupra Leon Estate VZ1 - long-term review

So, here we go, family road trip time. The big question is whether the Cupra Leon is a good companion for hauling the clan up into the mountains. On paper it ticks the right boxes. Plenty of boot space for winter kit, four-wheel drive to tackle snowy passes and a set of all-season tyres to keep things stable. Now it’s time to see how it handles the miles.

I should mention, we toyed with the idea of taking the Eurostar ski train from London to Bourg-Saint-Maurice. At just under eight hours, it sounded convenient, until we tallied the cost at about £900 for the family, then pictured lugging suitcases through stations and up to the resort. Pricey and a bit of a faff. So we opted to drive, which meant we could travel on our own schedule, make multiple stops and keep the little one comfortable. Would it be cheaper? More on that later.

First things first, how much can you fit in? We wanted to leave the rear seats upright so one of us could sit in the back with our daughter if needed. That meant squeezing 12 days worth of family gubbins and ski clothing into the Cupra’s 620-litre boot. We managed it: two large suitcases, a large duffel, folding pram, child-carrier backpack, a daypack and all the coats. If boot Tetris had a leaderboard, I’d be somewhere near the top.

Eurotunnel Le Shuttle was our first step and, as always, the breeziest way to cross the Channel. The idea that you can go from your front door to France without leaving the car is still brilliant. Fortunately we missed the power-failure chaos from a few days earlier. One downside is that some carriages are starting to show their age, with faulty air conditioning and generally no longer feel adequate for the world’s bloating cars. Top tip if you run big alloy wheels with low-profile tyres: book a large-vehicle carriage. The wider carriages have more space between the kerbs, which makes loading far less stressful.

Once across, we realised we had, err, unintentionally mapped our route through some of France’s finest wine regions. First stop was Reims, home of expensive bubbly, and the Cupra’s underfloor compartment where a space saver would normally live turned out to be the perfect spot for stowing a few celebratory bottles of Champagne. Cheers to that.

The forecast promised a dry arrival in the Alps, but on the way down to our second stop in Mâcon we drove straight into a snowstorm. With it came our first hiccup. The automatic cruise-control sensor did not enjoy the conditions. Snow and grit repeatedly impaired it, so more than once I had to pull over, wipe the front and coax it back to life. When it worked, it took the sting out of the long motorway stints; when it didn’t, those stretches were more tiring than planned. By morning in Mâcon everything was iced solid: screens, mirrors, those pesky sensors. Ten minutes with de-icer and a scraper, and we were rolling again.

We arrived at Les Arcs 1800 to blue skies and clear roads, holiday very much on whilst the Cupra had a well needed rest. Then, two days before departure the weather flipped and dropped about 80 centimetres of fresh snow. Great for skiing, not so great for driving. Our accommodation sat at the bottom of a steep hill and the road was not regularly ploughed. The evening before departure I watched locals on full winter tyres abandon their cars part-way up. Merde!

Then I remembered about my hastily purchased Halfords snow socks. Would they be enough? They were. Slip them over the front wheels, leave 4Drive in Comfort mode, and the Leon walked away from the hill with zero drama. The traction light never flickered. The socks were a revelation, far less bulky than chains and quick to fit. Tip: wear gloves. It’s messy work putting them on and off. I’d like to point out our Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3s have 3PMSF symbol, meaning they are certified for snowy conditions. But this only means they meet the minimum standard for traction in snow.

Homeward bound, we threaded our way through some classic French farmer strikes. One roundabout was circled with old tyres and the detours added a bit of time, but spirits were high. We paused in Beaune near Dijon for a few Burgundy “essentials” and, naturally, picked up mustard in Dijon. Side note on the Cupra’s cupholders: two in the centre, awkwardly sized and partly under the armrest, but they happen to cradle a couple of jars of mustard rather neatly. Although not sure mustard is particularly good for quenching your thirst.

But how did the car cope with the distance? Comfortably. The seats stayed supportive after the long days, helped by the lumbar support on the driver’s seat. The cabin swallowed family clutter without fuss and the ride was good on the autoroute, although a bit crashy on the rougher Alpine roads. The Leon averaged around 30 mpg across the whole trip. That is not headline-grabbing economy, but for a 328bhp family wagon loaded with kit and running across countries in winter, it feels fair.

Quick word on performance… this was not a trip for heroics. Most miles were mostly dull motorways or crowded Alpine roads, so I rarely stretched the Cupra’s legs. I did sample Cupra mode, which tightens everything up and sharpens throttle and gearbox responses. I can confirm it launches very nicely out of toll booths to, ahem, legal speeds. Don’t lie, we’ve all done it. The one miss is the fake engine noise piped into the cabin. Slightly cringe-inducing. My fix was Individual mode with the engine and gearbox set to Cupra but the sound left in comfort.

Right, now for the data. You could do London to Les Arcs in a single long day at around 12 hours 30 minutes. Obviously, with an 18 month old in the back that would be utter insanity. There is only so much Bluey you can listen to before you go mad. So, we’ll leave hotels out of it for the sake of comparison. Firstly, the cost you always forget about: French autoroute tolls, £141. Then fuel: averaging 30.1 mpg over 1,382 miles at an average speed of 50 mph meant five fuel stops and £263 in petrol. Le Shuttle: £277. Final trip cost: £681. A fair saving over the ski train, especially when travelling as a larger family.

So, what’s the verdict? After our Alpine adventure, the Cupra Leon feels every inch the modern fast wagon. It’s been a while since I’ve spent serious time in an estate, and this one covers distance with ease, copes when the weather turns, and still finds room for a few souvenirs on the way home. A great family car and a lot of fun, no doubt about it.