Cupra Leon Estate VZ1 - long-term review

The Cupra Leon Estate is new to me, although my colleague Charlie Rose has enjoyed it in all sorts of environments, from ski trip to race track. It’s worth repeating that this thing ticks so many boxes. Who doesn’t like the sound of a 328bhp estate car with a trick four-wheel drive system and active torque-splitter rear differential? Fast, understated and not an SUV… it’s safe to say I was excited about its arrival.

Things were going well in those early days. Until I hit a pothole on a dark, rainy trip back from the airport. Luckily just a few hundred metres from my house. The next morning, the front offside tyre was flat, sidewall destroyed. Still, a good excuse to get rid of the winter rubber and experience the Cupra at its full potential on new Bridgestone Potenza S005s.

Since then it’s been plain-sailing. The Leon has huge breadth of performance, although I find it way too floaty and unsettled in Comfort mode. Luckily, there’s an Individual setting to find the sweet spot.

Having stepped from an Audi S3 (same power, less practical, virtually the same price), my first impressions are that the Leon doesn’t feel quite as tightly controlled or agile, but actually has finer tuning for the rear diff, which makes for great entertainment. I just wish Charlie’s ‘bold’ choice of Dark Void (purple) didn’t look exactly like the dull grey of every other Cupra.