► Mark Walton samples the new Cupra Leon Estate
► Essentially a Golf R estate
► But is it better or worse?
Every time someone asks ‘What is that?’ I reply, ‘It’s a Cupra. Which is really a Seat. Which is really a Volkswagen.’ Just as all matter in the universe can be broken into atoms and those atoms can be reduced to quarks and gluons, so it feels like everything in the automotive world these days can be boiled down to VW parts.
So what you’re looking at here is essentially a Golf R Estate, though that’s not meant to be disparaging – the Golf R is awesome and this Leon is pretty cool too. It’s just good to understand where you can place it on your wall chart of the VW Group universe…
This top-of-the-range model has a 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine that puts out 306bhp (down slightly on the Golf R’s 316bhp), driving all four wheels through a seven-speed automatic gearbox.
As well as being down on power, the four-wheel-drive system doesn’t have the Golf’s fancy drift-mode rear axle, so the Leon is definitely a ‘warm’ version of VW’s hottest hatch.
Apart from the top-drawer mechanical underpinnings, the Leon has three real strengths. First of all it’s not a VW – it’s a bit of a leftfield choice and definitely not a default Golf option. Hence the ‘What is that?’ questions from friends and relatives. Second, I reckon it looks great. The Cupra brand is positioned as the sporty, stylish cousin to VW – a Spanish Alfa Romeo if you like – and with its softly flared arches and rakish roofline the Leon Estate has a compact but muscular presence, like a 3/4-scale Audi RS6.
And thirdly, the interior. Yes, it’s a rehash of VW/Audi/Seat parts, but it has just enough (contrived?) character to set it apart – great seats, the signature copper-coloured highlights, and the Cupra button on the steering wheel.
So, to the spec: there are three trim levels, VZ1, VZ2 and VZ3. Our car is a VZ3, which means you get the lot – touchscreen, leather trim with copper stitching, all the phone connectivity with wireless charging, electric boot, powered driver’s seat, 19-inch Aerodynamic alloys and Dynamic Chassis Control with four settings: Comfort, Sport, Cupra and a pick-and-mix Individual mode.
On top of the £43k basic price, our car has two options: the Desire Red paint finish is £895; and there’s also an opening panoramic sunroof for £1085. That brings the price of our car to £46,825 – which places it bang in VW Golf R Estate territory. Hmm, this is not a cheap car, and suddenly all that ‘Ooh, Spanish Alfa’, ‘Mmm, leftfield choice’ stuff feels like you’ve bought a Huawei for the same price as an Apple iPhone. For that kinda money, this car has got to be sensational.
First impressions are good. The Leon Estate is very easy to live with as a daily driver. Climb in, hook up your phone and in no time you’re cruising down the motorway, comfortable, relaxed. It can be a vanilla family car when you want it to be. But it definitely has a turn of speed too.
Press the Cupra button on the steering wheel and everything sharpens and hardens and it emits a deep grumble to signal its intent. The sound is fake, pumped through the speakers, but it gives the car a sportier edge to match the rapid acceleration on tap when you want to really press on.
The only criticism so far is the road noise: there’s a surprising amount of background roar from the low-profile Korean Hankook tyres, and at motorway speeds you really have to raise your voice to talk to your passengers.
But the Cupra has a lot more to give and plenty of character to explore – we’ll have to see how far it can venture from the VW mothership.
Logbook: Cupra Leon Estate 2.0 TSI 4Drive VZ3 (Month 1)
Price £44,845 (£46,825 as tested)
Performance 1984cc turbocharged four-cylinder, 306bhp, 4.9sec 0-62mph 155mph
Efficiency 34.4mpg (official), 31.3mpg (tested), 186g/km CO2
Energy cost 20.8p per mile
Miles this month 1088
Total miles 1487