Seat Leon Cupra R review: One very fast and fun car to drive

All the performance you could possibly want is there at the tips of your toes

The only problem is there are only two dozen in the UK – and they’ve already been sold (All pictures Seat)

Every so often, seemingly with nothing better to do, the engineers at Seat decide to lob another 20 horsepower at their performance hatch, the Leon Cupra R. This is the latest instalment, which brings it up to some 310hp. It works.

It goes better than ever, this Leon, and stops better than ever too. They’ve done all the same things any “boy racer” would do if they were attempting to upgrade their Honda Civic or Vauxhall Astra (well, if they were doing it properly, which isn’t as common as it ought to be).

So they’ve not only boosted the already turbo-boosted engine, but uprated the brakes, with chunky Brembo editions offering impressive stopping ability – faultlessly straight and secure at any speed. They’ve also lowered and re-tuned the suspension, because it is an awful lot of work for a front-wheel drive chassis to deal with some 310hp – about the same as the average Range Rover, but far less weight to lug around.

(Seat)

(Seat)

The steering has just the right amount of feel, and if you try to push things too far, the stability control will soon curb your enthusiasm. The result is a car that just keeps on giving and, I’d honestly say, is flawless. The 2-litre petrol unit is very similar to the one found in sister VW Group model the Golf R, and has such impressive torque you could almost take it for a diesel, except for the gorgeous noise, and instant smooth revving response.

In short, you hardly need to touch the slick, short-throw manual six-speed box at anywhere near UK legal speed limits, such is its flexibility. Apparently the UK only gets this standard a manual box, rather than the dual-clutch automatic version that has been built for other markets. If so, then it is no great loss. From my experience the VW DSG box is not as clever a transmission as it thinks it is.

Indeed, I admit, you tend to find that the Cupra R is so fast and so much fun to punt around, it’s basically too good for our pitted, congested, unfriendly public roads. People take them track racing – and you can see why.

(Seat)

First impressions are excellent, as they have been with the various iterations of the Leon Cupra I’ve tried over the years. As a top-of-the-range limited edition flagship Cupra they’ve kitted it out fairly comprehensively, so it will detect when you’ve arrived with the key in your pocket, say, and unlocks automatically. Then you hop into an “alcantara” clad cabin, a soft, tactile material that is actually synthetic suede and to my mind, superior to leather (and cheaper, of course).

The spec

Price: £34,995 

Engine capacity: 2.0-litre petrol; 4-cylinder; 6-speed manual

Power output (PS): 306 @ 5,800-6,500 rpm

Top speed (mph): 155

0-60mph (seconds): 5.8

Fuel economy (mpg): 38.7

CO2 emissions (g/km): 170

All round the exterior and inside the cabin there are matt copper highlights. They’ve been applied deftly enough, are highly fashionable (as far as I can judge), and distinctive without being brash. There are some carbon fibre spoilers and bits of body kit, again rather underrated compared to some of the Leon’s equivalents, such as the Honda Civic Type R, which is a much lairier beast, or the Ford Focus RS. Both are more modern than the Leon, but, in particular terms on public roads, which you choose to lose your licence with is a matter of taste (or lack of it). Well, money too, as the Leon is a few thousand more than the competition. The styling still looks OK, and not yet dated.

(Seat)

Foot on brake, clutch in and I press the start button. The engine rasps into life, as if someone had spilt petrol on the exhaust, and it keeps the cackles coming. The dash and seats have that same copper detailing, plus a small inscription on the centre console giving its identity as a given number of a limited edition running to 799 units (and only two dozen for Britain).

(Seat)

(Seat)

As I say, all the performance you could possibly want is there at the tips of your toes, virtually fuss free. As with so many cars now, you can nuance the car’s character from “comfort” through sport to “Cupra” mode, but at every setting it maintains its supple ride, a remarkable achievement, all things considered, including the thin tyres on (copper highlighted) 19-inch alloy wheels. There’s adaptive cruise control, including lane assist, conventional, though not quite state of the art connectivity and entertainment systems, and heated seats.

The only bad news is that all of the two dozen earmarked for the UK dealers have been sold, though the regular Leon Cupra R is still available, and other special editions are on their way as the Leon heads towards retirement/replacement in due course. There is also, though, one particular Leon Cupra R, the press car I was loaned, which, while not brand new, has a certain niche appeal. It’s been run ragged, but it seems to have stood up very well to the treatment.