Auto Trader

SEAT has attracted many fans for both its stylish Leon and the racetrack successes its had in touring car championships.

And the two are combined with the new range-topping Seat Leon Cupra (short for Cup Racing).

A stylish, practical hot-hatch with a racing car pedigree sounds nice – but does it deliver?

The most powerful Seat production car to date certainly looks the part.

Leon admirers will be familiar with some of the subtle features which grace the existing car and others in the Seat range, the boot-catch badge and hidden rear door handles for instance.

The Leon boasts extremely stylish lines which have a feeling of grace and in the case of the CUPRA, its suspension makes it sit 14 mm lower than the standard Leon and 7mm lower than the FR version, power too.

The Cupra badge on the boot lip will likely be the first thing to catch UK motorists after the model hits UK roads in March.

But perhaps more satisfying to petrolheads will be the sight of the trademark Cupra oval polished steel exhaust pipe, the lairiest of a series of subtle and complementary touches. Well, that or the 18” alloys.

Other visual clues to the beast beneath the bonnet include “look at me” front air intakes, glossy black b and c pillars (the ones in front and behind the rear passenger seats) and red-painted brake calipers.

So far, so reasonably understated (though Seat are considering offering a bespoke body kit), but get inside and the car’s Cupra side starts shouting a little louder.

The steering wheel, rev counter and racing bucket seats are all branded up while the black interior roof lining (extended to the sun visors) and aluminium pedals look the part. The Leon interior is simple and, dare we say it again, stylish – and the Cupra-badged version equally so. The finish feels very good quality.

Turn the key and you’ll notice a first – the Seat Sound is designed to create a sporty sound at idle and low revs. In keeping with Seat’s aim to make this a liveable car this is more subdued at cruising speeds.

Former range-topper, the Seat Leon FR’s 1.8-litre 225bhp engine has been replaced by a 2-litre 240bhp engine which can cover 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds and tops out at 153mph.

Sadly opportunities to put it through its paces were limited by wet roads on an overcast day but we still managed to enjoy slicing through the twisting rural roads outside Madrid.

Acceleration through the six speed gearbox was impressive and red line gear changes are rewarding.

The brakes are superb. We got off to a jerky start – but soon became accustomed to their confidence-enhancing response.

The combination of more responsive steering than the FR and lowered suspension meant we got more fun from our journey than the poor road conditions should have permitted.

But the car’s grown-up side ensures a ride which left us eager for more after a 127km, one-and-a-half hour road trip.

Take it way from twisty rural routes and there’s cruise control and a further big shiny aluminium-covered pedal to rest your foot on.

So there’s fun to be had – which doesn’t come at the cost of being bounced around.

But how about the Leon Cupras’s practical side?

You’ll seat four in comfort and there is sufficient storage (including door bins and central cup holders) given the nature of the car.

The boot is limited to 341 litres while slightly awkward access is the price paid for the natty rear design.

Though there is a decent average 34 mpg and a host of driver aids and safety features which have earned the Leon a top five star EuroNCAP rating.

Pretty practical eh?

The Cupra has certainly got the looks, performance and handling to satisfy buyers’ driving desires.

But Seat has also struck a good balance with the practical demands of daily motoring.

Mission accomplished.

Read more car reviews

Page 1