CUPRA Leon Hatchback (2024 - ) review

There are two body types for the Cupra Leon, the regular five-door hatch and then an estate the company christens a ‘Sportstourer’. Your decision between the two affects the drivetrain choices, as the most powerful hatchback has front-wheel drive and the same 2.0-litre TSI engine as it did before the facelift, whereas the estate gains the new, enhanced turbo 2.0-litre with an improved output and all-wheel drive. However, neither of these are the best to run, with the plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), branded as ‘eHybrids’, being the sensible option. They now have larger battery packs for an all-electric driving range of more than 62 miles. Whether you’ll ever see that actual distance or not is questionable, but these Leon eHybrids will genuinely go further without using their petrol engines than they could do before. Connected to that are lower running costs, with suitably low CO2 figures that will help Benefit In Kind and other tax costs, as well as the frankly incredible claim of up to 700mpg. Of course, as with any PHEV, that needs to be taken with a huge dose of salt, so perhaps focus more on the ‘charge-sustaining’ fuel economy number (which is what the Leon will return if you use the petrol engine to maintain battery power while on the move) which is a far more reasonable 51mpg or thereabouts.

As with some of its relations which used the same infotainment system the Cupra Leon has a reputation for software glitches, which is a shame. The good news, though, is that the updated car gains the latest Volkswagen Group operating system for its new 12.9-inch touchscreen and so hopefully these gremlins will have been eliminated, while the company’s impressive five-year, 90,000-mile warranty comes to bear on the Leon for 2024.

The Cupra Leon earned a five-star Euro NCAP safety award when it was first tested all the way back in 2020. Nevertheless, the latest software in its infotainment also means enhanced active safety assist technology, including predictive adaptive cruise control, travel assist, side and exist assist, and emergency assist. These are features which, variously, automatically slow the Leon down for junctions and corners when cruise is engaged, keep the Cupra centred in its driving lane, prevent owners from opening doors into the path of oncoming traffic, cyclists and pedestrians, and even bring the car to a complete halt in the event the Leon’s systems detect the driver is unresponsive. It will then activate the hazard warning lights and call the emergency services through the car’s eCall system.

The cabin of the Cupra Leon is a generally high-quality place to be, with nice copper accents highlighting vents and other features accompanied by a pleasing array of textures and interesting design lines. The front bucket seats are supportive, although they might not suit all build types as they’re not the most generously sized across the backrest, and the fit and finish is broadly excellent in the Leon’s smart passenger compartment. Leg- and headroom is good in the back, even for taller occupants and the boot is a good size. Or at least it is on the purely petrol powered models, hybrid versions losing a significant chunk of that to the battery. Anyway, the Leon feels comfortable just to sit in, an experience it then replicates in the way it covers ground. The sportier petrol versions in higher trim grades have adaptive Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) suspension, but this isn’t a strictly necessary option to get good ride comfort out of the Cupra Leon. Indeed, we preferred the way the eHybrid rode compared with the sportiest TSI petrol one, on the basis you could tell the PHEV was geared more for everyday driving duties. At times the eHybrid’s 1.5-litre combustion engine can be a little noisy, but mostly it is nothing more than a background hum even when it’s running, which it doesn’t do that often thanks to the larger battery pack. That teams well with the minimal tyre and wind noise, minimising fatigue over a longer run despite Cupra’s generally sporty billing.

One of the main benefits of the new plug-in hybrid system is it can now charge at 50kW DC, which means Cupra Leon eHybrid customers can use rapid public charging points. Connected at its fastest rate, this will replenish the battery to 80 per cent charge in just 26 minutes, which is helpful in getting the best economy out of the Leon. Other equipment includes three-zone climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, wireless smartphone charging, the new and improved infotainment system and instrument cluster, 18- and 19-inch alloys, LED exterior lighting with a fresh triangular motif repeated throughout, a light-up boot badge on the Leon’s tailgate, and the option of a 12-speaker, 425-watt Sennheiser audio system in the cabin.

There’s a good range of engines and transmissions available for the revised Cupra Leon, all of which provide plenty of performance while the top models are seriously rapid. The 1.5-litre petrol comes with either a manual gearbox and no mild hybrid gear, or a seven-speed DSG automatic and ‘eTSI’ badging to show off its fuel-saving credentials. At the other end of the scale, the hatchback has a 2.0-litre TSI flagship capable of 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds, while the 333-horsepower engine in the Leon Sportstourer 2.0 TSI 4Drive is strong enough to see it run the same sprint in less than five seconds. However, our favoured option is the upgraded 1.5-litre eHybrid PHEV. Even though it still uses a six-speed DSG transmission and not the seven-speed gearbox, it drives sweetly and feels like a good match for the Leon’s chassis capabilities. As we’ve already said, it can occasionally be a bit rowdy if you keep the throttle pedal pressed down for any length of time, but with its turbocharged engine and strong electric motor working in tandem, the Leon eHybrid has so much low-speed flexibility that you really don’t ever need to rev it hard to make it move swiftly.