Seat Leon Cupra R

[AVANTI R5]

What is it?

This is Seat’s entry into what is quite frankly a hot hatch market bursting at the seams. Earlier this year Ford’s Focus RS raised the bar, and since then its rivals have been scrambling to reply. Next week we drive the new Renaultsport Megane 250. Later comes the new VW Golf R, and later still an all-new Vauxhall Astra VXR.

And Seat’s not about to be left behind. Welcome to the fastest model in its history: the new Leon Cupra R. And if you think it’s just a Cupra with an extra team of horses, think again. The Cupra’s engine, transmission, chassis, steering and brakes have all been upgraded for the Cupra R.
This car runs the same basic engine as the Leon Cupra, as well as the last Golf GTI, but fitted with a new ECU, intercooler, exhaust system, fuel pump, catalyst and a turbo blowing at 2.2bar, it produces 261bhp at 6000rpm and a healthy 258lb ft.

What’s it like?

The Cupra R feels properly rapid – not quite as hard-revving above 5000rpm as the Ford, but genuinely fast while the engine is operating across the top of its fat plateau of torque. It sounds fantastic, too; the turbos whistle and whine over a multi-layered combustion growl.

The rest of the Cupra R’s performance is a bit of a mixed bag. It steers well enough, with weight when you need it, but lightly when manoeuvring. Seat has succeeded in removing a lot of the harshness that blighted previous Leon Cupras, and has also engineered a little playfulness into the car’s handling in a rear end that’s alive to slip angles.

But – and you may have seen this coming – the car is tragically oversprung, at least for British roads. We drove it on marble-smooth Spanish surfaces and even there its chassis was bucking and fidgeting. The trade-off is excellent body control; the Cupra R certainly has that. But it also has an ESP system that you can never fully disengage, so the amount of fun you can have on a circuit is electronically limited.

Should I buy one?

The problem is it is difficult to work out who this car is for. Seat says its number one market will be the UK; we’re not so sure.
Matt Saunders

First drive data

How much?

• Price as tested £19,990
• Price as tested TBA

How fast?

• 0-62 mph 6.1 sec
• Max speed 155 mph

How big?

• Weight 1320 kg

How thirsty?

• Combined 34.9 mpg
• CO2 emissions 190 g/km

Engine

• Layout 4 , 1984 cc
• Max power 261 bhp at 6000 rpm
• Max torque 258 lb ft

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/...upra-R/244162/

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[Derbagger]

Love the color and the seats. I'd buy one of these over the GTi to save a few $$ and be a bit different.

[delongedoug]

That is ugly as all get out.

[Porter]

I just saw a modded Cupra on the road in Greece recently... it looked and sounded incredible. Blew my doors off, I was in a Nissan Micra at the time.

[Mariano]

Originally Posted by delongedoug

That is ugly as all get out.

TRUE

The old one looks 101% way better...

[SilverSubaab]

The front is not too bad, but the rest is just not pretty...............

[1sicWRX]

Another hot Euro hatch we will never get. This is getting to be ridiculous

[William WRX]

Just saw a bunch of them in Spain....very nice looking car. Looks a lot better in person than in the pictures....

[White out]

why hello interesting sub-compact.

Nick

[under5]

If I was in Europe I would definitely buy the Scirocco over this.

[BlaineWasHere]

it is basically my car... but looks cooler... lol.

[Skanky]

"This is Seat’s entry into what is quite frankly a hot hatch market bursting at the seams. Earlier this year Ford’s Focus RS raised the bar, and since then its rivals have been scrambling to reply. Next week we drive the new Renaultsport Megane 250. Later comes the new VW Golf R, and later still an all-new Vauxhall Astra VXR."


don't you hate that fact that we get NONE of these amazing cars...

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by under5

If I was in Europe I would definitely buy the Scirocco over this.

+1 The Scirocco is my fav hot hatch as well!!!

[Tim-H]

Originally Posted by Skanky

don't you hate that fact that we get NONE of these amazing cars...

I agree that we don't get many hot hatch cars over here but we do have some. Everyone bitches about something with them, weight, FWD, steering feel, etc. without even driving one. Volvo C30, Mazda 3, many of the VWs. I don't see very many of the people saying we need these hot hatches actually driving or interested in one of the ones we already have. Hell, when Subaru came out with the 08s people whined and bitched about the hatch version. It's easy to see why we don't have many to choose from here.

[Derbagger]

Originally Posted by under5

If I was in Europe I would definitely buy the Scirocco over this.

But an equivalent Scirocco is gonna cost 3-4k quid more. That's the appeal for the Seat.

[smooth_ej20]

Had one as a rental when i went to spain...things are amazing. way better than any golf i have ever driven. Too bad we wont get these in america

[William WRX]

Originally Posted by smooth_ej20

Had one as a rental when i went to spain...things are amazing. way better than any golf i have ever driven. Too bad we wont get these in america

Nice rental, I had an Old Opel 1.3 diesel....it was terrible...