Seat Leon Cupra R review: Seat’s hottest hatchback – the 310hp Cupra R – is a sign of things to come
Go-faster versions of the Seat Ibiza and Leon have worn Cupra badges since 1997.
But earlier this year, the Spanish carmaker reinvented Cupra as a standalone marque, making it the equivalent of what Abarth is to Fiat. From now on, new models will be badged solely as Cupras, and the range will expand beyond traditional hot hatchbacks. Indeed, the first car revealed at the glitzy launch in Barcelona was a 300hp Cupra Ateca SUV.
History is littered with half-baked attempts at badge engineering, of course – starting with pretty much everything British Leyland ever did – so Cupra’s future hinges on its products. A ‘tribal tattoo’ badge and some copper-coloured trim doth not a sports car make (don’t get me started on the proposed ID bracelets for ‘Cupra tribe members’). It won’t be easy, but the success of Seat’s Volkswagen Group overlords in turning around Audi and Skoda bodes well.
Here, then, is the final car to sport both Seat and Cupra logos: the 2018 Seat Leon Cupra R. It’s the ultimate evolution of the ultimate Leon, which began life with 265hp or 280hp in 2014, jumped to 290hp in 2015, then 300hp in 2017, before climaxing with this 310hp limited edition. Only 799 Cupra Rs will be made, with just 24 allocated for the UK. All are already sold. So, is this a fitting finale for 21 years of Seat Cupras?
Let’s start with the styling. You can’t miss those copper highlights on the mirrors, air intakes and 19-inch alloys, while more substantial changes include a deeper front bumper, wider wheelarches, tailgate spoiler and racing-style rear diffuser – the latter reducing high-speed lift. Inside, the seats, steering wheel and gearknob are swathed in gorgeous Alcantara (man-made suede), offset by rather too much plastic ‘carbon fibre’. Oh, and more copper bits, obviously.
The Leon Cupra R uses the same 2.0-litre turbocharged engine as the Volkswagen Golf R, but driving the front wheels only via an electronic differential to maximise traction. There’s no DSG semi-automatic gearbox for UK cars, either: just an old-school six-speed manual. Zero to 62mph takes a swift 5.8 seconds, with top speed electronically limited to 155mph.
Even the most finely calibrated motoring journalist would struggle to detect an extra 10hp versus the standard Cupra 300. However, chassis, brake and tyre upgrades mean the ‘R’ feels far more focused. Its steering is quicker, the adaptive dampers have been retuned and the front wheels have nearly twice as much negative camber. The brakes – huge 370mm front discs with Brembo calipers – are the same as those fitted to the Leon ‘Sub8’ Nürburgring record-breaker, plus our car had super-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (an £855 option).
The result is one of the quickest ‘real-world’ cars we’ve driven this year. The Cupra R turns in keenly, bites into apices and doesn’t let go. There’s enough pliancy in the suspension for British B-roads and the front diff effectively quells torque steer – if not all traces of wheelspin. It’s fast, forgiving and fun, albeit a more manic experience than a Golf R.
Indeed, the Cupra R positively begs to be hauled up by the lapels and administered a damn good thrashing. Peak pulling power arrives at 1,800rpm, so there’s plenty of mid-range punch, plus razor-sharp throttle response in Cupra mode (one of four drive settings, alongside Eco, Normal and Sport). Shame the soundtrack is somewhat synthetic, despite the pops and bangs from the twin tailpipes.
Ultimately, this a great car that’s hard to recommend: partly as you can’t actually buy one new, but mainly because it’s pricier and less well-rounded than the jack-of-all-trades Golf R. Still, it’s utterly different to a regular Seat Leon and perhaps that’s the point. If Cupra can shoehorn this much excitement and charisma into its forthcoming cars, it may be onto a winner.
• Tim Pitt works for motoringresearch.com