Cupra Leon Estate review

The new Cupra Leon is the second car from an all-new brand, and it’s aimed straight at cars such as the Volkswagen Golf R Estate.

It gets some fancy copper details and more sculpting than the average pottery class.

The Cupra Leon looks a bit sportier than the old model, but it’s still comparatively subtle as an estate.. There are big air intakes and a low splitter, plus new side skirts, lowered suspension and 19-inch alloys.

Depending on which engine you choose, you either get two or four exhaust pipes. There’s also a diffuser and a roof-mounted spoiler – which aren’t just for show. They actually help make the new Cupra Leon 8% more aerodynamic than the old car.

The new Cupra Leon gets pretty much the same cabin as the SEAT Leon. So it’s all very simple and very minimalist. There’s a big 10-inch infotainment screen, a digital driver’s display, and very few buttons. There is a new sports steering wheel, though, with a flat bottom, lots of copper stitching and some extra buttons – just like in the Cupra Ateca.

There’s more copper detailing on the air vents, too. And these are the same shape as the front grille – just in case you’d forgotten what that looks like. You also get some sports seats.

The hybrid has the same torque as the 310hp petrol model, so it'll be very rapid indeed.

You’ll be able to get the new Cupra Leon Estate with either a 310hp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and four-wheel drive, or as an eHybrid. This gets a 150hp 1.4-litre petrol engine and a beefy 114hp electric motor. These work together to produce 245hp.

That might not sound like much, but the electric motor helps this hybrid pack a whopping 400Nm of torque. That’s the same as the 310hp range-topper. Not only will it be quick, but the electric motor lets you drive for up to 37 miles without using any petrol. A full charge takes three-and-a-half hours from a wall box, or six hours from a three-pin socket.

Whichever engine combo you go for, you get an automatic gearbox as standard. It’s a dual-clutch unit – just like in the old Leon Cupra, Golf R or Audi S3.