Cupra Leon Estate: We’re lucky to have it come into the UK at all

This is a is a thoroughly European product and lives up to expectations, writes Sean O’Grady

The Leon Estate hits 60mph in about five seconds and is easy to hustle around country roads, while the brakes are especially reassuring (Cupra)

This probably isn’t the moment to be writing about a performance estate car which, on my most recent outing, returned about 26mpg. Maybe also not a good time to make any smug remarks about getting the tank topped up just before the panic buying started in earnest. Actually, in a rare moment of public spirit I didn’t overdo it and only put about 300 miles’ worth in, which should be enough for my scheduled use, but it’s funny how range anxiety and herd mentality creeps up on one. I’m trying to shake off the urge to spend (ie waste) hours queuing to fill the petrol tank to the very brim. Brexit, eh? (As I’ve been urged by readers to declare my Brexit voting record I should add that yes I did vote for it, yes I am prepared to own it, but “it wasn’t the Brexit I voted for”, as the saying goes).

Enough of that, for now. Well, almost, except to note that that the Cupra Leon Estate is a thoroughly European product, made in Spain by the German-based VW Group, and we’re lucky to have it come into the UK at all, given it’s a low volume version and there’s a certain amount of extra hassle involved in importing anything into Britain these days. Still, no import duty, eh?

THE SPEC

Cupra Leon Estate 2.0 4Drive VZ2

Price: £39,110 (as tested; range starts at £38,750)

Engine capacity: 2.0 litre petrol, 4-cyl, 7sp auto

Power output (hp): 306

Top speed (mph): 155

0 to 60 (seconds): 4.9

Fuel economy (mpg): 32.8

CO2 emissions (WLTP, g/km): 186

Apart from being a typical example of the benefits of cross-continental supply chains and collaboration, the Cupra Leon Estate is the latest version of what we used to know as the Seat Leon Cupra Estate, so the performance “Cupra” label has been turned into an out-and-out performance brand in its own right, leaving the Seat brand itself with much more pedestrian products. There’s a big trend right now for the mainstream brands to introduce new upmarket makes, such as Peugeot Citroen’s DS range and Hyundai’s premium sibling Genesis, just launched in European markets.

This Leon estate deserves its status as a Cupra, and lives up to expectations. In the complex hierarchy of the VW group’s pantheon of brands (VW, Audi, Seat, Cupra, Skoda, Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti) the Cupra Leon Estate is the one, for now, that is the most potent version of the Golf platform, endowed as it is with almost 310 horsepower, a correspondingly ample supply of torque (low down pulling power), plus an Audi Quattro-style four-wheel drive system to make sure that all that energy is transmitted to the wheels with sufficient elan to prevent any scrubbing and wheel-spin as you put your foot down. And of course you have all that space for your clobber, hence the idea of a dual-purpose family estate married to a Golf GTI-beating performance package. It works, too, though I have to say that VW’s clever dual-clutch seven-speed automatic gearbox still has the occasional moments of hesitation as the car’s “brain” works out what to do (it’s supposed to be able to double guess your next move, and line up the next gear change in advance).

(Cupra)

Apart from that, you do indeed get supercar-like oomph, with your estate hitting 60mph in about five seconds and then on towards the horizon just as fast as you will. It’s easy to hustle it around country roads, provided you treat it with some respect, and the brakes are especially reassuring. There’s a nice burbling engine note, though this is actually artificially “enhanced”, ie a soundtrack running through the audio system. The car feels stable and controlled at all times. In fact it’s probably a bit too civilised for my tastes, and I actually prefer the older Seat Leon Cupra Estate, which had a more lairy personality.

(Cupra)

It looks the part, too. I liked the subtle Cupra copper-shaded detailing around the cabin and the exterior, and the full-width taillights are safe as well as bold and bright. The interior is certainly sober and conservative, in an old-school VW way, but, as so often on the latest generation of the company’s products, the touch screen isn’t that easy to use – the screen is perfectly adequate but it’s difficult to get the “touch” right. I’ve a feeling this design will be revised in due course. It ought to be.

At close on £40,000, or the equivalent in monthly lease, it’s a pricey model, whatever badge it’s got on, but a rather rare and special one, combining stonking performance, understated tasteful looks, and a boot big enough for an IKEA bookcase (the litmus test). Until, that is, the VW Golf R Estate comes along, which might just shade its Cupra cousin, though the Skoda Octavia vRS is the value for money option, and an Audi RS3 Sportback the most engaging of the lot. Gosh, it’s competitive, isn’t it, in the VW group world?