Used Cupra Leon 2020-present review

You wouldn’t be wrong if you thought the Cupra Leon looked like another car, because it does. It’s actually a close relative of the Seat Leon, but beneath the surface, there are some differences. While the Seat Leon is a family car that can blend seamlessly into everyday life, much like a Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf, the Cupra Leon is a sporty hot hatch designed to stir the emotions, in the same vein as the Ford Focus ST or VW Golf GTI.

In fact, the Leon is available with the same engines as the Golf GTI and VW Golf R. But, if you want a more sedate driving experience, you can have it with a lower-powered petrol engine or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system. There’s also an estate version.

Engines and performance: The engines you’ll want to focus on are the range-topping 2.0-litre turbocharged petrols, because these emphasise the Leon’s sporty nature. They also help distinguish it from the Seat Leon, which doesn’t get these.

The quickest engine is a four-wheel drive 328bhp 2.0-litre petrol that’s only available in the estate. It’s paired with a slick seven-speed automatic gearbox and it does 0-62mph in 4.8sec. Pre-facelift cars get 306bhp.

In the hatchback, you get a front-wheel drive 296bhp version of the same engine, which does 0-62mph in 5.7sec. That’s slower than the Golf R (4.7sec), the same as the Focus ST and quicker than the Golf GTI (6.4sec). It’s only available with an automatic gearbox.

Helpfully, the estate car’s four-wheel drive system helps it put its power down effectively, whereas the front-wheel drive hatch can struggle for traction, often scrabbling away as you accelerate off the line.

The other engines for the hatch and estate include a 242bhp 2.0-litre petrol, a 148bhp 1.5-litre petrol (available with a manual or automatic gearbox) or a 148bhp mild hybrid petrol. There are also several PHEVs: a 242bhp 1.4-litre system in the pre-facelift or a 201bhp or 268bhp 1.5-litre system in the facelift. The official electric-only range in the pre-facelift is 34 miles, while the facelift boosts this to 78 miles, thanks to a bigger battery. That’s on par with the PHEV versions of the Golf and Seat Leon.

Ride and handling: As standard, all versions of the Cupra Leon (other than the entry-level models) come with adaptive suspension. It offers three main settings: Comfort, Performance and Cupra. The trouble is that, while you can make the Leon very compliant over softer folds in the road, anything sharp creates more of a thwack than it would in a Golf GTI with a similar adaptive suspension set-up.

As for handling, the 328bhp estate is the least agile in the line-up. With its larger body and four-wheel drive system, it weighs 155kg more than the 300 hatchback. However, the margins between the two cars are slim – both versions handle nicely.

Interior and practicality: The Leon’s interior is pleasantly plush. You’ll find lots of squidgy plastic on the dashboard, along with Cupra’s signature copper detailing on the steering wheel and air vents. It’s about on par with the Golf GTI for quality and pizazz, but it’s noticeably nicer inside than the Focus ST.

The infotainment system depends on the version you choose. On pre-facelift cars, there’s a 10.0in touchscreen that’s easier to use than the Golf’s system, but it can be slow and buggy. The touch-sensitive sliders for the volume and climate controls are fiddly, too, and they’re not backlit for driving at night.

The 12.9in touchscreen you get with the facelift is much better. The screen is bright and clear, and the operating system is mostly responsive. Thankfully, a revised homescreen and menu layout makes it easier to use than the pre-facelift version. The sliders are also backlit, making them easier to see and tap at night.

The digital driver's display is great, too. It’s highly configurable and offers a wide range of layouts, controlled by physical buttons on the steering wheel that make it easy to use.

The Leon’s driving position is excellent, with pedals that line up neatly with the steering wheel and driver’s seat. There’s a good amount of room up front for six-footers to get comfortable, and thanks to being longer than the Golf GTI, it also provides generous head and legroom for rear passengers.

With the rear seats up, the hatchback has a 380-litre boot – enough for six carry-on suitcases and more space than a Golf GTI – though this drops to 270 litres in PHEV models. The estate is more practical, providing 620 litres of boot space (or 470 litres in PHEV form), beating the Golf Estate R but falling short of the Skoda Octavia Estate vRS.

Trims and equipment: This is where things get a bit complicated, because there are quite a few trim levels to choose from. The entry-level V1 car comes reasonably well equipped, with 18in alloy wheels, three-zone climate control, automatic lights and wipers, and rear privacy glass.

Stepping up to V2 trim gets you 19in wheels, keyless entry, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, additional ambient lighting and adaptive suspension. The estate car version in those trims gets an electric tailgate.

At the top of the range, V3 adds electric adjustment for the front passenger seat and extra safety equipment. Cars with the more powerful engines are split into VZ1, VZ2 and VZ3 trims, but they come with a similar level of kit to the standard V1, V2 and V3 models.

Facelift: Since it was separated from Seat in 2018, Cupra has built up a line-up of dedicated models. The Leon, after receiving a facelift in 2024, is an example of how this has evolved, with the car gaining a bespoke front end and new rear LED lightbar to distinguish it from its Seat sibling. Other changes with the update include a new 12.9in touchscreen infotainment system and revised engines.

"The 328bhp Cupra Leon Estate is a real treat to drive. I love that it’s impressively practical, too." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

If you're interested in buying a used Cupra Leon or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.

The Cupra Leon PHEV is the cheapest version on the used market, with prices starting from £14,000 for 2020 and 2021 cars with high miles. Up your budget to £16,000 and you’ll find plenty of 1.5-litre petrol and high-mileage 242bhp 2.0-litre petrol models, including some from 2023. There are a few lower mileage PHEVs at that price point, too.

If you want the 296bhp petrol, prices start from around £21,000. For the 306bhp estate, have a budget of at least £24,000.

Prices for the 2024 facelift Leon start at around £23,000 for the 1.5-litre petrol. Step up to the 1.5-litre PHEV and you’ll need to budget at least £27,000, while the 296bhp petrol variant comes in at roughly £29,000. The range-topping 328bhp estate is the most expensive, with prices starting north of £32,000.

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MPG

The PHEV versions of the Leon will be the cheapest to run, averaging up to 217.3mpg officially, but you’ll have to plug the car in as much as possible to get anywhere near that in real-world driving. The 1.5-litre petrol returns an average of up to 47.9mpg, while the 242bhp petrol and 296bhp petrol hover around the mid-to-late 30s mark officially.

Road Tax

All versions of the Leon are subject to the standard flat rate fee of VED, which is currently £195 per year. Versions costing more than £40,000 new will also be subject to a £425 luxury car tax from years two to six.

Servicing

The Leon is available with the Cupra Care service plan, which costs £540 for two services across two years, but only for cars less than a year old. The next two services for cars more than a year old cost £570. Payments can be split across monthly payments if preferred.

Warranty

From April 2024, all Leon’s come with a five-year, 90,000-mile warranty from new. However, cars produced before this date come with a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, which is the same as what Ford and VW offer.

Insurance

The Leon spans insurance groups 20 to 31, with prices increasing for the more powerful engines. If you go for the 296bhp petrol hatchback, it will cost more to insure than a Focus ST but similar to a Golf GTI.

Safety

The Cupra Leon hasn’t been tested by Euro NCAP, but the Seat Leon was given a full five-star safety rating in 2020. All versions come with automatic emergency braking (AEB) as standard, while optional safety packs give you even more kit, like lane-keep assistance and blind-spot monitoring.

Reliability

Real-world owner reviews from our What Car? Reliability Survey say the Cupra Leon is a sharp performer that can be plagued by electrical glitches. Infotainment crashes and "phantom" warning lights were common, often requiring several dealer visits. Ensure any used car has the latest software updates to avoid these frustrating bugs.

To find out more about used Cupra Leon reliability, visit our dedicated reliability page.

Engine

We’d avoid going for the 1.4-litre PHEV and 1.5-litre petrol versions of the Cupra Leon, because you can get the same engines in the Seat Leon for a lot less money. As such, we’d recommend going for the 296bhp 2.0-litre petrol hatchback. It's brilliant fun, but without pushing the price up too much. If you don’t mind paying a bit more, the 306bhp estate is great, giving you similar performance and a bigger boot.

Specification

Mid-spec VZ2 is our recommended trim. It gives you access to our favourite engine, while giving you plenty of kit as standard. VZ3 cars are more expensive, but not a bad choice if you can get one for a good price.

Our favourite Cupra Leon: 2.0 TSI 300 VZ2

The Volkswagen Golf GTI might not be the most thrilling hot hatch, but it has a great balance of fun, practicality and comfort for everyday use. Depending on the version of Leon you’re looking at, the Golf GTI is more expensive than the 242bhp car but less than the 296bhp model. Reliability is poor with the 2020-present (Mk8) Golf, so it might be worth looking at the 2013-2020 Volkswagen Golf GTI (Mk7) for better reliability and a more user-friendly interior.

The Ford Focus ST is huge fun. The 276bhp 2.3-litre petrol engine is a really strong performer, yet you feel more involved with the driving experience than the Leon, thanks to its slick six-speed manual gearbox. It’s not as comfortable as the Golf GTI, but it’s just as practical. Used prices are less than the Golf GTI and Leon, too, but reliability is an issue.

If space, practicality and comfort aren’t priorities, but you want a really engaging hot hatchback, take a look at the Toyota GR Yaris. It’s a proper pocket rocket with a 257bhp petrol engine, four-wheel drive and a super slick manual gearbox. Prices are a touch higher than the Leon, but reliability is strong.

For those not looking for a hot hatch, take a look at the Seat Leon, Ford Focus or Toyota Corolla. These are much cheaper to buy than the 1.5-litre petrol and PHEV versions of the Cupra Leon, but offer a similar level of practicality. The Corolla is a more comfortable and reliable choice, too.

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If you're interested in buying a used Cupra Leon or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.