Cupra Leon Estate long-term test: report 6
Our chief photographer needs a practical car that can cope with heavy lifting during the week, but knows how to have fun after working hours. Does the Cupra Leon Estate deliver?...
The car Cupra Leon Estate 2.0TSI 4Drive 310 DSG Run by John Bradshaw, chief photographer
Why it’s here To see if this sporty family estate can cut it as a workhorse from Monday to Friday and an entertainer at the weekend.
Needs to Be fun on the right road, while carrying heavy, bulky camera equipment all over the country in comfort and safety.
Mileage 9025 List price £42,185 Target Price £38,863 Price as tested £43,710 Test economy 34.2mpg Official economy 35.8mpg
21 September 2023 – Making light of things
When I approach my Cupra Leon Estate after dark, its badge is projected – like a searchlight summoning Batman – onto the ground next to each of the front doors. Not only does this help you to avoid treading puddle-water into the carpets on entry, but it also puts Cupra in your mind before you've so much as sat inside.
And well it might. As we've seen in the news recently, while it was previously a sub-brand, Cupra is poised to displace Seat as a mainstream car-maker, leaving eco-mobility solutions (electric scooters and the like) and potentially smaller electric cars as Seat’s primary concern.
Some will be saddened to no longer see the Seat badge on future larger cars, but for others, including me, Cupra was always the most interesting bit of Seat anyway. After all, it was the original Leon Cupra of 1999 and the Ibiza Cupra hot hatch of even earlier that cemented Seat's reputation as a maker of fun-to-drive cars.
After that Transformers-like logo has welcomed you inside, ambient lighting continues to broadcast the message that you're sitting inside something special, and it sets the mood for the exciting drive the Cupra name suggests – and the Leon delivers.
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