Cupra Leon long-term test: report 2

The car Cupra Leon 1.5 e-Hybrid Shadow Edition Run by George Hill, Used Cars Writer

Why it’s here To find out whether the plug-in hybrid Cupra Leon is a fun daily driver

Needs to Deliver a good electric range for commuting, while being economical when the battery runs out of juice. An enjoyable driving experience is a must, too. 

Miles covered 1238 List price £44,635 Target Price £36,595 Price as tested £45,330 Official economy 206.5mpg Test economy 60.1mpg

24 February – Spare room

Not so long ago, family hatchbacks were the default choices for millions of car buyers, with models like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf setting the standard. By contrast, today, family SUVs have tempted away many of those customers.

Yet in the first two months with my Cupra Leon, it has served as a reminder that the traditional formula still makes a compelling case for itself – including when it comes to practicality.

I recently went on a weekend trip away with three friends, where I was the designated driver. And given that I’m 6ft 2in tall, when we all piled into the Leon, I expected to hear: “Sorry George, would you mind moving your seat forward a touch?” I’d certainly have heard words to that effect if we’d taken my other car: a Mk5 Volkswagen Golf GTI.

In this instance, however, the 5ft 9in passenger behind me had plenty of knee room and was able to get their feet under my seat, despite me having it in the lowest position. So, I tried sitting back there myself, with the driver’s seat still set up for me, and found that even I had just about enough space. But then the Leon is actually a touch longer than the closely related Golf, paying dividends for the long-legged.

The boot has impressed for the most part, too. On the same trip away, our four weekend bags went in below the parcel shelf without any trouble. Meanwhile, on a separate solo mission to the driving range, I found there was enough room for my golf bag.

This is despite the fact that my Leon is the plug-in hybrid version, which means there’s a battery beneath its boot floor, and the boot itself is smaller than that of the regular petrol version (270 litres versus 380 litres). What’s more, with no underfloor storage space, the charging cable is always taking up some of the available boot space.

So, yes, an awful lot of car buyers have moved on to family SUVs, but my family hatchback is fitting into my life perfectly. Or, to be more accurate, my life fits into it.

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