Seat Leon Cupra Hatchback: breathtaking pace and everyday practicality

Price: £25,960 - £28,865

Pros: Pace and performance; comfortable suspension; better value than VW Golf

Cons: Less desirable than VW; could look more exciting; most powerful version only available in five-doors

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4.5/5 Car buyer “Equally at home on a track or outside the supermarket, the Seat Leon Cupra is a sharp performance hatchback that has always enjoyed a cult following in the UK. The latest version comes in two possible flavours: 261 bhp or 276bhp – and both offer more power than chief rivals like the VW Golf GTI and Ford Focus ST. The new model also comes with sharper looks and the classier aesthetic lifts the Cupra out of the ‘boy racer’ category that was once its Achilles heel. As for the price, while £25,960 may seem a bit steep for a hatchback, the Cupra offers better performance and more equipment than most alternatives.”

4.0/5 What Car? “The 2014 Leon Cupra is a hot hatchback designed to hit the middle ground between the race-bred brilliance of the Renaultsport Megane and the easygoing nature of the Golf GTI – and compared with the latter it actually seems like a bit of a bargain. Cupra owners will get far more toys as standard with climate control, front and rear LED headlights, cruise control and an upgraded media system included as in the price. The latest model also features a Dynamic Chassis Control system that allows drivers to alter steering, accelerator response, suspension and even noise.”

4.3/5.0 Auto Express “Breathtaking pace and everyday practicality make the new Seat Leon Cupra a formidable, if low-key, hatchback. Available in two engine choices, the 2014 Cupra still punches well-above its price tag and comes with allot equipment you have to pay allot extra for on rivals. But it’s not all searing pace and sharp looks, the new Leon also has a softer side when you want to take things easy. The lowered suspension and variable ratio steering ensure it stays quick in the corners, but softer suspension means the Cupra is equally happy to waft around like a standard Leon.”

4.5/5.0 Evo “Although the Cupra doesn’t feel quite as quick as the stats suggest, it’s still one of the swiftest and most powerful hatchbacks around. And despite having 276bhp under the bonnet it’s anything but a gregarious show-off – much more the shy guy who’s handy in a fight. It never seems like it’s trying too hard and never seems anything less than effortlessly rapid, whatever the road.”