Nowadays, if you’re in the market for a punchy compact estate, then there are several to choose from, such as the Ford Focus ST, the Skoda Octavia vRS and, of course, the Seat Leon ST Cupra.
We’ll just focus on the latter for now, as it was subjected to an interesting review by CarBuyer.
Straight away, the reviewer compares it to the slightly more powerful and more expensive Volkswagen Golf R, on which is based, and goes on to talk about the exterior, which doesn’t exactly say that much about its muscled-up engine.
The cabin is almost identical to the usual Leon estate, and that may be an issue for those who pay more for the performance model. But if you can live with it, then it’s worth noting that the cabin feels well built, with good materials, and the controls are easy to use and intuitive.
Boot space may not be on the same level with other similar products offered within the Volkswagen Group, but it will still eat plenty of suitcases, and that’s all that matters in the end, besides the price, of course.
Also Watch: Seat Leon Cupra: A Real Hot Hatch Or Just A Golf R On A Budget?
The sporty compact estate has 300PS (296hp / 221kW) and 380Nm (280lb-ft) of torque from a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine channeled to the front wheels via either a manual or a DSG dual-clutch gearbox. If you want an AWD system, then you are left only with the DSG, although the FWD model shouldn’t be ignored either.
On the go, the facelifted Leon ST Cupra is relaxing and quite comfortable. In fact, it appears that it’s just as comfortable as the regular Leon ST in ‘Normal’ driving mode, but select ‘Cupra’, and everything will change.
For the full review and all the details on Seat’s hot estate, click on the video that follows after the jump.