Today, the Spanish carmaker Seat operates as a company offering cars of two brands – the parent Seat, aimed at young customers looking for an affordable and stylish car, has been filling the Cupra filling the gap between the mainstream and the premium since 2018 and offering mainly a sports twist. Among this year’s novelties is the Leon model, which, like the Formentor, will offer a wide range of versions. What is it like in the case of a plug-in hybrid station wagon?
It is Leon that is a beautiful example of the development of the Cupra brand during its creation. The predecessors of this year’s compact have been sold under the Satt banner for many years, including the previous generation. However, in its final form, it has already adopted the style of the independent Cupra brand, which was once the Seatu sports division. Seat Leon ST Cupra R station wagon tested last year so he used the characteristic copper-colored details for Cupra and sold them under her banner, but he still bore the insignia of Satt proudly.
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More elegant than an athlete
It’s different with the news. It became the Cupra Leon and although it is still derived from the compact Seat of the same name, the mask is already decorated with the logo of the new brand. And also, similarly to the default Leon, there is no three-door hatch on offer, but only a five-door model and station wagon.
But these are not the only changes from the default car. The bow is more distinctive, not only thanks to the distinctive mask, which in addition to the distinctive logo is also decorated with a special grille, but also thanks to the redesigned bumper with spoiler at the bottom and more pronounced cooling holes. The headlights are diode as standard.
As with Formentor, there is a distinctive range of body paints. The offered kerosene matt is worth it, even though it makes the car more elegant than an athlete. You just have to reckon with the fact that such a solution requires gentle care, you better not go to the brush dishwashers, so as not to scratch it. Instead, choose hand wash or wapka.
As with the Seat, the stern is decorated with taillights extending across its entire width, and there is also a diffuser. At first glance, the imaginative copper tailpipes are unfortunately only a dummy in the case of the plug-in hybrid tested. Real round ends can only be found in versions with conventional petrol propulsion, two in less powerful versions and four in more powerful ones.
Only with gasoline
It was the range of engines in the new Cupry Leon that changed compared to its predecessor. Unlike from the currently launched Formentor only petrol engines and plug-in hybrid will be available. You will have a total of four motorizations to choose from.
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The standard is a 2.0 TSI four-cylinder petrol engine tuned to 180 kW (245 hp) and 370 Nm, which complements the more powerful versions with 221 kW and 400 Nm. Both are available for both body variants, exclusively with front-wheel drive.
You can also get both body versions in the e-Hybrid variant. It is a plug-in hybrid combining a 1.4 TSI (110 kW) four-cylinder petrol engine with an 85 kW electric motor and a set of 13 kWh lithium-ion batteries, which together provide a combined output of 180 kW. It is therefore the same system as in the Volkswagen Golf GTE or the Škoda Octavia RS.
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If you do not choose from this offer, there is still a top 2.0 TSI with an output of 228 kW. But know that you only get it with all-wheel drive and exclusively as a station wagon.
| Cupra Leon ST e-Hybrid: Technical data of the plug-in hybrid station wagon | |
| Motor | 1.4 NO PHEV |
| Displacement [cm3] | 1395 |
| Cylinders / valves | 04.dub |
| Maximum engine power [kW/min] | 110/5000-6000 |
| Engine torque [N.m/min] | 250/1550-3500 |
| The highest power of the electric motor [kW] | 85 |
| Electric motor torque [N.m] | 330 |
| System power / torque [kW/N.m] | 180/400 |
| Battery capacity [kWh] | 13 |
| Transmission | 6DS |
| Acceleration 0-100 km / h [s] | 7 |
| Max. speed [km/h] | 225 |
| Fuel tank capacity [l] | 40 |
| WLTP electricity range [km] | 52 |
| Combined consumption according to WLTP [l/100 km] | 1,3-1,5 |
| Operating weight [kg] | 1717 |
Instead of crashing silence
But the time will come to the top of the offer another time, for example, during the first rides we had the opportunity to try the Cupra Leon Sportstourer station wagon, but with the e-Hybrid system in its bowels.
The first look at the car creates an elegant rather than a sporty impression. I have already mentioned the matt dark blue varnish, the same color also appears inside. This is further enhanced by the copper details, which are also used by the graphics of the digital instrument panel. In short, I think red would make a car more an athlete. But sports seats deserve praise, as well as I like the simple interior design, although I would appreciate more conventional buttons. Unlike Seat, however, there is a driving mode switch (on the steering wheel), moving the start button on the steering wheel then freed up space in the center tunnel for the ESP function restriction button.
But even starting will not evoke your appetite for a sporty ride. As a plug-in hybrid, the e-Hybrid starts on electricity, so instead of a roaring cough of a four-cylinder, you will only experience complete silence as before.
The car is also quiet during normal driving, but when you switch it to sport mode, it will already be audible. Unfortunately, the colored snarl is, in my opinion, so artificial that you feel more like a computer game than a sports-tuned station wagon.
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It is simply a car for a new generation. For one who might appreciate the artificial sound, and one who will also like the Cupra hybrid mode, where the car uses the full power of both power units during acceleration and strong recuperation during braking. Then it’s not enough to wonder how the car shoots forward sharply and how it can slow down. In addition, you will appreciate the great working chassis. Seat Leon may be fairer, but even on 19-inch bikes it’s not a jumped ride, but nicely filtered.
On the contrary, traditionalists will appreciate the plug-in hybrid more as a supplement to the offer with an ecologically looking model. It’s not particularly fun to ride, in the wet I was bothered by the constant turning of the wheels. The Bridgestone Potenza rubbers simply didn’t catch up much anymore, and it wasn’t even cold during the first tests.
Although the Leon ST e-Hybrid offers an interesting tap thanks to the possibility of an electric drive, objectively speaking, it is not particularly fast. Accelerating from 0-100 km / h in seven seconds is nothing more breathtaking today, as is a top speed of 225 km / h. The higher weight speaks into the game, the operating weight is 1,717 kilograms, which is not a small amount. After all, the Cupra Formentor crossover with 2.0 TSI (228 kW) and all-wheel drive weighs 1,644 kg.
Conclusion
The Seat Leon Cupra used to be such a playful mischief, which, unlike the Golf with the same basis, offered more playful behavior and the image of a grate. Unfortunately, the new Cupra Leon lost this individuality, at least in the tested Leon ST e-Hybrid. The matt kerosene is beautiful, but rather than an athlete, it makes Leon a luxury car in combination with copper details. And other details aren’t very sporty either, the imitation of the exhausts is hard to bear in a sports-tuned car, just like a lowered chassis. And the plug-in hybrid doesn’t provide much fun, the sound is artificial and the breathtaking. Just such a fast gran turismo and not a hot station wagon as before.
Even so, I believe that this Cupra Leon ST will find its customers. Not everyone has to consider a plug-in hybrid as just a necessary concession to time, which helps to meet fleet standards and look for a sports tool. After all, the carmaker itself claims that today it is no longer just the fastest time from 0-100 km / h, but also an innovative way to maintain the joy of driving and at the same time be environmentally friendly. If you want a stylish, which has the advantage of being able to use “electric” signs that allow free parking in the blue zones, the Cupra Leon ST e-Hybrid is for you.
I may be old at this in my thirties, but for me personally, the real Cupra is something else. In short, I would rather choose a purely petrol variant. On the same day, the tested Cupra Formentor with 2.0 TSI (228 kW) proves that it is incredibly fun. And so she would be right for me.
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