March 10, 2015 – The Leon has always been a best seller for SEAT, add a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine producing 280 horsepower, 19-inch wheels, a modern and sporty interior and a few Cupra badges here and there, and this well-mannered beauty transforms into a beast – the sort of beast you can drive on a daily basis on our poor roads and bridges, pick your friends/kids up in, go shopping in and unleash on a sunny Sunday.
First Impression
The Leon Cupra 280 touch clearly makes its mark on the trim, giving the Leon a sporty texture while retaining its comfort. The unique black & white Alcantara bucket seats make the seating position very aggressive, however, very pleasant for daily driving. LED lighting is present in the sexy and “mean” headlights, cabin lights and even in the door panels.
Driveability
Driving modes vary from Comfort, Sport, CUPRA and Individual. Every mode has its perks; the first 2 are for daily driving in the city, but press the CUPRA button and all hell breaks loose: the white LED lighting in the cabin turns into crimson red, the exhaust starts roaring, the suspension and steering become stiffer, and the whole driving experience shifts from civilized to racing-like, with the appetite to tackle each corner faster than the previous one.
My personal favorite driving mode was “Individual” with which you have the option to customize and save a profile of your own (steering stiffness, suspension, even air conditioning levels to manage the power of the car).
The SEAT Leon Cupra 280 is a full-fledged sports car, so you’d be forgiven for thinking that it likes to drink a lot fuel. Fortunately, that’s not the case, because the Cupra consumes 6.6 liters per 100 kilometers with the DSG gearbox and 6.7 L/100 km with the manual gearbox. In the Lebanese way of saying it, it can travel 300 kilometers on 20 liters of fuel (one tank), which is absolutely astounding for such a powerful car.
Handling
I was a bit skeptical about the 19-inch wheels on the CUPRA, mainly due to our poor road conditions, but I was left very surprised and satisfied after driving it in our exhausting traffic and on our beautiful twisted mountain roads. A bit of expected understeer from a front-wheel drive car with large amounts of power, but it’s nothing that the limited slip differential (LSD) and smart variable suspension can’t handle. Both are options you get as basic with the CUPRA. Another great aspect in the new Leon Cupra 280’s performance is the aggressive and precise braking, thanks in the most part to the large brake discs and calipers.
Verdict
The SEAT Leon Cupra 280 has created a class of its own, competing head-to-head with front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive champions in the same segment, however, for a cheaper price. It has the perfect mix of power, grip, fun, comfort, efficiency and gizmos (Bluetooth & iPod connectivity…) to make it suitable for every car fanatic between the ages of 18 and 58. This is, by far, my favorite hot hatch of the year.
Still doubtful about the Leon CUPRA 280? Drive it and you’ll be as shocked as I was.
