Saturday 9th January 2016

SEAT Leon Cupra: Market Watch

A spicy Spanish interpretation of German stodge, the Leon Cupra is an enduring favourite - here's our guide to the various versions

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SEAT's alternative to the VW Golf GTI has proved a popular choice with UK hot hatch buyers. And in the process has played a major part in elevating the brand's image. Backed up by a contemporary motorsport pedigree the Leon - in potent Cupra form - provided the VW Golf GTI with perhaps its stiffest opposition, and with lower pricing has sold in large numbers.

As a result there are plenty of well-maintained examples out there, from the very first Mk1 model, originally badged the 20VT, right through to the latest Mk3 Cupra 280. In all, SEAT has sold 14,898 Leon Cupras in the UK.

And with SEAT's latest Leon Cupra 290 announced we couldn't resist looking back at all three generations to discover which you should consider buying, which Cupras have the potential to become future classics and which versions make the best base for future tuning.

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Introduction
SEAT Leon Cupra Mk1 (1999-2005)
SEAT Leon Cupra Mk2 (2006-2012)
SEAT Leon Cupra Mk3 (2013-on)

[Many thanks to Revotechnik, Midland VW, SEATCupra.net and Glass's Guide for their help with this feature]

Photos: Tom Begley/SEAT

[kaivaksdal]

Love them. Great cars. My best friend and I both had mk1 Cupra and Cupra r now I have a 300+ bhp mk2 Cupra.
In a year or two, I'll go to a mk3 sub 8 with 350+.
So much car for so little money - easily thousands less than equivalent Golf or similar.
Kai