Seat Leon Cupra

[g4ry13]

What do PH's think of the Seat Leon Cupra (not the R).
Is the performance any good? And compared to the Cupra R is there a great difference. I kow there is a 30bhp difference but does that relate to much on the road?
Thanks

[CVP]

I've had a standard Cupra for over a year now. Basically as a tin top it's fantastic value for money. I haven't had mine chipped so it's the standard 180bhp. You can get them chipped up to about 225bhp or so, but I guess getting that power down in the wet / ice could be interesting.

Plus points (from some views);
1. Really quite poky - suurprises a lot of folk
2. Roomy hatch is quite practical
3. Cheaper than Golf Gti / V5 by a considerable margin
4. Quciker than Golf GTi / V5
5. It's not a Golf GTi
6. Doesn't look special - bit of a Q car
7. Can get reasonable MPG on a long run
8. Warranty was good when neaded.

Minuses (from some views);
1. It's not a Golf GTi (if badges are important)
2. Mine's been back twice in it's first year, once for the mirror motor switch which had gone belloy up and the second time for the window winder motor which had burnt out in France.
3. A bit thirsty around town
4. Body shape is a bit odd, makes the corners difficult to judge sometimes
5. Coating on the alloys wheels is very thin. Chips off easily. Easily corrected with some clear varnish.
6. Wheels are a bugger of a design to keep clean (n.B a toothbrush is probably the most practical cleaning tool).
7. Steering can be uninvolving
8. Gear change is a bit wooly, not as much of a "rifle action" as some things I've driven.

Overall I'm really happy with mine and would thoroughly recommend one. Colour chice can be limited, but I know a local dealer in Wimbledon who has ordered them in non-standard colours and Seat have built them for him!

Chris

[g4ry13]

Thanks for the reply.
Just wondering if you have had any problems with hitting your head on the driver's sill getting in and out of the car; becuas on first thoughts i thought the sill was low.

What do you think?

[bindit]

I imported a cupra in 2001 for £12300 and kept it for 7 months, selling it for what i paid, so at that price superb value for money. Have to agree with CVP on points mentioned, i never got better than 28mpg, even on long run and gear change wasn't great, especially when cold.
Head height wasn't a problem when exiting, (i'm 6'1").
IMHO, i thoght it was a competent hottish hatch, a bit porky, with too much body roll through S bends, usually accompanied with mucho understeer. Having said all that, it was well put together and i'm thinking about the Cupra R as my company car since i have a 17K limit, unless someone else can suggest something with over 200bhp for that price!!??

[Alex@AmD]

bindit said: unless someone else can suggest something with over 200bhp for that price!!??

How about standard Cupra (or nearly new for say under £10k) and (I do freely admit to being slighly biased here) have the car chipped by a company such as AmD- I do admit there are others however!! for around £600 for over 200bhp or a bigger K04 turbo kit for a couple of grand for over 230bhp...

Thats a lot of go for not a lot of dough

[g4ry13]

I don't really want to go down the chipping route becuase it will in-validate the warranty. I don't think i'll do any mods to the car because i think 180bhp in a car of that size is reasonable. My current car only has 185bhp and it's bigger than a leon and it beats mosts cars except ferraris off the line.

[cuprabri]

If buying new, the new MY2003 Leon Cupra is streets ahead of the old one....

Body-kit.
Nice 17" alloys, easy to clean.
Better colour range.

It's what the Cupra should of been from the start.

Lots more info on www.seatcupra.net and /forums

Apart from looks, the main difference between the Cupra R and the Cupra is the handling. The R has agile chassis, stiffer springs, softer shocks and 18's which transform it.

I had a Cupra before my Cupra R and they are about the same off the line but the R has more pull through the higher gears.

Hope this helps.

[Leadfoot]

I never get more than 25mpg out of mine. You wanna speed up a bit Mungo :P

[tuffer]

Different car similiar engine, I had a Golf GTi Turbo (150 bhp) and that averaged 32 mpg.......everywere! Good old reliable Germans.

[westy04]

You can get your Cupra R chipped at a number of places. APR and Jabbasport are 2. There are guys on the seatcupra.net forum with 'R's that have been chipped easily to 250bhp (They will go higher). It will only cost you about 500 quid.