Monday 6th October 2014

SEAT Leon Cupra estate testing

Is this available with a 'Sub 8' Performance Pack too?

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Well this is rather clever timing from SEAT. The week after the world's media have descended on the Paris show and got themselves all giddy about the Civic Type R and out rolls a Leon Cupra ST test mule once more. Y'know, just a reminder that the Cupra is still around.

The fastest way to Ikea. Apart from an RS6

The fastest Leon load-lugger was expected to be seen at Paris with its VW Golf R estate relative. With both a no show, Geneva next year now seems like the most likely debut location.

The ST's spec should mirror that of the hatch exactly. Given the 265 is only available over here a three-door manual it may be that the estate only uses the 280 powertrain though. We'll have to wait and see for confirmation on that. But the VAQ 'diff' and adaptive dampers will surely make the transition across.

Unsurprisingly too the visual makeover for the estate is subtle. This car isn't production spec remember (see the FR badges and wheels) but the twin exhausts and red calipers are already there. The finished car should look a little racier. Perhaps this is the model to have yellow reintroduced? Maybe.

The obvious competition for the Cupra estate will be the recently revised Focus ST wagon. Other than that, it's a fairly quiet little market sector. A niche then, but one we're very glad exists.

[Source: WCF]

[TheBALDpuma]

I really like the Leon Cupra hatch, I think the spec is fantastic and it's a great looking thing but I just don't see the point in a Leon/Golf sized estate. Firstly, it never looks quite right, and secondly if you chose an estate over a hatch, generally you need more space in the back so getting something properly sized as an estate makes much more sense.

[sato]

TheBALDpuma said:

I really like the Leon Cupra hatch, I think the spec is fantastic and it's a great looking thing but I just don't see the point in a Leon/Golf sized estate. Firstly, it never looks quite right, and secondly if you chose an estate over a hatch, generally you need more space in the back so getting something properly sized as an estate makes much more sense.

What larger hot estates are there?
BMW 335i is more grown up.
Volvo V60 Polestar and C63AMG are £50k+

[TheConverted]

sato said:

TheBALDpuma said:

I really like the Leon Cupra hatch, I think the spec is fantastic and it's a great looking thing but I just don't see the point in a Leon/Golf sized estate. Firstly, it never looks quite right, and secondly if you chose an estate over a hatch, generally you need more space in the back so getting something properly sized as an estate makes much more sense.

What larger hot estates are there?
BMW 335i is more grown up.
Volvo V60 Polestar and C63AMG are £50k+

Also these cars a big now. the Focus ST estate is nearly as big as a E46 3 series and probably bigger than the E36. there not really Hatchback size. even my 57 plate Megane is a big car, compared to older hatches.

Andy

[Fetchez la vache]

We were considering getting an Exeo as the wifes new car, as she uses a Mk1 Leon for work plus transporting our 2 large-ish dogs. The (rather attractive imho) Exeo was dropped by Seat due to being too expensive to make, plus interestingly this is supposed to have more space inside. I can believe that as looked into the A4 years back and couldn't believe what a squeeze it was.

As we're in no immediate hurry (the Leon is on 140k from new and the only thing that's gone wrong in that time is a rear seat belt tensioner!) this has her new car written all over it. Genuine interest from me here, as I think the current Cupra is a handsome beast.
Of course if Honda pull the same trick with their estate I may have to look at that. I'll keep my eyes peeled in the next 18 months...

[TheBALDpuma]

TheConverted said:

sato said:

TheBALDpuma said:

I really like the Leon Cupra hatch, I think the spec is fantastic and it's a great looking thing but I just don't see the point in a Leon/Golf sized estate. Firstly, it never looks quite right, and secondly if you chose an estate over a hatch, generally you need more space in the back so getting something properly sized as an estate makes much more sense.

What larger hot estates are there?
BMW 335i is more grown up.
Volvo V60 Polestar and C63AMG are £50k+

Also these cars a big now. the Focus ST estate is nearly as big as a E46 3 series and probably bigger than the E36. there not really Hatchback size. even my 57 plate Megane is a big car, compared to older hatches.

Andy

There is loads of larger stuff - Audi, merc, BMW, 330/335 equivalents (I'm not sure what you mean by more grown up - only an adult is going to be able to afford the lean to start with), Volvo V60 T5 (or T6 I forget what there quickest one is now), Mondeo 2.5T, then there is Jap stuff like the forester.

And the point about the "nearly as big as an E46 3 series" - That's a pretty small estate car anyway, I know it would have been too small for my needs as my dad had one a few years ago (an e46 330i).

ETA these might be bigger cars on the outside than they used to be, but I expect there isn't a right lot more usable space

[Frimley111R]

it really surprises me that there's a market for these, surely its tiny?

[GTEYE]

TheBALDpuma said:

TheConverted said:

sato said:

TheBALDpuma said:

I really like the Leon Cupra hatch, I think the spec is fantastic and it's a great looking thing but I just don't see the point in a Leon/Golf sized estate. Firstly, it never looks quite right, and secondly if you chose an estate over a hatch, generally you need more space in the back so getting something properly sized as an estate makes much more sense.

What larger hot estates are there?
BMW 335i is more grown up.
Volvo V60 Polestar and C63AMG are £50k+

Also these cars a big now. the Focus ST estate is nearly as big as a E46 3 series and probably bigger than the E36. there not really Hatchback size. even my 57 plate Megane is a big car, compared to older hatch
Andy

There is loads of larger stuff - Audi, merc, BMW, 330/335 equivalents (I'm not sure what you mean by more grown up - only an adult is going to be able to afford the lean to start with), Volvo V60 T5 (or T6 I forget what there quickest one is now), Mondeo 2.5T, then there is Jap stuff like the forester.

And the point about the "nearly as big as an E46 3 series" - That's a pretty small estate car anyway, I know it would have been too small for my needs as my dad had one a few years ago (an e46 330i).

ETA these might be bigger cars on the outside than they used to be, but I expect there isn't a right lot more usable space

When the base car is already a hatch, there is only a fairly small benefit, so I too struggle to see this being really worthwhile.

I've had a 3 Series Touring, pretty useless as a proper estate, the roof line is too low and the boot floor too high. In practice, I could get far more in the wife's Golf hatch.

[daytona365]

If you want a van, buy a van. Then put a supercharged rocket in it.

[Nikko 40691]

Hopefully Honda does a Civic Type R estate to cash in on the BTCC success... Maybe they can call it an Aerodeck like the Hondas of old?

[JackReacher]

The previous Octavia VRS estate sold pretty well, and I imagine this is a similar size to that but with even more power so I can see it doing well.

Boot size is 587 litres, which is larger than a 5 series touring at 560, so it's got a decent capacity!

[TheBALDpuma]

JackReacher said:

The previous Octavia VRS estate sold pretty well, and I imagine this is a similar size to that but with even more power so I can see it doing well.

Boot size is 587 litres, which is larger than a 5 series touring at 560, so it's got a decent capacity!

I haven't looked but I can't imagine those figures are correct! Maybe with the back seats down!

[rob.e]

TheBALDpuma said:

I really like the Leon Cupra hatch, I think the spec is fantastic and it's a great looking thing but I just don't see the point in a Leon/Golf sized estate. Firstly, it never looks quite right, and secondly if you chose an estate over a hatch, generally you need more space in the back so getting something properly sized as an estate makes much more sense.

What do you mean by "properly sized"?

Mk3 octavia estate has 610 litre boot (seats up). Leon ST is 587 litres.

For comaprison a "proper sided" Audi A6 avant has 565 litres. BMW 5 series touring has 560 litres.

[LocoBlade]

TheBALDpuma said:

JackReacher said:

The previous Octavia VRS estate sold pretty well, and I imagine this is a similar size to that but with even more power so I can see it doing well.

Boot size is 587 litres, which is larger than a 5 series touring at 560, so it's got a decent capacity!

I haven't looked but I can't imagine those figures are correct! Maybe with the back seats down!

Nope, 587 litres with the seats up, 1470 with them down and thats slightly smaller than the Octavia estate and the Golf estate which share the same platform. As mentioned above, its got a bigger (seats up) boot than the estate version of a 5 Series, an Audi A6, a Mondeo or a Insignia, so it isn't small.

We've just ordered a 1.4 TSI FR version as the new family wagon, cant really argue with ~45mpg real world economy, £20 a year to tax, a very smooth and torquey 150bhp engine, under 8s to 60mph and just over £19k new with a good kit list.

Edited by LocoBlade on Monday 6th October 23:18

[sato]

TheBALDpuma said:

There is loads of larger stuff - Audi, merc, BMW, 330/335 equivalents (I'm not sure what you mean by more grown up - only an adult is going to be able to afford the lean to start with), Volvo V60 T5 (or T6 I forget what there quickest one is now), Mondeo 2.5T, then there is Jap stuff like the forester.

No there isnt.
By grown up I dont mean the cost, I mean that a 335i handles like an executive car not a hot hatch.
It does however handle miles better than a non Polestar V60, a Mondeo or a Forester. I'm assuming you are talking about the current Forester and not an STI thing from 2008 being that we are comparing it to a new car. Oh, and you cant get a new V60 T5/T6 or Mondeo 2.5T even if you wanted to.