RE: SEAT Leon Cupra R ST: Driven
Discussion
Onehp said:
Interior wise very similar, perhaps the odd half an inch here and there advantage for the audi, boot is deeper on the ST. Engine sound better especially from the outside, but people still complain it doesn't sound that great. Anyhow, the RS4's for sale here are at least double the price... and 300-350kg more, which is a clear disadvantage in my world.
Do you mean the Seat sounds better than the S4?! (I assumed it would be the other way round). I also thought that only the Hatch versions had the "sporty" exhaust (for want of a better phrase), and the STs (estates) had a more muted version?
Do they have the "soundaktor" that a lot of VAT 4-pots now seem to have? (though to be fair it didn't annoy me as much as I thought it would when I drove an Octavia VRS recently).
bungle said:
Do you mean the Seat sounds better than the S4?! (I assumed it would be the other way round).
I also thought that only the Hatch versions had the "sporty" exhaust (for want of a better phrase), and the STs (estates) had a more muted version?
Do they have the "soundaktor" that a lot of VAT 4-pots now seem to have? (though to be fair it didn't annoy me as much as I thought it would when I drove an Octavia VRS recently).
Yeah I thought it was obvious it's the RS4 is the better sounding one. But neither does it sound 'glorious' but I really like the outside sound. I also thought that only the Hatch versions had the "sporty" exhaust (for want of a better phrase), and the STs (estates) had a more muted version?
Do they have the "soundaktor" that a lot of VAT 4-pots now seem to have? (though to be fair it didn't annoy me as much as I thought it would when I drove an Octavia VRS recently).
Yeah the Cupra ST has a quiet exhaust, don't know if this R is a bit more feisty though, previously linked vid suggests so.
I used to hate the soundaktor and had it permanently switched off (ODB11), but now that I realised the exhaust I had was too loud for long family trips (edit: so it had to go), I'm happy with the soundaktor. It doesn't hold up by itself (bit nasty sound imho) but it's off with engine in comfort, but if the road is interesting, it does add the additional drama one wants in Cupra.
(What also helps are all my mods that improve throttle response, before it was a bit too obvious to me that the soundaktor was just a bit too early to the party, i.e. fake... but I'm a sensitive soul, passengers never noticed)
Edited by Onehp on Thursday 14th March 10:38
Stig said:
CrippsCorner said:
I like that, nice to have another fast estate to choose from. However, you lost me at 'auto-only' 
I’m a dyed in the wool manual driver, but recently bought a Leon Cupra 300 ST 4Drive Carbon edition (got all that?) which is basically the same car as this R but without a carbon wing, mirror caps and alcantara covered wheel.Whilst it has the 6-speed DSG rahter than the 7 in the R I’m a complete convert. The shifts are virtually seamless with a nice ‘parp’ for the changes. You can short shift with the paddles on the wheel for a more ‘manual’ experience if you like too.
As commented, it’s a real sleeper. Quiet and comfortable for cruising and goes like a scalded cat when you want. I wanted a practical estate with power when required, this does just that. My carbon edition is one of only 42 in the UK, so the rarity value appealed too.
Not cheap in Seat terms, but compared to equivalents with this packaging/power and it’s excellent value!
Now just need to convince Seat UK to let me have the ABT upgrade with warranty for £500
Just like when Macs were awful back when I was in school, so I'd never buy a MacBook now even though I'm sure it's a perfectly good OS these days!
I was looking at cupra R in the showroom not so long ago and the salesman took great joy in telling me that the wheels cost £3,500 each... like this was a great selling point. He continued to tell me they cant be refurbed by just anyone they had to be sent away... I pointed out that this £30k motor has £14k worth of alloys on it.
Still love these things and id love to have one but not at those numbers.
Still love these things and id love to have one but not at those numbers.
This got me looking at the SEAT configurator. I hadn't realised that you can only buy these (Cupra ST, not the R specifically) in DSG now. No manual available. I had assumed that the manual was still available, but as FWD only.
Manuals really are a dying breed I think. I really am struggling to think of many manual estate performance cars these days that are available to buy new. The 2nd hand choice in a few years is going to be very poor indeed.
Manuals really are a dying breed I think. I really am struggling to think of many manual estate performance cars these days that are available to buy new. The 2nd hand choice in a few years is going to be very poor indeed.
bungle said:
This got me looking at the SEAT configurator. I hadn't realised that you can only buy these (Cupra ST, not the R specifically) in DSG now. No manual available. I had assumed that the manual was still available, but as FWD only.
Manuals really are a dying breed I think. I really am struggling to think of many manual estate performance cars these days that are available to buy new. The 2nd hand choice in a few years is going to be very poor indeed.
I struggled to find a manual estate 2 years ago (performance or otherwise), full stop. They're all automatics &/or diesels.Manuals really are a dying breed I think. I really am struggling to think of many manual estate performance cars these days that are available to buy new. The 2nd hand choice in a few years is going to be very poor indeed.
Octavia is only significantly roomier if you load up to the roof, which at least I very rarely do. Superb (hatch or estate) is on a different level for interior space and the boot is bigger too. Not entirely the same dynamic proposition though and if you get a fully equipped estate (pano, leccy seats, tow bar etc), it will be up to 230kg more than this ST R. But definitely a candidate if I need a bigger newish car.
bungle said:
2smoke said:
I'm quite happy with the current Mk7 GTI, but really need a but more space.
= Octavia VRS estate, doesn't it? Effectively a Golf GTi estate (same 245 engine as the current Golf GTi Performance Pack). Still behind the Cupra ST though in the power stakes. Baldchap said:
bungle said:
2smoke said:
I'm quite happy with the current Mk7 GTI, but really need a but more space.
= Octavia VRS estate, doesn't it? Effectively a Golf GTi estate (same 245 engine as the current Golf GTi Performance Pack). Still behind the Cupra ST though in the power stakes. 2smoke said:
I love the nimbleness of the GTI PP and as much as I like the Octavia estate, they're hard to find with DCC, so lose something dynamically.
Cupras are a bit lighter than GTI:s, so a ST estate manual fwd is about the same real weight (maybe +30kg at most) as a GTI PP (I can compare actually weighed registered weights where I live - depending on equipment), but with a free IS38/Golf R block upgrade (as they are similarly priced, too)... Edited by Onehp on Saturday 16th March 09:08
Dale487 said:
bungle said:
This got me looking at the SEAT configurator. I hadn't realised that you can only buy these (Cupra ST, not the R specifically) in DSG now. No manual available. I had assumed that the manual was still available, but as FWD only.
Manuals really are a dying breed I think. I really am struggling to think of many manual estate performance cars these days that are available to buy new. The 2nd hand choice in a few years is going to be very poor indeed.
I struggled to find a manual estate 2 years ago (performance or otherwise), full stop. They're all automatics &/or diesels.Manuals really are a dying breed I think. I really am struggling to think of many manual estate performance cars these days that are available to buy new. The 2nd hand choice in a few years is going to be very poor indeed.
Is the Octavia VRS dsg only now too then?
I’m guessing this will be pretty awesome as a new car choice with the ABT, I don’t think the price is excessive either, especially when you consider the price you pay for a half decent Audi nowadays. Seat have made some rather great cars.
If you didn’t want to spend that much, a used Cupra is a really attractive option. I still can’t believe how good my Cupra 280 is after a couple of years; for the first time in my life it’s stopped me being bothered about other cars. Custom remap to 375, PS4S tyres, a torque arm insert, RSL29 front pads and RS3 brake ducts equals a car that is devastatingly quick whatever the weather, perfect as a quiet, comfortable (and unassuming) family car and can be taken to a trackday whenever you fancy and be one of the quicker cars there, you need a really track focused or very expensive car to go quicker. It’s not a car I ever plan on selling.
If you didn’t want to spend that much, a used Cupra is a really attractive option. I still can’t believe how good my Cupra 280 is after a couple of years; for the first time in my life it’s stopped me being bothered about other cars. Custom remap to 375, PS4S tyres, a torque arm insert, RSL29 front pads and RS3 brake ducts equals a car that is devastatingly quick whatever the weather, perfect as a quiet, comfortable (and unassuming) family car and can be taken to a trackday whenever you fancy and be one of the quicker cars there, you need a really track focused or very expensive car to go quicker. It’s not a car I ever plan on selling.
Hub said:
Is the Octavia VRS dsg only now too then?
No, you can get a manual still, it's the only one I could actually think of (hence a test drive a couple of weeks, and still poring over the brochure and pondering...). The mk4 is due out soon though, and I reckon that will go DSG only (like the Cupra has).
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