Golf R estate or Leon Cupra ST - advice needed

[El Capitan]

So I am getting a new car on lease, and pretty much narrowed it down to the golf R estate or Leon Cupra estate, both with DSG.

The key options I would like are panoramic sunroof, apple CarPlay, adaptive cruise control and reversing cameras.
Golf lapiz blue, Leon sunburst orange

Ideally keeping it beneath 350 a month.

Has anyone got any advice on this?
Am I missing some must have options, or have i selected any definite no no’s?

Any advice and guidance greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[Nickp82]

I didn't know Seat do the Cupra in Orange now - looks excellent! Would make a nice change when we replace our Monsoon Grey 290.

My advice is get that, there are plenty of Lapiz Golf Rs on the road already, nice as that combo is.

I would try and avoid the options personally as you are essentially paying full price to borrow them for 2/3 years but each to their own, a pano roof is a nice thing to have.

[El Capitan]

Thanks Nick

Did you take any options on your 290 or go completely standard?

I totally feel obligated to take the cameras and ACC pack as my wife’s suzuki vitara has those as standard. Same with CarPlay... the pano sunroof is just for me whilst cruising up and down the UK motorways for work!

[Jonno02]

It's basically the same car. The biggest factor between these two for me would be which do I prefer the look of?

[Butter Face]

Pretty sure the Leon is Eclipse Orange

I'd take the Seat myself. Personal preference/

[Nickp82]

El Capitan said:

Thanks Nick

Did you take any options on your 290 or go completely standard?

I totally feel obligated to take the cameras and ACC pack as my wife’s suzuki vitara has those as standard. Same with CarPlay... the pano sunroof is just for me whilst cruising up and down the UK motorways for work!

I didn't have any options, partly for the reason I mentioned and partly because I got one of the 'Black' edition cars which has the upgrade wheels, winter pack, bucket seats etc.

Cracking car though, I personally prefer the Leon over the Golf due to the exterior design and comparative rarity. And in Orange, well that will just be the dog's!

[El Capitan]

I reckon the Cupra has it in the looks department for me, and slightly rarer sight on the roads is a bonus.

haha I should have gotten the name of the orange correct with the internet configuration hours I have been clocking up. Now wonder what car has sunburst orange...

[El Capitan]

Any reviews on whether the updates infotainment system is worth he pennies?

[Andy665]

Recently in the same position

Hate the standard wheels on the R and the Pretorias added 40 per month on the figures.

Slightly prefer the standard spec in the ST, having standard cruise, 19" alloys and DCC as standard.

Deal on the ST was slightly better than the R on standard wheels and the Leon will be a rare sight on the roads so opted for that- in Eclipse Orange

All Cupra built from next week will have Digital Cockpit- winter pack is worthwhile I think

[Nickp82]

Andy665 said:

Recently in the same position

Hate the standard wheels on the R and the Pretorias added 40 per month on the figures.

Slightly prefer the standard spec in the ST, having standard cruise, 19" alloys and DCC as standard.

Deal on the ST was slightly better than the R on standard wheels and the Leon will be a rare sight on the roads so opted for that- in Eclipse Orange

All Cupra built from next week will have Digital Cockpit- winter pack is worthwhile I think

Bravo that man

The colour choice is so much better now (Desire Red is another cracker imo).

[El Capitan]

Virtual cockpit is the primary reason I have waited

How do you find it? The Cupra is the way I am mostly leaning.

If not too personal, did you go monthly payments? If so, do you mind sharing?

[Andy665]

El Capitan said:

Virtual cockpit is the primary reason I have waited

How do you find it? The Cupra is the way I am mostly leaning.

If not too personal, did you go monthly payments? If so, do you mind sharing?

ST 4Drie

6 +23 - 15k per year

Eclipse Orange, Winter Pack, Driving Assist Pack

1860 initial / 310 per month - no one else could get close to IMG when I was ordering (late Nov)

[anonymous-user]

Older spec engine and gearbox in the ST vs the R, 300/6 speed vs 310/7 speed. Pretty marginal differences, but they are there.

The R is generally a little bit nicer inside and has higher spec in a few areas, but the ST comes with DCC as standard which the Golf doesn’t.

Essentially it comes down to having a close look at both specs and cars, then deciding what matters more to you between the two and going for that option. They’re very similar overall.

Neither are exactly common compared to the hatches.

If you’re looking at speccing a load of options check out prices to buy on finance via a broker - options tend to disproportionately bump up lease prices compared to PCP finance, for example, as brokers can also offer discounts on the options.

[Yipper]

Golf R DSG Estate. Faster + better badge.

[Andy665]

Yipper said:

Golf R DSG Estate. Faster + better badge.

On back to back test drives the Holds extra 10PS was totally unnoticeable - hardly surprising

The ST felt tauter and more involving, the R did not have DCC which I feel is a must Have and a pricey option when leasing.

Build quality wise - nothing in it to be honest, paint was less Orange peely on the Seat.

Interior wise it's down to personal taste - I like the no nonsense approach of the Seat and the Golf looked almost chintzy - trying too hard to be a premium product when it's clearly not

Badge - lost since past the stage where a badge is important to me and what it says about me - I will always drive what I like irrespective of the badge

[NeilMick]

Build quality of the Seat put me off the ST, the one I test drove had a rattling dash and numerous reports of door cards doing the same thing, also wasn't sold on the dash, design, something about the vents around the screen looked a bit dated to me.


The one I drove had DCC which seemed to ride nicely (then again my other car is a Z4 so anything would in comparison).

Hopefully I won't miss the DCC on the Golf Estate I've ordered!

[hepy]

Ended up with an ST but would have gone for either, deciding factor for me was the price, the Golf was £40 a month more when I ordered.

Not sure the DCC makes a lot of difference? The engine mode does, but can't tell much difference in the suspension.

It is stupid fast though!!

[El Capitan]

Thanks for all the great replies so far!

I was away for the weekend with no internet which made my research activities frustrating...

I am doing a final test drive of the Cupra tomorrow, but overall I am looking at that as my option:
I think it looks better
price per performance ratio much better
options are on the whole cheaper
my local VW dealer were a bit nose high in the air when dealing with me which really put me off

the main reason:
Seat is orange, can't beat that.

I'll update with how tomorrow goes.

[El Capitan]

hepy said:

Ended up with an ST but would have gone for either, deciding factor for me was the price, the Golf was £40 a month more when I ordered.

Not sure the DCC makes a lot of difference? The engine mode does, but can't tell much difference in the suspension.

It is stupid fast though!!

The reviewers say DCC is night and day difference, but maybe test driving on roads for 1/2 hrs at a time does less to show this

[El Capitan]

Yipper said:

Golf R DSG Estate. Faster + better badge.

Where Seat are in the market now, pretty much everyone equates as a decent brand.