RE: SEAT Leon Cupra R (Mk2) | PH Used Review

[AJB88]

WJNB said:

Why buy a SEAT or ARMCHAIR or SOFA or whatever?
You will be forever having to justify your choice based on 'value for money' & how boring & suburban is that? Then there will always be the nagging feeling that you should have paid a bit more & got something 'proper' like a Golf or A3.

The equivelant A3 and Golf were both AWD though so maybe you just wanted the FWD.

[Notanotherturbo]

' the Cupra R certainly looked the part '

Should have gone to Specsavers

[unsprung]

AJB88 said:

I owned one between 2012-2014, the car was originally a press car owned by SEAT UK, It was running APR Stage 2+



The car in the press pictures above (SZ10LCR) was "put back to standard" ie the white wheels taken off before it was sold on by SEAT UK not sure what the registration plate it went on to was.

Looks spicy.

In most cases I'm not a decal or stripe guy, but I do like the bit of balance that the black bar, just above the rocker panels, gives this car. The off-white or grey wheels go well with that signal yellow (or whatever yellow it is).

The headlamps remind me a bit of the de-contented basic units fitted to base-model German and Japanese cars -- when competing on price in the US. Less so today.

The rear half of this Mk2 is very well resolved, imo. Looks a fun car on a Saturday night and maybe even a Sunday afternoon B road, suspension calibration and FWD permitting.

[AJB88]

unsprung said:

Looks spicy.

In most cases I'm not a decal or stripe guy, but I do like the bit of balance that the black bar, just above the rocker panels, gives this car. The off-white or grey wheels go well with that signal yellow (or whatever yellow it is).

The headlamps remind me a bit of the de-contented basic units fitted to base-model German and Japanese cars -- when competing on price in the US. Less so today.

The rear half of this Mk2 is very well resolved, imo. Looks a fun car on a Saturday night and maybe even a Sunday afternoon B road, suspension calibration and FWD permitting.

Cheers, the decals were actually supposed to go on an APR race car (MK5 Golf 3 door) but APR UK decided they would look better on my car haha, I've got a Porsche now but wouldn't have stripes on that.

The car was a bit of an animal, approx 370ps with a mechanical diff fitted, Ferrari F40 brakes etc. my MK3 I had after this was 420ps but that was DSG so handled it better.

[unsprung]

AJB88 said:

The car was a bit of an animal,

I should say so!

More than interesting, those numbers and upgrades. Particularly given the relatively modest kerb weight. Definitely spicy

[Mike335i]

WJNB said:

Why buy a SEAT or ARMCHAIR or SOFA or whatever?
You will be forever having to justify your choice based on 'value for money' & how boring & suburban is that? Then there will always be the nagging feeling that you should have paid a bit more & got something 'proper' like a Golf or A3.

are you really that stupid? Why buy a Golf? Just get a proper car, like a Mulsane.

[the_hood]

soad said:

the_hood said:

Add to that the cheap looking interior. It's a 'no' from me.

Too much plastic? Seats look comfy and supportive.

To much cheap, hard plastic.

[talksthetorque]

I had a Mk2 Fr TDI ( first of the 170s) It was a nice place to do a lot of miles after the Corolla T Sport I had before.

Looking for a cheap 5 door that's not boring and these are in the back of my mind to try again, 10 years later.
I like the look of the mk 2 - a bit different to all it's contemporaries with the folding arms wipers and the hidden rear door handles.

Edited by talksthetorque on Monday 26th August 22:19

[Hub]

Court_S said:

I never really got in with the styling of these; they looked like a squashed MPV and I don’t think time has helped either. The mark I was a much better looking car.

I didn't like the mark 2 to start with, but I think they haven't aged too badly in the Cupra R spec - the high waist line with small windows and hidden rear door handle are current styling trends, and the mk3 is quite plain in comparison.

The interiors on the other hand are poor!

[Mike335i]

the_hood said:

To much cheap, hard plastic.

Doesn't matter much when driving though.

[5harp3y]

Had a Fr+ version of these and was a completely solid car. Really enjoyed it and the seats were ridiculous good.

Seat have always got it right with the styling of the Cupra / Cupra R / FR models. The bog standard ones always look crap

[greenarrow]

My memory of the Mk2 Leon (I drove an FR TDI, not a Cupra R) was the hardest suspension I had ever experienced up to that point. 11 years on, it probably wouldn't seem so bad in light of a general move to large wheels and rock hard springs, but back then it seemed awful.

IMO the Mk1 Leon Cupra is a likely future classic and the Mk3 Cupra seems to run the equivalent Golf quite close, but the Mk2 didn't really hit the mark. Its almost like VAG realised the Mk1 Cupra was a far better all rounder than the Golf GTI Mk4 and made sure the same thing didn't happen with the Mk2.

[anonymous-user]

Owned now by every local dealer in my area. Usually the TDI with a Cupra bodykit and wheels though...

[martin mrt]

Whilst I really liked the Mk1 Leon Cupra R, the mk2 just didn’t excite me the same. Purely down to its looks and cheap plastic interior.

Each to their own but I’d far rather have a Golf GTI (which I do) over this. It may be slower, but speed isn’t everything. Looks wise for me the Golf is the better choice

[martin12345]

I had a Mk5 Golf GTI as a company car Left that job and needed to buy my own car and bought an FR T-FSI

When I got the Golf I chose it over the Leon (I had the choice) because of the nicer interior mainly
Also with the lower depreciation, the lease on the Golf was hardly any more than the Leon.

When I needed to buy my own car I looked at the Leon again as a 2nd hand car
Suddenly the negatives became positives

- Cheap hard interior = no wear and tear, scuffs etc on soft touch parts of the Golf, the Leon interior looked brand new
- Higher depreciation = cheaper 2nd hand buy

To drive, comparing a Mk5 Golf and the Leon Mk2, if there are differences I'm not discerning enough to notice them

Styling - personal thing of course, but I like the Leon (like them both but the Leon is a little more different)


Final comment, is that having driven both the FR and the Cupra, personally I prefer the FR as it has a smaller turbo and hence less turbo lag and hence picks up better and 200BHP is plenty 99% of the time. Of course for those who care about the 1% of the then get a Cupra, but I'd advise trying an FR as well before deciding

Overall -- great 2nd hand car

[WCZ]

great value for money when you factor in how much you can improve them with a couple of k's worth of mods, or buy one already modded

[Helicopter123]

the_hood said:

soad said:

the_hood said:

Add to that the cheap looking interior. It's a 'no' from me.

Too much plastic? Seats look comfy and supportive.

To much cheap, hard plastic.

There were other cars available from VAG that offered a better interior for a higher price if that was your priority.

SEAT was always the value option for those wanting maximum bang for your buck.

[Alias218]

Leon R said:

AJB88 said:

My current one does that, need to take door cards off and seal it properly.

There is a good guide on how to do it which I used recently. If you want me to dig it out let me know.

I had to do that on my one. Quite an easy job, and well worth doing. I still miss my LCR and I haven’t owned it for over 5 years! Subjectively a fantastic car. Objectively probably not so much. Would definitely own another nonetheless.

[AJB88]

Alias218 said:

I had to do that on my one. Quite an easy job, and well worth doing. I still miss my LCR and I haven’t owned it for over 5 years! Subjectively a fantastic car. Objectively probably not so much. Would definitely own another nonetheless.

Yeh I need to get it sorted before winter, as soon as it rains the airbag light comes on as sensor gets damp.