Megane 275 Trophy vs Leon Cupra 280
Enough about the 'ring already; PH pits Megane Trophy against Leon Cupra on UK soil
A bit of Bedfordshire B-road included in test
In the Spanish corner we've got Matt's PH Fleet SEAT, a three-door 280 with a manual gearbox and the standard electronically adjustable dampers and active VAQ 'diff'. You can also get the three-door in 265hp form - matching the non-Trophy Megane's baseline horsepower figure - while five-door Cupras are all 280s. Unlike the Renault there's the option of an automated dual-clutch too on all 280s. Base price of a manual Leon like this is £26,945, Matt's car coming in at £29,965 thanks to a bunch of adaptive this and assist that fripperies. See his PH Fleet intro for the full breakdown but none of the extras applied actually have any bearing on the way the car drives. Once you turn them all off at least.
Summer downpour made track 'interesting'
Before options the Trophy costs nearly two grand more than the SEAT at £28,930 and as tested it's a burly £31,325, though after options the gap closes to just £60. Opt for the full package of 5kg lighter Speedline Turini 19-inch wheels (£1,000), Ohlins package (£2,000) and the Cup 2 tyres (£1,000) and the Megane is well into Golf R and Audi S3 territory. Cue forum outrage at the temerity of Renault to charge more than £30K for a Megane... In fairness the Trophy spec does include most of the goodies you'd want, including a standard Akrapovic exhaust, the desirable Recaro seats and the stiffer Cup chassis with the LSD.
It's a battle for hot hatch heart and soul!
Stage set it's time to drive them and see how they really compare...
SEAT LEON CUPRA SC 280
Engine: 1,984cc 4-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual (6-speed DSG optional), front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 280@ 5,700-6,200rpm (265@5,350-6,600rpm)*
Torque (lb ft): 258@1,750-5,600rpm (258@1,750-5,300rpm)*
0-62mph: 5.8 (5.9)*
Top speed: 155mph
Weight: 1,375kg
MPG: 44.1 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 149g/km
Price: £26,940 (£29,650 as tested, comprising Leather Pack with Winter Pack £755, Driver Assist Pack including high beam and lane assist £295, Safety Pack £115, SEAT Sound System £250, Adaptive Cruise Control and front assist £500, space saver £95 and Dynamic Custom paint £695).
*Figures for the 265, where different, in brackets. DSG only available on the 280 - 0-62mph reduced by a tenth and MPG to 42.2 as well as adding 20kg, 6g/km and £1,285.
MEGANE RENAULTSPORT 275 TROPHY
Engine: 1,998cc 4-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, mechanical limited-slip differential, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 275@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 265@3,000-5,000rpm
0-62mph: 6.0 sec
Top speed: 158mph
Weight: 1,376kg
MPG: 37.7mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 174g/km
Price: £28,930 (£31,325 as tested, comprising 19-inch Speedline Turini wheels/Bridgestone RE050A tyres £1,000, Liquid Yellow paint £1,300 and emergency spare wheel £95)
Introduction and comments
Megane Renaultsport 275 Trophy
SEAT Leon Cupra 280
Verdict
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Photos: Tom Begley
Cheers!
Dan
I think Renault continue to make mini 911 GT3 style cars (although it's sad the engines are now bland), with focussed styling, proper seats and properly thought out and developed chassis.
Personally I think the current "best" level is not expensive enough though (I mean, I like the price, but the format is hardly being maxed here). A hatchback is a wonderfully practical shape of car. Why isn't there a carbon tubbed, exotic (or at least highly tuned) engined, precision machined, 1100kg, ultra desirable hatch on the market? £50k, or £60k. But it's the absolute best hatchback, unequivocally, that you can buy. Something that actually felt special.
The reason is snobbery, obviously, but I wish someone would do it. They wouldn't be able to make enough.
Personally I'd want something with all the toys but was a decent drivers car as well as retaining the practicality of a hatchback and then I'd be interested. VAG cars have the build quality and toys but are often boring to look at and drive and this new Leon is no different. Renault get the driving aspects right but build quality and materials are still poor as well as the fact that it's not offered in a 5 door. The A class is way to small inside and bootwise to be much use as a practical hatchback as well as not driving as well as expected and the Audi RS3 was a disappointment too so I'm still waiting for someone to make the ultimate hot hatch.
But the other 360 days of the year I imagine the SEAT like the Golf GTI would be better to live with.
I know its from the class below but I think the Audi S1 looks awesome, particulary of you leave off the quattro packs and have body coloured wing mirrors - for the ultimate Q-car.
it's beyond me why anyone would buy that car without speccing them
Soon as we can get one to test in the UK we'll book it in of course...
Cheers!
Dan
But the other 360 days of the year I imagine the SEAT like the Golf GTI would be better to live with.
Exactly.
And also, some of us have children who are rather larger than the 'unemployed Japanese midgets' they obviously use at Renault to ensure the rear seats are the right size....
Not only that, but the majority of us, for the majority of the time, aren't able to drive either car like this on HM Highways, so the subtle nuances between them are largely academic....
The Renault looks great too, though not keen on the new oversized badge on the nose.
A Ferrari 458 isn't a suped-up mr2 is it? (hopefully you get that point, stretched I know). These hatch backs are heavy because, at heart, they have to be sold for sub £20k to the masses. My point is, if someone developed from scratch a £60k, or even more, hatchback, which was actually special (not just hatchback special - the only class of car where the only measurable unit of quality is dashboard plastic), it would sell.
Someone should do it.
IME the Renault is pretty refined, very comfortable place to do big miles in. I can personally attest to at least 80,000 miles of trouble free and rattle and squeak free running in 2 Megane RSs (One of them the previous Trophy)
Its build quality is much maligned and the new Trophy is fully smothered in rather fetching alcantara.
Personally i think the Renault looks great in Liquid Yellow and its certainly a colour that gets lots of positive comment from the public at large. I think I prefer the new nose too.
Bear in mind that both of these will attract substantial discounts so the headline prices compared to , say, a Golf R are rather misleading.
I get that not everyone can ignore the 3 dr's or wants such a firm ride 24/7, or wants a more prestigious badge and I understand why PH,CAR and EVO all plump for the Golf R (Or this SEAT )because its close enough on a track or B road and better at the mundane.
But that being said, the fact its one of THE greatest drivers cars ever made easily swings it for me.
Mine due in October
Liquid Yellow, Ohlins, Turinis (But not Cups) + R Link + DAB
Could have got an R instead in the end but I honestly think this is the best compromise
There are so so many reasons why hot hatches are brilliant and deserve to be discussed among cars that were designed to be sports cars and nothing else. If it means using the example from another poster then for 360 days a year transporting adults/kids, shopping, camping equipment, mountain bikes, a new TV, a tonne of garden waste whilst delivering fun at 7/10ths on the road plus 5 days a year at 9/10ths or on a track doesn't that make it a brilliant car more so than 99% of so called sports cars that for 360 days a year are too small to have adults in, offer a boot suitable for a rucksack, less security etc?
Genuinely keen to find out what the view of these cars is, especially the traditional diff versus E-diff since that has got so many people getting their knickers in a twist already!
Your car sounds like it'll be great too, great spec.
Cheers,
Dan
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