The all-steel monocoque body of the Leon Cupra has steel body panels and, in early form, looked very similar to the standard Leon hatch. SEAT added 17-inch alloy wheels and some subtle badging, but it wasn't until the R arrived it began to stand out more from the crowd. The R brought deeper front and rear bumpers, with the front sporting the trademark cooling slot just beneath the badge grille.
One of the R's additions was a front splitter, but this has become something of a bugbear among owners as it's easily damaged and torn off on speed bumps and steep driveways. Unfortunately, it's one of those things owners will simply have to learn to live with, either replacing it as necessary or doing without it. There is no point trying to attach the splitter more securely to the bumper as it will only result in damaging the bumper and causing a much more pricey repair.
Another common complaint early in the Leon Cupra's life was the rear wiper, which offered a very minimal sweep of the rear screen. The easy and quick fix is to the replace the SEAT rear wiper with one from a contemporary Skoda Fabia Estate, which solves the problem completely.
While at the back of the car, make sure the rear towing eye cover is in place and secure as this often works loose and hang by its plastic umbilical cord. Also check the lights at all four corners for condensation and cracks. Give the bodywork a good check over for stone chips as the paint seems to be more susceptible on the Leon than other VW Group cars of the era. There should be no corrosion, so any car with rust has likely been badly repaired after an accident.
PHer's view:
"In general I loved the experience. Would I have one again? No. Would I recommend it to a friend? Yes, especially for the price they go for now."
Ben Dawson
