Cupra Leon 2025 review – the Golf GTI you want wears a Spanish frock

Cupra has been out on its own as a separate brand from SEAT for more than six years at the time of writing, having come a long way from its debut in 2018 with the Ateca crossover rebadge. No, we’ve not seen some sort of Alpine-rivaling bespoke sports car in that time but there has been a refreshing dedication to driving engagement in most of what Cupra does.

The irony is that no model demonstrates this more than the Cupra Leon hot hatch, the car that started it all back when Cupra was just a flagship ‘hot’ trim and one of few Cupra-branded models that’s still a version of an existing SEAT. We’re not that interested in the lesser models here, rather the upper three petrol-powered options in the range called 300 and 333. These are the flagship 2-litre Leons, the former in hatch form and the latter the all-wheel drive, 328bhp estate. The hatch has performance equivalency to the latest Golf GTI Clubsport.

Having undergone a comprehensive facelift with a more distinctive Cupra-specific styling language, does the latest Cupra Leon elevate itself still further from the car it replaces, and separate itself further from its humble donor car? Does the Cupra Leon 300 still make the most of the same box of bits that underpins the moderately underwhelming Mk8.5 VW Golf GTI?

> Cupra Leon Estate VZ3 2024 review – Cupra’s rival to the Mercedes-AMG CLA35 Shooting Brake

The short answer is that the biggest changes are in what you see – its new, angry ‘shark nose’ face, with the now standardised Cupra triple DRL in each light unit and new ‘Century Bronze’ paint. The updates are more subtle at the rear, with triple light signatures in keeping with what’s going on at the front. There are also new 19-inch wheels on this particular car, that come bundled with big brakes and carbon-backed seats – more on both further in – with VZ3 specification.

If a largely visual makeover has you worried that the Cupra suffers with the same distant tepidity of the Golfs then we have good news. It always was and still is a far more engaging driving machine, even perhaps than the latest Golf GTI Clubsport.

Do you almost wear the Cupra Leon 300 like you do the total-engagement Honda Civic Type R? Not at all. It’s still no pretender to Golf Mk7 Clubsport S or Leon Sub8 status in the VAG hot hatch hall of fame but it delivers a pleasantly surprising level of enjoyment by comparison with its current VW-badged cousins.

Cupra Leon: in detail 

• Engine, gearbox and technical highlights > Turbo four pulls hard, if not to the redline. Augmented sounds are strange. PHEV sadly takes the place of the old entry-level 2-litre.
• Performance and 0-60mph time > Limits of front-drive traction made up for by sharp-shifting dual-clutch
• Ride and handling > Less precise, yet more agile and engaging than a GTI Clubsport
• MPG and running costs > Mostly sits in the 30s, making it fine by modern hot hatchback standards
• Interior and tech > Improved digital interfaces still ultimately flawed in concept, cabin nicely trimmed, bucket seats are excellent.
• Design > New ‘shark nose’ face lends more distinction between Cupra and SEAT.
• Living with it > Our six months with the pre-facelift free of fuss or bother, but also low on impact

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Prices and specs

The relatively diverse Leon range is split between trim levels and powertrain options, all of which are well equipped, with additional options generally limited. The entry-level Cupra Leon V1 with the 148bhp turbocharged four-cylinder engine starts at £31,090, but is most definitely more commuter car than hot hatchback. Likewise the new PHEV 201bhp e-Hybrid which starts from £38,940 and sadly, the 268bhp 272 e-Hybrid, from £42,075. There is no longer a Cupra Leon that uses the 'basic' Golf GTI engine, either in its old 242bhp form or the new car's 261bhp form.

Only the 296bhp Cupra Leon 300 remains as a proper, pure petrol powered hot hatch. It starts from £41,465 for a VZ1, coming as standard with the multi-stage adaptive dampers. As above, you don’t get the fancy wheels, big brakes or bucket seats, which only come as standard on the £47,860 VZ3. The Golf GTI in its most basic form does start cheaper, at just over £40k but with the right wheels and the optional adaptive chassis control added, that rises to over £42k. A Clubsport with Adaptive Chassis control and all but the basic wheels will set you back around £45k. 

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With the departure of the Hyundai i30N, Honda Civic Type R now sits in a class of one as an all-time hot hatch great. Few, if any rivals, are able to match the its enthusiastic character, coming in with a sweet balance and top-level engagement. A hot hatchback has rarely been more exciting or capable, though from £50,050 (at the end of 2024) it's a pretty expensive thing

Of the VW Group stablemates, it’s the Golf GTI Clubsport that’s the most capable of a fairly average group, with no real standouts in the class despite there being multiple superstars in the previous generation. The Golf is considerably more expensive, as you’ll need to option the Clubsport up to around £45k to match the Leon’s specification.

Want AWD but still want a hatch? The choice is between a Golf R for similar money to a top-spec Leon (with DCC and a few options), the new BMW M135 starting from £43k and the more expensive Mercedes-AMG A35 from £46k. The premium German badges do offer a bit more brand appeal as well as heightened fit and finish for the cash compared to the Cupra, if not the scrappy driving thrills to match.