The Cupra Leon VZx puts driving enjoyment at the top of its pecking order. Photos: Supplied.
Cupra is a baby brand in Australia – less than three years old.
It’s not as young or brash as the rush of Chinese arrivals but it’s still early days in its Down Under adventure.
That’s not completely true, as Cupra was first here once before as the sporty arm of the Seat brand out of Spain. But now it’s a standalone contender and hoping for good things with a range of SUVs and even a battery-electric contender, the Born.
The basics are well proven despite the unfamiliar badge, since Cupra is part of the giant Volkswagen stable and the cars share the same mechanical package as everything from Skoda to Audi.
The Leon is the car with the most personality, even if it’s the Formentor that cashes in on its SUV status with the best sales, and the VZx is the headline act.
It’s a warm hatch from the same rich vein as the Volkswagen Golf GTi, whose star has faded over recent years with the emphasis on the punchier and more powerful four-wheel-drive Golf R.
There are gold tweaks on the wheels, cabin and the Cupra badge, signalling the VZx is the flagship on the Leon front.
The Leon makes good with front-wheel drive and a turbocharged 2-litre, four-cylinder engine driving through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It’s a familiar combination – again from the Golf – but with Cupra tweaking and a visual feast with everything from gold 19-inch alloys to an elegant five-door hatchback body.
There are gold tweaks also in the cabin and on the Cupra badge, signalling the VZx is the flagship on the Leon front, with a price-tag of $65,690.
It’s not a cheap car by any means, but there are three other grades, starting with the Leon V from $49,190 and its rivals – only a few now, as hot hatches fade from favour – have a similar bottom line.
The design of the VZx turns heads and the cabin is upscale with lovely leather and everything you expect these days, from wireless smartphone connectivity to big display screens and USB connections. But some of the minor switches are fiddly and annoying, including the ‘’haptic’’ switches in the aircon controls, which have now been dumped by Volkswagen after negative comments from owners.
The classy cabin offers comfy leather and all the mod-cons you expect.
The Leon VZx puts driving enjoyment at the top of its pecking order, with good straight-line performance, a snappy gearbox – with paddle shifting – and good grip for cornering and braking. The ride is firm but not brittle, a good thing, which makes it feel more mature and composed in all conditions.
The grippy tyres mean there can be annoying road noise on some surfaces, and it’s another of the Volkswagen Group cars that demand fully loaded 98-octane fuel. Cupra claims fuel economy of 6.8 litres/100 kilometres, but it’s easy to get far worse if you want to play with the VZx.
That’s the good thing about the headline Cupra, because it is refined enough for easy living and sharp enough for play time.
Sporty and suave, it’s a keeper.
Cupra Leon VZx
- Position: Warm hatch
- Price: From $65,690
- Engine: 2-litre turbo four
- Power: 221kW/400Nm
- Transmission: 7-speed DSG, front-wheel drive
- Plus: Sporty, composed, plush
- Minus: Costly, evil haptic controls.
- THE TICK: A hidden gem
Score: 8.5/10.
