Seat Leon Cupra/ Cupra R (2000-) Review

Comfort and Equipment

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Not too bad, given its sporting pretensions. The seats are hugely adjustable and the steering wheel moves for both reach and rake. Those seats, incidentally, are firm and supportive, especially on the Cupra R, whose front seats are more sculpted. If the ride on the standard Cupra is firmish, then on the Cupra R it's properly firm, so the former is obviously a more relaxing place to travel long distances. Same goes with road roar, which is worse on the larger-wheeled Cupra R. Wind noise is well suppressed on both models, however, and the standard six-speed gearbox's long top ratio keeps the engine turning over quietly at a cruise. The Cupra truly earns the four-star comfort rating; the R, maybe three and a half. For a car in the small family sector, the Leon provides quite a bit of room, especially up front. Though sports front seats cut into rear passenger space, those in the back don't go short either. And like the Toledo saloon, the boot is generous, thanks in no small part to the high boot-line. Both Cupra models come with a decent-sounding RDS radio-cassette with six-disc CD changer as standard, but the unit is not intuitive to use, particularly when it comes to tuning the radio. Satellite navigation is an expensive option at nearly two grand.