The Seat Leon Cupra breezes into February

Well, we got through January unscathed! I’m referring to me and my long-term companion, the excellent Seat Leon Cupra 300 we currently have on loan.

If you happened to read my previous report about the car, you might recall that we had a bit of a torrid time of it in the run-up to Christmas, with a couple of fairly major window-based repairs needed in quick succession.

First off, the windscreen had to be replaced after a stray stone chip left a long hairline crack right across the glass, and then there was a bizarre incident in which the passenger window gave up the will to live and basically smashed itself to smithereens as the sun came up one frosty morning on the south coast. (I’m fairly sure no-one believes me when I tell them what happened on that occasion, but never mind.)

Having got through the festive season in one piece, the first month of 2018 has also passed without incident or accident, I’m pleased to say.

So, what have we been up to lately?

Well, I guess it’s been the usual mixture of work and family duties – and sadly nothing adventurous enough to warrant the use of the roof bars Seat attached to our loan car, just trips to my usual haunts of rural Gloucestershire and west London.

Nevertheless, I’m pleased to report that the stylish little Seat continues to impress. The Spanish manufacturer says the Leon Cupra has always stood out for its scintillating performance, striking design and alluring price and quality – and it’s hard to disagree, with the 300 range taking things to the next level.

In fact, at the time of writing, it was revealed that Cupra cars will stand out even more in future – Seat is turning Cupra into a completely separate brand, which will make its official debut on February 22.

Looking at the wider picture as far as Seat is concerned, the company really is on a roll at the moment. In a UK new car market that was down five per cent year-on-year in 2017, Seat posted growth of almost 20 per cent – an incredible achievement.

Incidentally, a neighbour of mine has just taken delivery of his Ateca SUV – several months, not weeks, after placing his order! An indication of high levels of demand if ever there was one.

Hopefully anyone wanting a Leon Cupra 300 won’t have to wait as long – it would be an extremely frustrating delay.

I can’t think of a car I have driven recently that has been so much fun – and that’s largely because for a small car it packs an extremely powerful punch. Not so much a hot hatch as one that’s pretty much reached boiling point!

In case you were wondering, the 300 in the name refers to the 300PS output of its uprated 2.0-litre petrol engine (296bhp if you prefer it that way).

More importantly, the car’s maximum torque has increased from 350Nm to no less than 380Nm, across an impressive range too, from 1,800 to 5,500rpm.

With such a wide band, the result is a thrilling and powerful response, from the engine barely ticking over all the way up to hitting the rev limiter.

For drivers to get the most out of the car, it comes with dynamic chassis control, a progressive steering system and electronic self-locking differential as standard.

Its dynamic qualities can be adapted thanks to the Cupra Drive Profile, too.

There are four modes to choose from – Comfort, Sport, Individual and Cupra – the last one of which delivers what must be pretty close to the ultimate in hot-hatch performance if you’re feeling particularly boy-racerish.

That’s not quite the profile that fits me, I must confess – but Cupra mode delivers a fantastic experience nonetheless and the car is certainly proving a useful member of the fleet, having notched up just shy of 6,000 miles in its time with us so far.

It’ll be a sad day when it’s recalled to Seat HQ.

By Dave Brown

Model: Seat Leon Cupra 300
Price (as tested): £32,025
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol
Power: 296bhp
Torque: 380Nm
Max speed: 155mph
0-60mph: 5.5 seconds
MPG (combined): 40.9
Emissions: 158g/km
Mileage (to date): 5,895