Cupra questions - advice please!

[james.g]

OK, here goes.
I need to replace my current car and I’ve whittled down a shortlist to the following:
Leon Cupra (FL)
VW Golf Gti
Skoda Octavia vRS
Focus ST
Mazda 3 MPS
(I’m restricted to 5 doors due to company car policy)

Now each has strengths and weaknesses, although I can imagine the support will be fairly strong here for the SEAT.!

I’ve not managed to find a dealer anywhere near me who has a facelift Cupra I can test drive – or even look at! I’ve had a look in a facelift FR and driven a pre-facelift Cupra as well as a K1 and now have a few questions.

1. Is there any mechanical limited slip diff on the facelift car?
2. Is the factory nav system any good?
3. How do you cope with getting the power to a sat nav on the windscreen?
4. What does the leather look like ‘in the flesh’?
5. Are the trim materials on the Cupra any better than the FR? – seemed a bit plastic to me
6. Is there a limitation on number of folders or tracks on the USB input?

I’d also welcome any relevant and balanced advice on the benefits of the Cupra vs the other cars on the above list.

Thanks
James

 

[jezyg]

OK, here goes.
I need to replace my current car and I’ve whittled down a shortlist to the following:
Leon Cupra (FL)
VW Golf Gti
Skoda Octavia vRS
Focus ST
Mazda 3 MPS
(I’m restricted to 5 doors due to company car policy)

Now each has strengths and weaknesses, although I can imagine the support will be fairly strong here for the SEAT.!

I’ve not managed to find a dealer anywhere near me who has a facelift Cupra I can test drive – or even look at! I’ve had a look in a facelift FR and driven a pre-facelift Cupra as well as a K1 and now have a few questions.

1. Is there any mechanical limited slip diff on the facelift car?
2. Is the factory nav system any good?
3. How do you cope with getting the power to a sat nav on the windscreen?
4. What does the leather look like ‘in the flesh’?
5. Are the trim materials on the Cupra any better than the FR? – seemed a bit plastic to me
6. Is there a limitation on number of folders or tracks on the USB input?

I’d also welcome any relevant and balanced advice on the benefits of the Cupra vs the other cars on the above list.

Thanks
James

1. No mechanical diff but a very good electronic diff XDS same as Golf GTi/GTD
2. Seem very good, and for the price but is CD only based on FL Leon.
3 There are several sockets for 12v or you could do your own feed.
4 Not seen but others have leather and I am sure will give theri opinion.
5 Interior trim is the same in the Cupra and FR.
6 Not that I am aware of or have come across.

Golf is the better made ST has the edge on handling and a great sounding engine, VRS has the most space, don't know enough about the new MPS.

 

[KzJF]

6. Is there a limitation on number of folders or tracks on the USB input?

I got my MK2 1.8 FL hooked to 8GB worth of music on my mp3, sorted in multiple folders on multiple levels [folders inside folders etc.]

Regarding the other questions, I'll leave 'em for the wiser mates.

 

[Rob100]

Have a look at this guide for the sat nav wiring

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=183644

I used it, but managed to avoid soldering the wiring by dismantling the plug. When I reassembled the plug it holds the wires solid in place. It's easy to follow, quick and looks very tidy.

I had a look at some of the same cars as you, but went for the common rail FR as it worked out £90 cheaper per month on my car scheme compared to the petrol FR once you had factored in the company car tax. Plus you get a better mpg, but nowhere near the 50mpg Seat quote. I've managed an average of 41mpg for my first 3k miles!

 

[james.g]

Thanks for the replies.

The hard wire installation for a portable sat nav looks like the kind of thing i'd do if i didn't get the factory nav unit. Very neat.

Sticking to petrol for the next car as i'll be doing less mileage and won't see the benefit of diesel.

The new Mazda 3 MPS has a proper limited slip diff, and the slightly odd suspension settings apart, is very rapid with good traction (standard car 0-60 recorded as low as 5.1 secs!!) but has a relatively small boot and silly small screen for the sat nav. Not overly keen on the trim either, but then apart from the Octavia, i was disappointed with the interiors of all the cars, which are lower rent than my current car.

If anyone has experience of the cross stiched leather seats i'd be interested.

Also, is the trim in the Cupra all black? The FR i looked at was quite grey.

 

[jezyg]

Thanks for the replies.

The hard wire installation for a portable sat nav looks like the kind of thing i'd do if i didn't get the factory nav unit. Very neat.

Sticking to petrol for the next car as i'll be doing less mileage and won't see the benefit of diesel.

The new Mazda 3 MPS has a proper limited slip diff, and the slightly odd suspension settings apart, is very rapid with good traction (standard car 0-60 recorded as low as 5.1 secs!!) but has a relatively small boot and silly small screen for the sat nav. Not overly keen on the trim either, but then apart from the Octavia, i was disappointed with the interiors of all the cars, which are lower rent than my current car.

If anyone has experience of the cross stiched leather seats i'd be interested.

Also, is the trim in the Cupra all black? The FR i looked at was quite grey.

Not sure what you have come from but agree the quality of the interiors is a bit cheap in places, Golf is the best of the bunch. I have come from an FL 1 Series which is a very well screwed together interior not quite 3 Series but better than the Leon.

But the overall package and the part's you interact with all felt good, in fact the gearchange was less baulky in the FR than the 118d and just more fun to drive, once on the move the lower rent interior did not seem to matter. GTD was also on our list but did not seem worth the 4k more over the FR for a very similar to drive car.

The MPS is the fastest of the bunch but was told from someone who testdrove one it struggled to get the power down and seemed crude next to the GTi, or ST. Cupra is a good value compromise. You really need to get out there and go for a testdrive in you chosen few.

 

[SteveTDCi]

If P11'd price is important then the Octavia would be the only choice out of that list, if you given cash for for car then it won't be an issue. I've gone from an A3 to the cupra and while the interior isn't as good as the audi its more than exceptable and besides its the performance that puts a smile on your face not the smooth operation of a heated rear window switch being pressed

 

[AJSanderson]

I assume you will be doing a lot of miles - The comfort of the seats and the general ride quality would be of great consideration. My company insists on giving me a Focus as a hire car, and after two hours driving my legs begin to ache and there is a slight vibration through the gear stick if you rest your hand on it while driving. I do not suffer any of this when I drive my own Seat ( bought through choice not a company car).
But then my opinion would be bias towards the Seat as I am an owner.

 

[Poverty]

the only car on your list that can touch the cupra, std vs std is the mazda

if your not gonna remap it get the mazda

 

[james.g]

the only car on your list that can touch the cupra, std vs std is the mazda

if your not gonna remap it get the mazda

That is exactly what i've been thinking!


I've actually driven the Golf, ST and MPS but not the (latest) Octavia vRS. As i mentioned previously i've not driven the current Cupra, only the pre FL and K1.

Regarding traction, the MPS is on a par with the ST and notably better than the pre FL Cupra i drove, hence my query as to whether the latest has a mechanical LSD. Obviously the Ford revo-knuckle on the RS or the equivalent on the RenaultSport (that Ford copied) would be ideal, but they're 3-door and hence verboten

For your amusement, here's what i have gleaned so far from my test 'drivings'

Focus ST (5 door)
Rubbish exterior styling. The interior is from the cheaper titanium model but you still pay the premium price. Interior material quality is poor. Driving position is good. Handling is precise and engaging. Good brakes. Lots of mid-range power. Overall, i couldn't live with the bland exterior styling and feeling i'd been shortchanged on the interior trim.

Golf GTi
Nice fit and finish, although material quality still isn't that good. Styling OK outside, VERY boring inside, if functional. Seats are not very comfortable. Very responsive engine but noticeably slower than the Focus. You seem to get more feel of the handling but it's not as 'chuckable' as the Focus. Overall, solid car & Bluefin is an option to get the performance on par

Mazda 3 MPS
Good build quality (on a par with the VW) but materials lacking - although better than the Focus. Boot is quite small. Handling is 'odd' and i can see why it's got some so-so reviews, but tweaking the roll bar bushes would probably resolve. Traction is very good and turn-in positive. Not convinced on the steering feel though. VERY quick and diesel like mid-range go. Overall, entertaining car that is a bit mad

Cupra K1
Liked the exterior styling (in white) but the interior has some odd layouts, although nothing you couldn't get used to. Nice seats. Interior styling is OK and materials OK but not great, somewhere between the Focus and MPS. Quite rorty engine note and plenty of go, although not in the same class as the MPS - and by more than the 16bhp difference would suggest. Bluefin would probably resolve that! Neat handling, if not as precise as the Golf or forgiving as the Focus, but very good - more balanced than the MPS.


One thing i didn't mention before. I also have a 'left field' option for an Alfa 159ti 1750TBI, which may not be as quick as the rest but knocks spots off all of them in terms of materials and style.

Hmm

The front runners are realistically the Cupra and the MPS, but i'm really having difficulty weighing up the pro's and con's..
Could i fit all my parephenalia in the boot of the MPS?
Are the leather seats in the new Cupra funky enough to give the interor that extra flair.

BTW, my current car is a Mazda 6 sport which has the same interior as the 6 MPS minus a few badges...

 

[Poverty]

If your gonna map then cupra all the way, there doesnt seem to be any maps out for the mps. Cupra has no mechanical lsd option, just a electronic one