SEAT Leon Cupra 290 (MK3) 2019 Review

[Syphon]

Review courtesy of forum moderator Jimbobcook



Last week I had the pleasure of driving the SEAT Leon Cupra MK3 290 2019 hatchback, it’s the first time I’ve driven a MK3 Leon and the first time I’ve really got to use a DSG gearbox. I currently own a MK2 Leon Cupra R which you may find in quite a few comparisons during this review as it seems the natural progression from the MK2 Cupra R to MK3 Leon.



*Please note that I am not a professional reviewer, I haven’t been looking at the specs sheets for the Cupra since it came out, I’m just a normal guy with the mental age of 5 who likes cars and needs spell check at least 5 times a paragraph…*



This is the car in question, loving the Magnetic Tech colour which is my current favourite now that Desire red is being replaced with Emocion red and 3000 miles on the clock. Please ignore any dirty marks or splattered flies etc it seems near me we have...

Continue reading...

 

[Deleted member 103408]

As always good review. There are some more pics of the car on the meet thread, Its a very nice car but the latest incarnation does seem to be missing some of the good stuff the earlier cars had but these things are all subjective and personal.

 

[Syphon]

When do you start work for Autocar or Top Gear?
An excellent review and far better than most of the mainline publications.

I'm sure you read on the article but @Jimbobcook wrote this review and did a top job.

 

[Jimbobcook]

When do you start work for Autocar or Top Gear?
An excellent review and far better than most of the mainline publications.

Haha thanks very much, I normally leave out most tech stuff with numbers and figures and just write like it's a guide for someone on how to use it lol something I quite enjoy.

As always good review. There are some more pics of the car on the meet thread, Its a very nice car but the latest incarnation does seem to be missing some of the good stuff the earlier cars had but these things are all subjective and personal.

You bringing that conversation back up lol yes I think you're right a few things I like but like you said a few things missing which wouldn't of cost much I assume...

I'm sure you read on the article but @Jimbobcook wrote this review and did a top job.

Thanks very much

 

[Damo H]

@Jimbobcook Nice review

Agree 100% the Mk3, especially the facelift is much more of a sleeper than it should be! I miss the diffuser and exhaust on the Mk 2 UK Spec Cupra R. And the colours! What happened to the Mk1 Yellow! Or the Mk3’s green. Oh and that purple!

Proble is, what will work with the copper going forward. A nice bright blue, but then your heading towards Subaru and Clio Williams territory...

oh and need to get your dB meter next to mine, I’d be interested to know what it’s doing...

 

[Jimbobcook]

@Jimbobcook Nice review

Agree 100% the Mk3, especially the facelift is much more of a sleeper than it should be! I miss the diffuser and exhaust on the Mk 2 UK Spec Cupra R. And the colours! What happened to the Mk1 Yellow! Or the Mk3’s green. Oh and that purple!

Proble is, what will work with the copper going forward. A nice bright blue, but then your heading towards Subaru and Clio Williams territory...

oh and need to get your dB meter next to mine, I’d be interested to know what it’s doing...

Thanks very much,

Yeah colours are a tough one, I'm sure there is plenty out there I think the bright green the Mk3 had would work maybe...

Yeah the mk2 had it nailed with the diffuser etc I guess the cars grown up a little since then haha

No worries its normally in the boot I think lol

 

[Damo H]

Thanks very much,

Yeah colours are a tough one, I'm sure there is plenty out there I think the bright green the Mk3 had would work maybe...

Yeah the mk2 had it nailed with the diffuser etc I guess the cars grown up a little since then haha

No worries its normally in the boot I think lol

So when are you getting one lol

 

[Jimbobcook]

So when are you getting one lol

When mine sells...

 

[mildmanneredjon]

A very good review @Jimbobcook. I'd say you definitely have a career in car reviews. It's nice to get a more personal touch in a review than the "paid for" ones. I've got a Leon ST Cupra on order (hopefully arriving sometime in the next ?? years!!) which will be my first one. I have an iPhone so will be interested to see if the Apple CarPlay also suffers from the lag you experienced with Android.

 

[Jimbobcook]

A very good review @Jimbobcook. I'd say you definitely have a career in car reviews. It's nice to get a more personal touch in a review than the "paid for" ones. I've got a Leon ST Cupra on order (hopefully arriving sometime in the next ?? years!!) which will be my first one. I have an iPhone so will be interested to see if the Apple CarPlay also suffers from the lag you experienced with Android.

Thanks very much, it's something I enjoy so I guess it's everything I don't see in current reviews on mainstream stuff... i'd love to do it for a hobby but getting the cars would be tricky from someone who has only done 2 reviews my own car and this one lol Also i'm not sure mainstream is ready for my sense of humour haha

Yeah delivery times seem to be out there some what but it will be worth it when it arrives!

As for the lag i'm not sure if it was me being impatient as I work in IT I like quick things and as I said my phone is 3 years old, I assume being Apple it will be quite a bit smoother by design.

 

[Jimbobcook]

3 years old in iPhone terms is a brick, no wonder you've got lag.

Haha I agree with an iPhone but I have a near 3 year old OnePlus 3T Android phone which isn't a slouch even by today's standard lol

CPU: Snapdragon 821
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 64GB
Battery: 3,400mAh
Rear camera: 16MP
Front camera: 16MP

 

[Hawkers]

Haha I agree with an iPhone but I have a near 3 year old OnePlus 3T Android phone which isn't a slouch even by today's standard lol

CPU: Snapdragon 821
RAM: 6GB
Storage: 64GB
Battery: 3,400mAh
Rear camera: 16MP
Front camera: 16MP

Rocking a OnePlus 3 here and rapid all the time.

 

[Jairm88]

Great review @Jimbobcook!! I’d say you pretty much hit the nail on the head!! I find my Mk3 Cupra to be an amazing mile muncher and straight line car but my Mk2 Cupra feels like more of an event to drive, It’s less refined and for a noisy spirited drive it’s great!!

 

[AndrewJB]

Well done @Jimbobcook reviewing cars is hard isn't it! What did you use for your db readings? tempted to stick them behind the Porsche and get some readings off that! ROFL

I do miss my MK3 Cupra, I miss my MK2 LCR even more... but the car I miss the most was my MK2 FR TDI with 3" straight through.

 

[Jimbobcook]

Well done @Jimbobcook reviewing cars is hard isn't it! What did you use for your db readings? tempted to stick them behind the Porsche and get some readings off that! ROFL

I do miss my MK3 Cupra, I miss my MK2 LCR even more... but the car I miss the most was my MK2 FR TDI with 3" straight through.

Thanks very much, but I have to say that I find doing car reviews very easy as I write it as myself so I don't need to re word anything to sound fancy etc like mainstream stuff lol I could easily do it as a job I think.

As for the db meter it was just one of Amazon I think, had it a while so not sure what it is... Cost about £30 I think

I've got something you could do... Sell the Porsche and get a MK2 and MK3 so you have the whole set, 3 is clearly better than 2 and I assume with a stage 1 on the MK3 it would keep up with the Porsche stock for alot less money going by starting prices for a Porsche...

Sorted haha

 

[AndrewJB]

haha unfortunately even a 2.0tfsi with straight pipes wouldn't sound anything like a 3.4 flat 6.

 

[Jimbobcook]

haha unfortunately even a 2.0tfsi with straight pipes wouldn't sound anything like a 3.4 flat 6.

Get a cheap Harley Davidson as well lol the best sounding engine ever

I'm full of options haha

 

[Deleted member 103408]

And i suspect the Cupra is cheaper to buy bits for vs the Porche.

 

[AndrewJB]

And i suspect the Cupra is cheaper to buy bits for vs the Porche.

oh yeh 100% haha

 

[ChrisM75]

I very much appreciate that the Cupra is quite understated these days. VAG seem to be leaving the boy racer colours and image to Skoda.