Before buying my FR I test drove the big 3 - VXR, ST and Golf GTI (as well as the FR obviously!)
Coming from a rear wheel drive 300 bhp platform I was completely shaken by the VXR & ST; I found the power delivery and resulting torque steer was border line frightening!
I did not like the VXR at all - the torque steer is the worst I have ever experienced and took all of the fun out of a B road blast... Worrying that the next slight bump might send you in to a tree is not my idea of fun! The ST was similar but not quite as bad.
I found the FR (and its stuck up cousin) managed to get the power down a lot more smoothly, I suspect it is partly to do with the lower power but I think the VAGs may have better electroincs... I seem to recall reading that they use Bosch kit, whereas Ford and Vauxhall use their own but I might be wrong on that one so don't flame me if I am, but please do put me right!
I never took a Cupra out - the garage didn't have one and anyway I just had to have the DSG once I'd played with it... I guess I must be from the Playstation Generation! One thing I will say, in real world situations (i.e road driving) 0.8 seconds difference in 0-60 is feck-all - perhaps a car length - what is more important is driver enjoyment and so handling starts to play a bigger part than flat out power. I stopped playing the 'my cars faster than yours' game on the roads a few years back...
On a track its a completely different matter!
I would be interested to know what the torque steer is like in the Cupra, though. Is there any? I suspect there is but that the electronics keep it under control...
fM