Make – SEAT
Model – Leon
Sub Model – Cupra R
Year – 2010
Engine – 2ltr
Colour – Speed Blue
Power – 265 BHP / 258 ft-lb
Model – Leon
Sub Model – Cupra R
Year – 2010
Engine – 2ltr
Colour – Speed Blue
Power – 265 BHP / 258 ft-lb
Before I start I would like to let you know that I am far from a professional reviewer so below is a real human (sober) review of day to day events and general thoughts along with plenty of rubbish grammer/spelling and lack of technical facts.
I purchased my Cupra R (Shirley) in January of 2018 having loved my previous 2007 Leon TFSI FR, it seems that the MK2 Leon is one of my favourite cars to date due to the solid parts from VW which is then passed over to the not so boring Spanish who made a lovely shape that I think will stand the test of time.
I got the car stock as far as I could tell and it looked like it had been well looked after, currently on 34,000 miles with a full SEAT service history. After purchasing I had the dreaded long journey home listening for any noises that may cost me money but all seemed well, the journey very quickly turned from a casual drive to testing out what I had bought.
Performance:
The 2ltr engine produces a smile making 265 BHP and 258 ft-lb of torque and a 0-60mph time of 6.2 seconds, which in non-technical terms means you go from stationary to needing new pants quicker than you can drink a pint of beer. I have recently driven a 2015 Golf R (300) which admittedly felt more refined with regards to acceleration but my Cupra R feels more savage in its power delivery which in my mind makes it more of an experience, which in turn makes me happy. I find that now the car is 8 years old that the engine sounds a little loud, but I'm sure that's to do with either the lack/poor design of the sound insulation or I need to get the car in for a Terraclean to see if I can clean it out a little.
When moving from a standstill I find that 1st and 2nd are pretty much just there to see you to 40 then once 3rd kicks in you are all good to speeds that should only be done on the Autobhan (it's fun).
Brakes:
Normally brakes wouldn’t get their own section but I find that these brakes are worth it, the standard option are 345mm vented discs, it took some getting used to as once pressed you get a very sharp jolt to let you know that the brakes are doing their job, but I find that once over that first press you don’t get much feedback for further pressing like it was all or nothing from the beginning. Also, worth noting that getting in a normal car afterwards makes it feel like you’ll never stop in time, the time in my partners fiesta has been entertaining to say the least.
Goodies:
With the R’s on the MK2 they added more stuff as they went on, as mine is the first model I got Heated folding mirrors, tinted windows, black Potenza alloys, short shift Cupra gear stick, Bluetooth module for the RNS 310, full leather seats, Bi-Xenon headlights.
Styling:
I’ve been a fan of the MK2 Leon for quite some time now and the Cupra R in Speed Blue was too good to let go. My Cupra R came with 19-inch 5 twin spoke Potenza alloys in black, I’ve found that if these wheels get stone chipped it’s quite obvious and as such I have had to touch one wheel up already. It’s good to see the R badge front and centre on the front grill and then again on the back, it shows off the brand but not going over the top, since buying the car I have added the Cupra badge on the front bumper which definitely adds to the looks. The exterior of the car doesn’t have many issues in my personal taste but they could have fitted a shark fin antenna and front splitter to greatly improve the look.
Interior:
This is the SEAT’s downfall in my eyes, everything on the centre console looks almost lost in the vast space available. No boost gauges to be seen, fancy pedals with the R badge on or a glove box that can fit more than the service manual, half a bag of Aldi Juicy sweets and the ODBEleven dongle… But what they did put in was some bloody nice seats! I’m normally not a fan of full leather as my body seems to run hot so leather makes me sweat a lot on long journeys but with these I have been most comfortable, they keep even the skinny lanky guys like me in position. Then when you look at the back of them you get possibly the most annoying (to keep clean) Gloss black plastic rear, which when cleaned properly looks like a mirror and gives the car that extra race car feel until someone puts a scratch in the plastic… It’s almost like curbing your alloys when you see it. One final downside is the lack of factory fitted arm rests for the front, surely this is billy basics for any car of this price range.
Going into the back I’m happy to say that being a 6ft 2 guy I don’t normally fit very well in the back of hatchbacks so when I sat behind the driver’s seat which is setup for me I could fit easily and swing my knees around, this is a big win knowing that I do give people lifts and I know I no longer need to move my seat forward to get them in. Also, the leather flows across all 3 seats and even onto the door trims… mmmm nice!
Going further back into the boot is also a nice sight as the boot is pretty big with 341 litres (thanks Google) of space, again in human terms that’s about 5 big Tesco bags for life, 2 crates of beer and my goodie holder with screen wash etc inside. Also located in the boot on the left is a little netted cubby hole which I am yet to find a use for apart from the cd case for the Sat Nav.
