Clever plug-in hybrid powertrain in a hot Leon hatch sounds more uniquely appealing than it turns out to be
This is the revised Cupra Leon, now wearing bronze badges and with no Seat branding, following on from the bespoke Cupra Formentor model that really hits a mark. Not sure whether this does, though.This test car is a performance plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant, with 242bhp and 295lb ft, featuring a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol mated to an electric motor. With a 12.8kWh battery, it has a pure electric range of 31 miles, and you can set the minimum level it’ll discharge to, in case you want to save some juice for a zero-emissions zone. The drive units both sit under the bonnet and it’s front-wheel driveAlso front drive, incidentally, will be 242bhp and 296bhp 2.0-litre turbo pure-petrol units. And then the 2.0-litre 306bhp engine and four-wheel drive system as tested in the Formentor will also be available in the Cupra Leon, but in the estate version only rather than in this hatchback.The Cupra Leon sits 25mm lower at the front and 20mm lower at the rear than the regular Seat Leon, for a lower centre of gravity. There are struts at the front and a multi-link set-up at the rear, and big 370mm brake discs behind 19in rims and 235/35 R19 Goodyear Eagle F1s. All quite sporty. Cupra Leon eHybrid 2020 UK review
2 months ago
2
Clever plug-in hybrid powertrain in a hot Leon hatch sounds more uniquely appealing than it turns out to be
This is the revised Cupra Leon, now wearing bronze badges and with no Seat branding, following on from the bespoke Cupra Formentor model that really hits a mark. Not sure whether this does, though.This test car is a performance plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant, with 242bhp and 295lb ft, featuring a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol mated to an electric motor. With a 12.8kWh battery, it has a pure electric range of 31 miles, and you can set the minimum level it’ll discharge to, in case you want to save some juice for a zero-emissions zone. The drive units both sit under the bonnet and it’s front-wheel driveAlso front drive, incidentally, will be 242bhp and 296bhp 2.0-litre turbo pure-petrol units. And then the 2.0-litre 306bhp engine and four-wheel drive system as tested in the Formentor will also be available in the Cupra Leon, but in the estate version only rather than in this hatchback.The Cupra Leon sits 25mm lower at the front and 20mm lower at the rear than the regular Seat Leon, for a lower centre of gravity. There are struts at the front and a multi-link set-up at the rear, and big 370mm brake discs behind 19in rims and 235/35 R19 Goodyear Eagle F1s. All quite sporty. 
English (United States)