TEST Cupra Leon Sportstourer 310 HP – a recognizable small station wagon

The slogan of the Spanish brand was: “Automatic Emoción”. We check if there is still a grain of truth in these words and if you can find any emotions in the family station wagon. Here is a test Cupra Leon VZ ST with a more powerful engine of 310 horses, which not everyone recognizes on the street.

In the old days Cupra meant the strongest and most extreme models of Kiti. Today it is a small brand with its own logo and a different approach to the customer. Although you can also have the Cupra Leona Sportstourer with a diesel engine, we found the most powerful version, the 2.0 TSI with 310 HP.

How does the Cupra Leon Sportstourer drive?

The drive unit comes from the Golf R, so we are dealing with a 2.0 TSI engine with a power of 310 HP. As befits four-cylinder turbo engines, power and torque (400 Nm) are not available here.

The engine is very smooth and there is no effect of turbo lag. However, we have reservations about the operation of the gearbox. These are the 7 most popular steps DSG, and the Cupra Leon suffers from a common VAG car problem with this gearbox. Its program focuses on ecology and keeps the engine at the lowest speed. This means that when driving at a speed of 60 km / h we drive in the 6th gear, sometimes even in the 7th gear. This, in turn, means that the engine needs time to “turn around”, and if we do the trick the faster, it becomes uncomfortable. In turn, when we press the gas pedal very hard, the gearbox shifts down 3-4 gears and the car goes out. We can also use the game mode, but then the revs are too high, the fuel consumption increases and the noise is annoying. Minimum RPM should be 1500-1600, not 1100.

Talking about the sound, the exhaust of the Cupra is very well maintained. It has a bass sound and you can tell that we are dealing with a powerful car. Loudspeaker amplification system is not really necessary here. Firstly, it looks very artificial, and secondly, with a good exhaust system at the input, it was enough to increase the opening valve in sports mode to make the sound from the 310 horse engine even more. It’s also worth adding that the four exhaust tips are real, not fake.

The suspension is stiff, but not overly so, the car takes bumps well, although the 19-inch rims with low-quality tires make us feel the rocks and potholes quite strongly. It can be said that the Cupra Leon is a compromise between the comfort of everyday use and sports. That’s what this car is all about.

The steering system is very accurate, the power steering is not too strong and you feel a pleasant resistance. The Cupra is very impressive in corners. A 4Drive transmission and 235/35/19 tires anchor the sports station wagon to the ground. The driver can be confident.

Details of the Cupra Leon in the most powerful version are revealing

The VZ version is distinguished by four exhaust tips, lowered sills, a rear diffuser and 19-inch rims. Inside you’ll find comfortable leather-trimmed bucket seats, along with plenty of brass accents. Cupra Leon impresses with details. Brass elements look good here, both on the rims, body and interior.

Leona armchairs should be considered as an example. They are very beautiful in appearance, pleasant to the touch, not too difficult, and just look at them! The only thing missing is lumbar adjustment, but you can live without it.

The interior of the Cupra is modern, even very modern, because we lack buttons

The design of the cabin is very modern, with the continuation of brass accents, many practical storage areas and a steering wheel with a sloping edge that fits perfectly in your hands. It’s not that we don’t like touch screens, but only if they work quickly. Here, the infotainment system tends to be congested, sometimes the system needs time to execute commands, and when we drive this car is not the response we expect. In addition, in our unit it happened that the radio volume button did not work for several seconds or the climate buttons did not respond.

Our Cupra had the optional Beats sound system, but unfortunately when driving at speeds over 100 km/h it was impossible to hear the lyrics or what the announcer was saying. When we turned up the volume, the music became annoying. Changing the sound modes didn’t help much. Maybe it’s a matter of how quiet the car is or how loud the tires are. This is definitely not a car for the audiophile.

Cupra Leon Sportstourer is an athlete and a good father

Fast and powerful station wagons have a lot of variety. If you want to go crazy, use the button with the Cupra logo on the steering wheel to switch between sports driving mode or “Cupra” mode with fire! The exhaust becomes louder, the gas response is quicker, and the gearbox shifts down, accompanied by gentle shots from the exhaust. A smile appears on your face instinctively. But at some point you have to come down to earth, because you have bought a practical station wagon in which you transport your family. You change the driving mode again, this time to comfort, and enjoy the spacious interior, comfortable seats and 620 liters of trunk. And this is important for station wagons. In the Cupra Leon Sportstourer, it is very shapely and the floor has two levels, which increases the cargo capacity. The car works well as a family car.

Is it worth buying a Cupra Leona Sportstourer?

If you want a fast station wagon, good looking and practical – definitely yes! Some people might be bothered by stiff suspension or big rims that are easy to tear, but you wanted a car with more than 300 horsepower!

There is no denying that station wagons had to give way to SUVs and crossovers, which is why there are fewer and fewer “wagons” on the market. The Cupra Leon Sportstourer basically has no competition. The direct rival is the sister VW Golf R model with a 320 HP engine and a price starting at PLN 255,590. A little cheaper, for less than PLN 200,000. PLN we can have Ford Focus ST X with 280 HP engine. And it will be. Cupra reaches the premium segment, but still not as good as BMW, Volvo or Mercedes. Besides, powerful station wagons are more expensive there.

Cupra Leon Sportstourer with 310 HP engine costs at least PLN 195,200 on our market. The car is causing a lot of confusion especially among people who don’t know much about cars. The bronze badge is still unrecognizable and people are often asked: Excuse me, what brand is this? For people who do not like to be open, this can be a very good argument.