The SOH has to get a new car and is drawn towards the Leon Cupra 290. I’ve read a few reviews on the motor sites and they are all very positive but would like to hear any experiences/views/opinions, good or bad, from everyday drivers of the cars.

Thanks in advance

The Focus RS is meant to be much easier to live with on a day to day basis.

auto express rated it top of the pile in that arena. id love one

They are liked cars as you get almost all of the performance of the more expensive Golf R/A45 brigade but without the 4×4.

Personally I think if you’re pushing the car to use all the performance you would be better with 4×4.

As a general daily drive though they’re not bad motors, I would also look at the Golf GTI performance pack and the Skoda Octavia VRS 230. The drop in power doesn’t really matter for daily drive and they are still quick enough.

Interested in one myself. I did get a test drive in one. Currently have a mkII Leon FR and the new Cupra its definitely a step up in both refinement and performance. Interior quality is a huge improvement ovet the previous model and in comfort mode its actually a lot smoother then my FR. There is an estate version so I can justify it to the wife on the grounds of it being a “sensible family” car

auto express rated it top of the pile in that arena. id love one

The Focus us at the top now (against the Cupra, Civic, Audi, Merc, Golf etc) – it’s the only one that gets 5 stars.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/focus/rs-hatchback

I’d have one but for the Batman styling – I am too old for that look.

I had the FR(170) great to drive, cornered like it was on rails, but already struggled to get the power down until you got the tyres up to heat. Can see it being hard to really utilise the extra 120bhp without 4WD.

Why does she want a 290bhp fwd car?

If she likes driving without doubt she should get the Focus (if she can cope with being a boy racer)

If not I would be looking at the Golf, or even a BMW 1 series.

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=309 may be worth a look.

Me and the missus have got a leon cupra 290. I love it (but then again Im probably going to say that 🙂 ). Its a great car and we test drove a golf R as well. Monthly payments came in the same but the leon was 10 weeks and the golf 20 weeks.

Interior wasnt as nice as in the golf, The golfs got a bit more about it and unless your a 0 – 60 man the cupra is quicker. The other thing that annoyed me was the lack of satnav in the golf. for a 30k plus car I would atlest expect one.

My advice is test drive all the hot hatches and see what you prefer. Ours is DSG which I love. If you gun it from the lights and smash the pedals it wheel tramps like a biatch but you learn to control it.

There will be some good deals to be had as the is supposedly a facelift model coming in october which is supposed to also bring 4×4 to the ST model.

The car grips like mad without 4 wheel drive and you can really push it in corners. The only other point I would maybe say is the fact that the 4×4 drive does seem to use alot of boot space which was also an issue for us as we couldnt fit the pram in the back.

Thanks for replies, all relayed back to MrsSib!

Why does she want a 290bhp fwd car?

Because she wants one and can have one, you know how women can think with any purchase! She likes them, is that not a good enough reason?? (sorry, I sound like her now!). I’m not complaining that she wants one, I can already see me enjoying it! Told her the estate version is coming with 4 x 4 – she was interested.

– focus RS…we’re just reaching mid 40s now, great car but designed to attract the younger crowd/boy & girl racers (in our opinion). Also its the next level up, RS3 territory, she wants to stay a bit sensible!

– Golf R….used to have a golf gti, she likes trying different brands!I know, but she does. Lots and lots of them on the road which implies they are a good car, she just wants something ‘different’

– civic type R….like the RS its the appearance which she isn’t keen on, too severe. Use to have an Integra type R in our mid 20s, now that was good fun!

– she’s got a sensible estate at the moment, she just wants to go back to her yoof and have a blast, discreetly!

I have a Leon ST Cupra Black on order at the mo. They aren’t currently making the Cupra (I suspect due to new model). I got a good lease deal though.

I hadn’t realised it was 4×4, crack on then, I agree it is nicely understated. Personally though I would want something a bit more fun to drive ie rwd.

I went on the press launch for the 290 out in Barcelona earlier in the year.

Awesomely fast car, effortless almost…. Which means you don’t feel as involved as you would in some cars, but it doesn’t detract from it’s fun.

And yes…. check out SCN 🙂 I’ve been running it for 15yrs

They are mentally cheap on a lease, I’m selling loads but there are no more 3 doors being built til 2017

Personally though I would want something a bit more fun to drive ie rwd.

The fun in the Leon is the opposite kind of fun – just throw it at corners and it rockets round them with an apparent infinite supply of grip. Still sometimes miss that car – don’t miss needing a new set of top spec tyres every 6k miles though 😛

As already mentioned, SEAT are currently knocking out the Black edition on v. cheap lease deals of £249 pcm over 2 years.

We should have a Leon love-in, all very positive, happy opinions, thanks a lot!

I have a Leon ST Cupra Black on order at the mo.

It was the Black edition that she was interested in, just got to persuade her to get the ST.

check out SCN I’ve been running it for 15yrs

If she opts for the Seat I’ll pop I and say hi, keep up the good work, looks a well used site.

SEAT are currently knocking out the Black edition on v. cheap lease deals of £249 pcm over 2 years.

Got a couple of estimates last night (not a search for the cheapest, just a rough estimate), she’s got to opt for the 30K pa mileage which nearly doubles this figure, still a good price though.

Thanks again, you’ve sold them to me, now I’ve got to sell it to Mrs Sib, shouldn’t be too difficult.

I have the SR model which is one down from the Cupra. It’s a 1.8T rather than 2.0T but still packs quite a punch (obviously not in the same league as the Cupra though). I’d certainly recommend test driving one just to compare against the Cupra as you might find it fast enough (I certainly do).

Nice cars to drive with lots of grip through the corners – great fun!

just throw it at corners and it rockets round them with an apparent infinite supply of grip

See that just bores me, that’s no fun, then they let go and you have no chance of catching it.

Also because it is VW, you cant left foot brake in them to try and fun in them that way.