So not quite literally – the technical basis and two body versions (hatchback and station wagon) are preserved, but everything else has undergone honest modifications to make the Spanish compact as different as possible from its donor. So what innovations will the Cupra Leon bring as part of the modernization?
First of all, it is a redesigned design. The front is supposed to resemble a shark’s nose, followed by triangular Matrix LED headlights, and the rear is decorated with a diode strip with a glowing Cupra logo in the middle. After all, the news of the rejuvenated Formentor, which is presented simultaneously with Leon, is carried in a similar spirit.
The same is true inside. The Leon also gets a newly designed center console, dashboard, door panels or other upholstery. A more sustainable approach is to underline seats made of microfiber containing 73% recycled materials or ecologically processed leather.
Photo: Cupra
You can recognize the new Cupra by the front and rear lights – this new design direction was introduced by the Tavascan electric crossover.
And modern technology? Leon now has a larger digital instrument panel and center screen (12.9 inches), it also gets a Sennheiser Mobility audio system with 12 speakers, a welcome innovation is also an illuminated control element under the center screen, which will finally be usable at night.
Customers can go for petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid variants. The basic 150-horsepower 15-liter is complemented by a 300-horsepower two-liter for a short body. The Spanish hot hatch spins the front wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch and gets a front differential lock (VAQ).
Photo: Cupra
The interior underwent a thorough qualitative transformation with an emphasis on a premium impression.
The station wagon even has two two-liter gasoline engines, but the performances differ. The weaker has 204, the stronger 333 horses. Yes, the station wagon is even more muscular than the hatchback! The top version even gets a specific driving mode for racing circuits, the technology of variable distribution of torque between the rear wheels, and for an additional fee the entire system can be embellished with Akebono brakes.
Diesel has not been forgotten, you can also get the rejuvenated Leon with a 2.0 TDI engine with 150 horsepower. Fans of electrification can look forward to a new generation of plug-in hybrids. It is powered by a 15-liter gasoline engine supported by an electric motor, the result of joint efforts is 204 or 272 horsepower. Thanks to the larger 19.7kWh battery, the car can travel up to 100 kilometers on a single charge, and the battery can also be quickly charged with a power of up to 50 kW. This is a really significant shift compared to the previous generation.
Photo: Cupra
The basis of the car is the MQB Evo platform, the Leon has a multi-element rear axle as standard, it can be embellished with an adaptive chassis adjustable in fifteen steps on request. For sports versions of the VZ, there is a specific active acoustic system that amplifies the natural sound of the engine depending on the selected driving mode and its load.
The palette of safety and assistance technologies includes predictive adaptive cruise control, lane guidance, blind spot monitoring or warnings of imminent danger from places where the driver has no chance to see.
Cupra notes that the rejuvenated Leon is designed, developed and manufactured in Barcelona, Catalonia, following the example of the Formentor. The Spaniards will launch it on the market in the third quarter of 2024, so we should start seeing the first pieces on Czech roads this year.
Tags: Cupra Leon Equipment engines performance
: Equipment, engines, performance){kind=link}