The CUPRA logo sits boldly on the front grille, with a large front wing and larger air intakes highlighting its more assertive look. As you sweep around the car, its side skirts add dynamism, and dark chrome highlights including the front grille frame, front wing and exterior mirrors contrast with the body colour, help to create an appearance that expresses the eagerness and boldness of the new CUPRA Leon.
The look is emboldened further by the vehicle’s colour palette; two exclusive matt paint options, Magnetic Tech Matt and Petrol Blue Matt, bring an additional visual elegance and personality to the vehicle. The colour palette is complemented by the regular soft and metallic paint (Candy White, Magnetic Tech, Midnight Black and Urban Silver), and two special paint (Desire Red and Graphene Grey).
The addition of the exterior design is heightened by the exclusive CUPRA-specific 19” alloy wheels – available in copper or in diamonds colour - (18” alloy wheels come as standard in the 245PS variant, while the other vehicles in the line-up have 19” alloys) that house the copper coloured 370mm Brembo callipers. And with six different alloy wheel designs, customers can further personalise their vehicle’s final look.
The standard full LED technology used in the headlights improves vision, making even the darkest road visible to the driver. The vehicle’s side mirrors also include integrated LED indicators.
At the rear, the dynamic blinker as well as the coast-to-coast lights deliver a visual focus, while the exhausts (copper-coloured simulated exhaust pipes for the plug-in hybrid version, two exhaust pipes on lower-powered versions, or four on higher-powered variants), diffuser and a big spoiler add a sporting allure to the vehicle’s aesthetic.
Before you even step into the cabin, the welcome light projects the CUPRA logo down on the floor to set the scene and highlight that the new CUPRA Leon is a special vehicle.
As the driver nestles into their standard bucket seat, takes hold of the CUPRA leather steering wheel, which houses the engine start and CUPRA mode select button, and sees the Digital Cockpit, they will instantly understand they are taking control of a different type of vehicle. And the inclusion of a “ESP off” button in the middle console reinforces this spirit.
Available for versions from 245PS, the CUPRA steering wheel, a nod to the Racing bloodline, will make drivers feel more connected to the vehicle, with its tactile, solid feel. Larger shift paddles make changing gear simpler and more natural, and the multifunction buttons add to the hi-tech feel.
The driver focus is further heightened by the inclusion of the large 10” infotainment system, which shifts controls to the touchscreen, reducing the button count, giving a sleeker, more modern look. The decluttered feel to the interior is amplified by the vehicle’s shift-by-wire technology, which reduces the gear shifter size and improves the console ergonomics.
Throughout the interior copper details and the dark chrome details bring a subtle sense of drama, with highlights including the leather dashboard with copper stitching and door mouldings brushed in dark aluminium, with a sophisticated tone effect, illuminated CUPRA doorstep in the front doors and colour coded door panels and seats.
The interior ambience is further defined by the seating options. Four different bucket seat choices are available: the standard one, offers a textile finish with PVC lateral coverings. A black leather finish with an electric memory system for the driver’s seat is also available, while this option is also offered in Petrol Blue, and takes the colour to the dashboard to extend the feel inside the cabin.
The interior of the CUPRA Leon provides a lot of space to the driver, front and rear passengers thanks to the vehicle’s dimensions. In the Sportstourer, luggage space reaches 620 litres (470 litres in the plug-in hybrid version) while the 5-door version offers 380 litres (270 litres in the plug-in hybrid version). The result is a cabin that balances driver focus when you want to enjoy the performance the Leon offers, but comfort and practicality to take on life’s adventures.
Finally, the CUPRA Leon enhances the cabin experience with a full-LED wraparound ambient lighting system bringing increased personality to the interior. It’s not only an ambient decorative light, but it also provides several key functions such as exit assist (flashing in orange) or when the door is opened (red).