There are cars that will ask you how much they cost you, what the power is, or what the hell you were thinking. And there are cars that the conversation will start with the question “But who is a Cupra?”. There is no doubt that the Cupra Leon brings with it, in addition to a lot of accessories and horse power, also a topic of conversation and explanations about the unknown symbol. of Seat, which at the same time competed in races. A few years ago the token fell to Seat, or to the bosses from Volkswagen, and they decided to build a new brand based on the sports division.
Because it takes time to launch a full model range, Copra has so far only launched one stand-alone model, a crossover called the Formentor, and markets its own versions of existing Seat models, the family Leon and the taller Ateca crossover. At first, the latter were only versions with 245 hp, but now you can purchase the Copra Leon also with the more popular SEAT engines.
What is the difference between the Leon Cupra and the Seat Cupra, except for NIS 27,000 in the base price for the 2 liter version we drove? Sportier bumpers, sportier seats, an upgraded finish in the passenger cabin, different rims, and the test vehicle has the option of a matte color (NIS 14,000), which makes it look like a stealthy fighter jet.
The passenger compartment maintains the advantages and disadvantages of the Seat version. On the positive side, it is very spacious, also in the back seat, very well equipped, with good seats. The trunk also has a relatively good volume for a compact, of 380 liters. On the downside is the foolish decision to move as many systems as possible to the multimedia screen that serves as a touch screen, even the climate control. It’s cumbersome, and changing the temperature while driving requires the driver to take his eyes off the road. Cupra is not the only manufacturer that has chosen this problematic configuration in recent years, the parent company Volkswagen has already made it clear that it will return to physical buttons, let’s hope that the subsidiaries will too, and Vifa one hour before.
The equipment list includes a full digital dashboard, the 10-inch multimedia monitor, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, climate control split into three zones (driver/passenger/back seat, which gets its own exit), sun window, smart key, wireless charging pad, Front and rear parking sensors, Beats sound system, four Type C sockets, LED lighting and 18-inch wheels.
The active safety package is complete, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure control and active correction of the deviation, warning of a vehicle in a dead area and cross traffic from behind. The Copra also gets ten airbags instead of six in the Seat, including a pillow for the driver’s knees, and a pillow between the driver and the passenger that inflates in the event of an accident.
Cupra Leon is equipped with the standard 2-liter engine of the Volkswagen Group: turbo gasoline with 190 hp and a seven-speed dual-clutch robotic gearbox. After all the electric cars and hybrids I’ve driven lately, it was fun to hear an engine purring with a meaty sound, even though today The noise of the engine is also something that was synthesized in the laboratories. Copra is not a car that surrendered to the Green C, nor to the messages of the Green Light Association: it is a very agile car, which easily accelerates to speeds that are not quite legal. The driver has control over the gears from paddles behind the steering wheel, but it is also possible Put the box in sport mode and it does a great job of upshifting and downshifting.
7.2 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h used to be wow, today Chinese electric crossovers that cost tens of thousands of shekels less than the Copra achieve them with effortless ease, but also without all the drama that the Copra knows how to produce. Even the fuel consumption was reasonable relative to the performance, the days We finished the test with an average of 12 kilometers per liter.
The Kopra models, unlike the regular Leon, are also equipped with adaptive shock absorbers, which can be chosen to be harder or softer. But in the test vehicle, even in the comfortable mode, the calibration was still not comfortable enough. It does help with the high road grip, the good control of body movement in turns, and the ability to drive very fast anywhere. It’s a shame that the steering wheel doesn’t convey enough sensations from the road.
A 2-liter Cupra Leon (there is also a 1.5-liter) costs NIS 193,000 before extras, and together with the special color, the price jumps to NIS 207,000. That’s a lot of money when you remember that the 1.5 liter Leon costs NIS 135,000 in principle, but has not been available in stock for months, and the 2 liter version costs NIS 165,000 – and it is not available either.
On the other hand, even the 2-liter version is tens of thousands of shekels cheaper than the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3, with which the Cupra tries to compete, is much more equipped and powerful. It’s hard to talk about value for money in cars that cost so much, but at least the Copra tries to mark V in this section as well. She’s definitely dressed up enough for this party, it’s obvious that she’s been working out at the gym, and even though she’s the new girl in the neighborhood, she’s definitely a worthy contender in the young luxury market.
Identity card / Cupra Leon
Engine: gasoline, 1,984 cc, 190 hp power, 32.6 kgm torque
Gearbox and drive: double-clutch robotic, 7 gears. front wheel drive
Performance (manufacturer): 7.2 seconds to 100 km/h, 227 km/h maximum speed, 13 km/l combined fuel consumption
Safety: 5 out of 5 stars in the European crash test. Autonomous braking
Air pollution: pollution group 13 of 15
Warranty: two years or 100,000 km. Third year plus NIS 1,000
Price: NIS 193,000
Plus: character, equipment, usability and performance, good value compared to competitors from the luxury market
Minus: operation of the systems using a touch screen