Written by James Dennison Updated: 25 April 2023

Overview

Is the Cupra Leon Estate any good?

The Cupra Leon Estate continues to be one of the few mid-size performance load-luggers on sale, combining greater practicality over the hatch with enough performance and handling prowess to keep up with more expensive sports cars.

Rival estates come in the form of the Volkswagen Golf R, Ford Focus ST and Skoda Octavia vRS, although some may look at the taller, bulkier SUV equivalents, such as the Volkswagen T-Roc R and Cupra Ateca.

Despite being badged Estate rather then ST this time round, the Leon hasn’t changed its appealing formula by much. This means you can still have the flagship 2.0-litre, turbocharged engine with all-wheel drive, as well as a more eco-friendly plug-in hybrid option now, too.

The range is much simpler than the hatchback’s, with top-spec VZ2 and VZ3 trim levels only, so choosing one should be relatively easy.

What’s it like inside?

The interior is identical to the hatch, which means a clean-looking cabin with few buttons to press.

However, this also means having to rely on the touchscreen infotainment system and its raft of menus, which can prove infuriating until you get used to it – if you have the time.

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The biggest perk of choosing the estate over the hatch is the standard fit steering wheel buttons for the engine start/stop function and Cupra drive modes. These circular controls remain an option on the hatch.

• Read about the Cupra Leon hatchback

How much space is there?

Those sitting up front won’t notice much difference when it comes to space, but thanks to the stretched roofline, it’s those sat in the rear that’ll appreciate the additional head room. The Leon hatch is already one of the more spacious options around when it comes to legroom, so the estate is even more accommodating.

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Boot capacity climbs from the hatchback’s 380 to 620 litres for the petrol 310, and a less commodious 470 litres on the e-Hybrid due to all the electrical hardware. This beats the Ford Focus ST Estate, but just falls short of the huge Skoda Octavia vRS.

Top-spec VZ3 also comes with a powered, gesture controlled tailgate.

Comfort

It’s no surprise the Leon Estate is just as comfortable as the hatch when sat up front. Road noise is well isolated, and you don’t notice much resonance coming from the rear, despite being an estate.

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You’ll mainly hear wind noise when sat up front, but it’s not far off the Golf when it comes to refinement.

What’s it like to drive?

The Cupra Leon Estate range consists of one petrol engine and a 1.4-litre plug-in hybrid.

Both come with a DSG automatic transmission – a six speed for the e-Hybrid, seven for the petrol – but the 4Drive all-wheel drive system is limited to the 310 petrol.

View full Cupra Leon Estate specs

Those familiar with the previous SEAT Leon Cupra ST 4Drive may be glad to hear its 310 successor offers much the same experience as before.

This means rapid acceleration, a smooth quick-shifting gearbox and high levels of traction from the all-wheel drive system. It’s not the most thrilling experience – some rivals feel faster and shove you back into your seat more – but it’s difficult to argue how effective the Leon is at covering ground.

If anything, the slight absence of theatre lends a grown-up feel to this estate, which may appeal to certain drivers.

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This is further helped by the artificial engine sound piped into the cabin being tastefully subtle, while the exhaust emits fewer pops and bangs than its hatchback counterpart.

We’re yet to try the e-Hybrid, but in the hatch, we found it favoured economical driving first, with hot hatch matching performance available in short doses. As a result, it never really feels as sporting as it looks. Plus, all the additional EV hardware means it’s also too heavy to feel agile in the first place.

That said, the grown-up driving experience could be a better fit for the estate if you value comfort and effortless performance first.

How does it handle?

The 310 hardly ever feels flustered with the roads you throw at it. Even in the firmest Cupra drive mode, the suspension remains compliant enough to soak up mid-corner bumps almost as well as the Skoda Octavia vRS. Except this Leon feels far nimbler.

We’d like a bit more bite from the front tyres as we turn into bends, but grip levels remain high and reassuring, with a neutral balance.

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There’s good weighting from the steering off-centre, but it doesn’t load up enough for the bends and this is where the Focus ST Estate might start to appeal more, with its weightier controls and playful chassis.

How much does it cost to run?

Unlike the Focus ST Estate, there is no diesel option for those high-mileage drivers. Instead, you can choose the plug-in hybrid if you want to maximise fuel economy and minimise road tax.

All models come with stop-start to reduce fuel consumption when stationary.

• 245 e-Hybrid: 188.3-201.8mpg, 31-34g/km CO2, EV-range: 34 miles
• 310 TSI 4Drive: 32.8-34.4mpg, 186-196g/km CO2

We managed an indicated 26.4mpg on the 310 during our testing route, consisting mainly of country roads with a short stint on the motorway.

Fuel tank capacity is 55 litres for the petrol, dropping to 40 litres on the plug-in hybrid.

How reliable is it?

We currently don’t have any owner’s reviews for the Cupra Leon Estate, although a couple have been submitted for the hatch.

The standard Cupra warranty is three years/60,000 miles., with the option to extend up to five years/90,000 miles from new.

Read our verdict to see if we recommend the Cupra Leon Estate…