As my long-term test of the Cupra Leon drew to a close, I started to reflect on the Cupra brand as a whole in terms of where it is now and where it’s going in the future.
Anecdotally, I’ve noticed plenty of them on the roads in recent months, something borne out by a 78.39 per cent increase in new car sales last year.
That makes it one of the fastest-growing car brands in Europe.
Brand awareness has been growing steadily since the firm split from Seat six years ago, with some observers wondering if Cupra’s success was partly at the expense of its sibling brand.
However, in 2023 both firms grew considerably, but it was Cupra especially that had a great year – increasing its sales to 25,658 registrations.
The Cupra nameplate was once a performance-focused Seat sub-brand, but was spun off into an independent name in 2018.
Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra, insists the Seat brand is here to stay, but adds that “we’re taking Cupra to the next level.”
Design is at the heart of everything Cupra does, according to Mr Griffiths, and that ethos is very much in evidence with the Leon I’ve been driving around for the last six months.
The VZ2 Design Edition, retailing from £41,370, is a slick machine that looks elegant, handles like a dream and has a very stylish interior with several design flourishes, including a strip of lighting running across the top of the dash which lights up red when you accelerate heavily in the more sporty ‘Cupra’ mode.
A hybrid vehicle, my test car has performed the twin functions of being practical when necessary and dynamic when the conditions allow.
The 1.4-litre e-Hybrid engine is sporty without being scintillating, accelerating from a standing start to 62mph takes 6.7 seconds. The satisfaction for a keen driver isn’t derived so much from the car’s speed as from the way it goes round corners like it’s on rails, such is the balance and poise provided by a perfectly-judged chassis.
In terms of looks, it’s the car’s aggressively-sculpted bonnet, eye-catching grille and angular headlights that impress the most – sharing a family look with other models in the Cupra stable.
Cupra says its design language is different and stands out, and that’s because it provokes. Such traits can be seen in the brand’s other UK vehicles, including the Born, Ateca and Formentor.
Looking ahead, the company says it wants to “stand out for standing for something different”, focussing on sharp, sensuous and muscular looks.
Like many others, Cupra will have to work towards an electrified future, with a combination of electric and hybrid models in the offing.
For the accountants, the beauty of the Cupra brand is the wider margins it offers when the financial results are announced.
Indeed, revenue per Cupra vehicle was 34 per cent higher than a Seat one in the 2023 results.
Of course, this factor is especially valuable during periods where volume producers are hindered by global factors, such as the recent lack of availability of semiconductors.
However, with those problems easing, Seat will again be able to push on the volumes as it aims to continue bouncing back.
The future of these Spanish twin companies will be interesting to observe. However, if the quality provided by my Cupra Leon test car is anything to go by, it’s a future with plenty of potential for success.
CUPRA Leon Hatchback 245 PS
PRICE: £ 41,580
ENGINE: 1.4-litre petrol e-Hybrid
EMISSIONS: 29g/km
TOP SPEED: 140mph
0-62MPH: 6.7 seconds
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed auto DSG
TRIM: VZ2 Design Edition
INSURANCE GROUP: 28E
BENEFIT IN KIND RATE: 12%
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