The newest member of the Seat Leon family is a real head turner

IF YOU are a fan of the Golf GTI, then you should probably take a test drive in the Seat Leon Cupra.

A self-confessed Golf fanatic told me last week that the Cupra is probably better than its GTI cousin and that’s some praise.

The newest member of the Seat Leon family is a real head turner. I first drove the Cupra in Barcelona back in March from the Seat plant in Martorell to the

‘H’ hotel in the harbour area of the city. The location was not as impressive last week, but I probably got a better feel for the car on Irish roads.

The Leon Cupra test car came in Emocion Red, which looked bright and distinctive. Seat is part of the VW group and naturally the Cupra shares components with the Golf GTI. Now Seat has a car that seriously rivals it.

Externally it looks like a normal five-seater family car with a spacious boot and a spare wheel. And with 280 brake horsepower you can get from zero to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds, so you won’t be left behind in the race to take off at the traffic lights. The speedometer said I could get to 300kmh, but I didn’t have time to go to Mondello Park to check out a car which the manufacturers say will grip the road like it’s on a racetrack. But if you select

‘Cupra’ drive mode in the dash you will still get a good driving experience. No doubt about it, this was the nearest I ever got to driving a racing car.

The Leon Cupra could possibly cater for a few markets. Naturally it will be attractive for the boy racer. But with four doors it could also act as a family car for the parent who perhaps hankers for his/her lost youth. If you are parking in a narrow street or a tight spot, it’s good to know that the side mirrors fold in when the central locking is applied.

Externally it looks really cool with attractive headlights. The interior is brightened by a full length sun roof, which naturally will cost you extra. The interior decor is further enhanced by a cream trim on all the seats. The pedals are aluminium which accentuates the sporty look.

I liked the controls on the dash for the radio and air conditioning which were laid out and so easy to use. Call me old fashioned, but I still like a radio where I have a button to scroll for the stations and I don’t have to make do, even temporarily, with the selections of the previous driver!

Prices start at

?¬35,410 for the 2.0-litre six speed manual. Road tax is

?¬390 – that’s a bit high due to high C02 emissions. If you are young or young at heart, take a test drive – you won’t be disappointed.