Cupra has kitted its Leon out with a new entry-level engine, bringing down the starting price of the hatchback.
Now starting from £29,515, the Cupra Leon gains a new 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 148bhp. It’s available with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, though a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox can be specified. It does increase the price to £31,655, however.
The manual gearbox option ensures a 0-60mph time of 8.7 seconds and a top speed of 133mph, though the automatic version is marginally quicker to accelerate with a 0-60mph time of 8.5 seconds. Both, however, deliver between 44.8 and 47.9mpg combined.
Emissions stand at 134g/km CO2 for the manual Leon, only slightly rising to 135g/km for the automatic version.
Initially, this new powertrain will be only available with the Leon hatchback, though Cupra has stated that an Estate version will be also introduced, with pricing for this model released ‘in due course’.
All cars come in entry-level V1 specification, which brings 18-inch machined black and silver alloy wheels as standard, alongside tinted rear windows, LED headlights and rain-sensing wipers. Inside, there’s a 12-inch infotainment system incorporating navigation and media functions, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is linked to a large digital cockpit setup ahead of the driver.
If desired, drivers can add a space-saving spare wheel for £120, as well as a panoramic sunroof for £1,035.