New 2025 Cupra Leon Facelift Review

Does the Cupra Leon succeed over the Seat Leon?

Exterior – Front

So, let’s start with the design at the front and straight away we can see that it follows the new design language Cupra is going with at the moment. With this we get a new set of darker tinted LED Matrix headlights with the 3-triangle signature LED Daytime Running Lights. The grill has also gone and has been replaced with a big central air vent which is connected to the side vents. We also get some body colour trims within this grill to give it a sporty look. Finally, we also get a new bonnet design, and the Cupra badge has been moved on top of the bumper just below the bonnet.

Exterior – Side

Moving along the side of the Cupra Leon facelift and there is no surprise that there aren’t any changes apart for some new colour and wheel options which makes the Leon look more modern.

Exterior – Rear

Moving round to the back and we get some big updates. To start with we get a new set of taillights which has the 3-triangle signature in them, and these are connected with a light bar and the light up Cupra badge. Because of this we get a slightly differently styled boot opening. The bumper is also more aggressive too with some fake quad copper exhausts and some side reflectors which look like side vents, and we finally get a sporty looking spoiler. This helps give the car an aggressive rear end and makes it look like it sits lower to the road than before. Right, lets have a look and see what engine and gearbox options you can have with the new Cupra Leon.

Car and engine specs and price

So, the engine lineup in the new Cupra Leon Facelift is very similar to the pre facelift version. Lets start with the base model first. This is the 1.5 litre turbo petrol engine, and this has 148 bhp and can do 0-60 within 8.9 seconds. The power is goes through a 6-speed manual gearbox and goes to the front wheels. The next engine is the same engine as the 1.5 litre turbo, but it now has mild hybrid assistance reducing the 0-60 time slightly to 8.7 seconds. This can only be had with a 7-speed dual clutch Automatic DSG Gearbox. The next version is a plug-in hybrid version. This is an all-new setup taken from the new Golf Facelift and new Formentor Facelift, this means you get a 1.5 litre turbo engine and an electric motor giving a combined power output of 204 bhp. this gives you a 7.7 second 0-60 time and power is sent to a 6 speed Automatic DSG gearbox and goes to the front wheels. This is powered by a new 19.8 kWh battery pack giving this car a combined 85-mile electric only range which is very good for a plug-in hybrid model. For city driving this increases to 109 miles. The next engine is the same plug-in hybrid setup as the previous engine, but it has more power at 270 bhp. this reduces the 0-60 time down to 7.1 seconds, but you still get the same combined electric only range of about 85 miles. For the final engine we get a 2-litre turbo unit with 300 bhp. This is taken from the Golf GTI, and it gives the Leon a 0-60 time of just 5.7 seconds. Power is sent through a 7 speed Automatic DSG gearbox and goes to the front wheel. In the future there should be a 4-wheel drive version coming soon which will be based on the 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine so keep an eye out for that one. The price of the new Cupra Leon Facelift starts at £31,090. Right, lets have a look and see what the interior is like.

Interior – Design

So, climbing inside the new Cupra Leon and we do get some changes. The changes are the same as the Formentor this means that the overall dashboard design is the same as before, but we do get a new infotainment system based on Volkswagen’s latest MiB4 software. If you want to watch a review on that then click on the top right-hand banner now. With this new infotainment system, we get the climate controls that stay in the same place and the touch sensitive buttons are now backlit. With this we now have slightly different instrument cluster which has a more modern design which I quite like. It just feels a bit more personal to the brand as opposed to it being like a Seat design. The steering wheel is the same as before which is good as it is a nice feeling one. Now what is new is that the centre console has a new design which makes it feel like it is more sectioned and better designed than before. we also still get a decent amount of storage too. the seats are the same as before and you can now have some sports seats too which is nice. Right, lets have a look and see what the rear seats are like.

Practicality

So, getting into the back and you get a decent amount of legroom and headroom, and you could just about sit behind a 6 foot person. The materials are also decent, and you also get your own arm rest as well as USB C ports and your own climate control too. Let’s have a look and see what the boot space is like.

Boot Size

So, opening the boot to the Cupra Leon Facelift and you are welcomed with 380 litres of space, but this does decrease down to 270 if you have the plug-in hybrid option. You also don’t get an adjustable boot floor like the Seat version, which is a shame, but it is still very useable.

Summary

So, in summary then what do I think of the new Cupra Leon Facelift. well, just like the Formentor Facelift, it has a good and aggressive look and now looks nothing like a Seat. The interior is also good and has much better technology than before and the new powertrains make this a great company car especially for the plug-in hybrid market. Really if Seat were to discontinue the Leon, I would be happy with Cupra taking it on into the next generation.

Exterior 5/5

Interior 4/5

Practicality 4/5

Total 13/15

Model	Cupra Leon V3 eTSI 150
Engine	1.5l Turbo, 148bhp, 0-62 = 8.7 Seconds, Front Wheel Drive
Transmission	7 Speed Automatic
Price	£37,200
On Sale	Now