Some people just don’t want to fit in. Sure, most people are happy to go with the flow, but for others the idea of just being part of the pack is anathema.
These people are precisely the kind of people Cupra is looking for.
As SUVs continue to dominate almost every corner of our market, coming in all varieties of shapes, sizes and speeds, Cupra has decided to zig, while everyone else zags. Sure, Cupra does have its own SUVs, but its newest member of the range is as rare as it is unlikely.
The Cupra Leon Sportstourer VZe is not only a compact wagon, which is rare enough, but is also powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Wagons, especially small ones, are an unusual sight on Australian roads. None of the big name brands – Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia or Ford – offer a wagon these days. In fact, the closest rival to the Leon Sportstourer is from fellow Volkswagen Group brand Skoda, with its Octavia RS.
Of course, Cupra and Skoda are positioned very differently. For those unfamiliar, Cupra is a Spanish performance brand that fills a niche between mainstream Volkswagen and the premium Audi.
The Leon was one of the first models launched here, when Cupra arrived in Australia 2022 and now the hatchback has been given a facelift. To coincide with this visual change, Cupra has introduced the Sportstourer.
Only available in a single specification, VZe, the Sportstourer is powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain built around a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine. In keeping with Cupra’s performance ethos, this PHEV still punches out a healthy 200kW of power and 400Nm of torque.
Despite that punch, it has claimed fuel economy of just 0.4L/100km and up to 121km of electric-only driving range, so it really does combine performance and efficiency quite harmoniously. Obviously 0.4L/100km will be extremely difficult to achieve in the real world, but we returned just 2.4L/100km on our drive from the edge of Sydney up into the Blue Mountains.
Dynamically the Sportstourer impressed, with that trademark Volkswagen Group feeling of solid, reliable handling, similar to what you expect from a Golf GTI or an Audi A3. It’s not a genuine ‘hot hatch/wagon’ though, so expectations should be kept in check, but it does handle with precision and poise.
For those who do want a red-hot version of the Sportstourer, Cupra has confirmed a 245kW, all-wheel drive Sportstourer VZx (which will effectively replace the VW Golf R Wagon) will arrive in the first half of 2026.
Design is the other area where Cupra tries to stand out, not only from its related brands, but the market in general. The Leon Sportstourer features the new-look front end, with a different grille, lower bumper and headlights compared to the previous Leon hatch.
Inside it looks stylish and quite premium, an obvious step up from what you’ll find with a more mainstream brand.
Space is reasonable for a small car, but of course the main attraction of the Sportstourer for many will be the boot, which measures 470-litres, compared to 344-litres for the hatch.
The Leon Sportstourer VZe is priced from $69,990 (plus on-road costs) which is most definitely pushing into premium territory. That’s the kind of price that will make it too expensive for many, but that’s ok, because Cupra isn’t looking for lots of sales, just those who appreciate the particular advantages and style and space a compact wagon can bring.
So if you’re the kind of person that likes swimming against the tide, then this might be the car you’ve been waiting for.
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