THE LEON CUPRA SC reminds me of the original Subaru Impreza Turbo. Of course, as a daily driver the Cupra better in every way than the old chewing-gum-and-string Subaru, but it reminds me of the classic Impreza in other ways.

Like the Scooby, the Leon looks unassuming to the uninitiated (look again and you’ll spot the chunky alloys, the ultra-low profile boots and the twin exhausts that hint at the performance potential) and just like the Impreza, this Leon is a destroyer of reputations.

The Cupra SC takes on the best hot hatchbacks - the Focus ST, the Astra VXR and, yes, the Golf GTi - and simply blows them away.

The Subaru shredded the old guard but that was back in the day when 150bhp was thought to be the limit for hot front-drivers, things are so much harder nowadays - just look at how the current Scooby WRX is struggling to make a sales impression - so the Seat’s performance is arguably even more impressive (or should that be Imprez-ive?)

ON THE ROAD: ​ Available in two flavours - madras (265PS) and vindaloo (280PS) - three body styles and two transmission choices (six-speed manual and six speed DSG), the Cupra is the high performance torch-bearer for the Seat range.

The 280 sent for evaluation with the optional DSG gearbox hits 62mph in 5.7 seconds and doesn’t stop pulling until the electronic limiter pitches in at 155mph. Just as impressive as the outright performance is the engine’s flexibility - it doesn’t feel like a peaky revs-hungry screamer. The engine’s maximum torque (350Nm) is available from 1,750rpm all the way up to 5,300rpm - a broad seamless spread of pulling power which gives it the flexibility of a large capacity powerplant without the crippling running costs.

Venomous is the only way to describe the Leon Cupra’s performance. On full chat, the Cupra rips through the gears (which change in the blink of an eye thanks to the wonders of the DSG) and up to the legal limit.

What’s even more amazing is the relative docility of the steering during this process. Just one generation ago putting this kind of poke through the front wheels would have had the steering wheel writhing like a bag of snakes.

We can thank Seat’s traction control electronics and the sophisticated front axle differential lock for this. The latter measures wheel speed, vehicle speed, lateral acceleration and steering angle and feeds the optimum amount of torque across the wheels. In extremis it can shuffle all the drive through one wheel and, remarkably, it does so almost seamlessly. I’m not surprised the Cupra set a new record for fastest front driver at the legendary Nurburgring circuit last year.

It’s not all fast ‘n furious, though.

Ease off the throttle and the Cupra settles down to a gentle lope, shrugging aside all but the steepest of hills and just eating up the road.

​ON THE INSIDE: ​ The latest Leon is a big step forward inside where Seat set itself the objective of creating a cabin worthy of a more expensive D-segment car.

Compared to the old Leon, the colour information screen has been moved upwards in the dashboard, closer to the driver’s eye line, making it easier to see and use. A colour trip computer between the classy speedometer and rev counter displays key information such as fuel consumption, average speed and various systems warnings. Even this gets a Cupra makeover with a subtle background designed to look like carbon fibre.

Slimmer A-pillars improve visibility and reduce blind spots and my kids loved the red ambient lighting strips which run along the front doors.

The Northern Echo:

WHAT DO YOU GET: ​ Extra equipment fitted to the test vehicle included an impressive 135 watt six-channel amplifier with ten speakers, including a boot-mounted sub, for £355, black leather seats at £765 and adaptive cruise control (£505). Mind you, I do think Seat has a cheek adding an extra £100 to bill for the pleasure of fitting a space-saver spare tyre when something so fundamental should be standard.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT? ​ Seat offers a Cupra to match your requirements.

Empty nesters will enjoy the coupe-esque looks of the three-door SC reviewed here and likely won’t miss the 18mm rear headroom that it loses over the standard five-door model. The SC’s 35mm wheelbase reduction is taken from the rear wheel space, leaving enough length for kids and understanding adults. This does mean, however, that the SC driver enjoys the same 380-litre boot as his family-man counterpart who drives the five door.

RUNNING COSTS: ​ No one buys a car with this performance then moans about their mpg but at least the Cupra makes a nod to reducing your fuel consumption. The dual-injection system, which combines direct injection with manifold injection under partial load, optimises fuel economy and reduces exhaust emissions. On a gentle canter I was pleasantly surprised to see an average fuel consumption of 41mpg - not far from Seat’s claimed 44.1mpg.

The Northern Echo:

​VERDICT: ​ This car is quick. From point A to point B across country it’s devastatingly quick, in fact. It’s not cheap, but for what you get it’s worth every penny.

 

Price: £28,530

​ Spec:​ Engine: ​1984cc/four cyl/turbocharged/petrol.

Power: ​280PS @ 5,600rpm.

Torque: ​350Nm @ 1,700rpm.

Top speed: ​155mph (limited).

0-62mph: ​5.7 seconds (DSG gearbox; 5.8 manual).

Fuel economy: ​44.1mpg (official).

CO2 emissions: ​149 g/km.

Equipment: ​ Twin oval exhaust pipes, 18-inch Cupra alloy wheels with 225/40R18 tyres, front mechanical diff lock, rain sensing wipers, light sensor, auto-dimming rear view mirror, DAB radio tuner, Seat Media Plus infotainment system with touch-screen, front sports seats in Alcantara with leatherette side bolsters, LED interior illumination.