While SEAT may not be doing that well car-making-wise, its performance and electrified brand Cupra, which will soon put the final nail in its coffin, is becoming even more popular in Europe. It has a decent host of vehicles on sale and others in the making, including the Leon.
A rebadged version of SEAT's fourth-gen Leon that is the same car beneath the skin as the VW Golf Mk8, the Cupra Leon is about to be facelifted. We have known for a good while about this move courtesy of previous spy shots, and the latest scoops bring it forward once again in hatchback in station wagon body styles.
One of the most significant changes will revolve around the car's face, which has adopted a styling similar to the Tavascan. The upcoming Cupra Leon has a new grille and a reworked bumper with a larger central air intake and smaller side vents. The headlamps are also new, and we can see that the front fenders and hood carry over, albeit with the necessary adjustments around the fresh clusters.
Since this is a mid-cycle refresh, the profile carries over, including the placement of the charging port on the left front fender, which tells us that this is a plug-in hybrid version of the compact hatchback. Things tend to become a bit blurry at the rear end, and we want to believe it is due to the trippy stickers. Nevertheless, it is obvious that they gave it new taillights and a different rear bumper with a similar diffuser.
Photo: Baldauf
Should future buyers on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean also look forward to some novelties on the inside? Why, of course, they should, as it has been reported that the 2024 Cupra Leon will get a larger infotainment system and perhaps new software for the digital instrument cluster. We'd also expect the Spanish automaker to sprinkle some novelty dust on the center console and steering wheel and to wrap everything up with new upholstery and trim.
The engine lineup is vast and comprises 1.5L and 2.0L units, as well as a 1.4L PHEV making a little over 240 brake horsepower. The punchiest 2.0L mill develops just over 300 horsepower. Chances are all of them will soldier on, perhaps with a few updates here and there. Nevertheless, you shouldn't hold your breath for anything dramatic other than perhaps a few more horses squeezed out here and there.
It has been reported that the Cupra Leon is due sometime this year, and we think it might be unveiled around summer. The facelifted iteration will go on sale shortly after the grand premiere as a five-door hatchback and five-door station wagon (Cupra Leon Sportstourer) guises, so we won't have to wait long to find out everything about it.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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