Cupra 280 vs 290
- Thread starter ghostbustertab
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I've driven a manual 280 ST and my own DSG 290 5dr so not apple to apple comparison but I did find the lack of exhaust noise in the 280 a bit boring. Badging and some interior changes like the touchscreen size and full link compatibility will be the main differences. Driving wise you'll see no difference.
The DSG is incredible in my opinion. Its hard to describe how it feels until you drive a powerful car with a DSG. If rapid upshifts and a great exhaust noise is your thing, it cant really be beaten at this price level. The Drive mode makes it efficient and easy to drive, Sport mode tears your face off and manual mode is just sport mode with more control over holding gears and performing early upshifts and downshifts as you require. I drive a lot of motorways and city driving so I find an automatic car much easier and more relaxing to drive, a manual would be nice for the 5% of driving I do in the mountains and on backroads but I'd never swap it for a manual ever. My car has Android Auto which is great for Google Maps and Spotify.
The DSG in my Cupra 300 is just as @Daire92 has described plus some...
Some people love em and some hate em and the only way to find if they are for you is to try one.
Can make you a little lazy but I tend to use the paddles at roundabouts to make sure the car is in the gear I want.
There is a lesson to be learnt when overtaking in a DSG but once you have it down there’s no issue.
Try one
Find a dealer with one and try it. No loss if you don’t like it....but there’s not many who don’t.
Having had both (manuals) I'd say go for as late a model 290 as you can. Just be aware of the issues, cracking trim on bucket seats for one. The 290 did feel better to drive than the 280, both from mine and t'wife's point of view. It was her daily driver , doing a commute through Birmingham city traffic every day.
Oh yes, and the 290’s LED headlights are better than the 280’s
Oh yes, and the 290’s LED headlights are better than the 280’s
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Aren’t they the exact same spec? Wasn’t upgraded until the 300
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290 is the sweet spot in my opinion. I prefer the look of the pre facelift cars. Wish I had one but my deal on the 280 was too good to turn down at the time.
Sports seats, better media, better exhaust, slightly more power... it’s a win win and the DSG is really good once you appreciate how it works.
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Sports seats, better media, better exhaust, slightly more power... it’s a win win and the DSG is really good once you appreciate how it works.
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If it's the SC or 5 door, you want the 290, as it has a little more torque in the mid-range, enabled by the freer flowing exhaust and a mild map tweak. The peak power is pretty much the same. The 280 ST & 290 ST are mechanically identical. The 290 has a nicer touch screen than the 280, but to be honest my main interest is driving the thing, so that mattered little to me. The 290 has better LED headlights, but the last of the 280s got them anyway.
The later 280s (MY16) came with larger display mib2 headunit and usb port moved from glovebox to cubby hole under heating controls.
I have a Cupra (300/290/Whatever it ends up being) DSG on order, and having never driven a DSG car, what is the lesson to be learned?
Leave it in Manual/Cupra mode all the time?
You just have to understand how it works.
If you’re accelerating and you pull the down paddle it will delay as it thinks you’re accelerating and therefore will not want to change down. And visa versa.
If you’re breaking approaching a roundabout then you floor it it, there will be a delay as it thinks you’re decelerating and won’t want to increase speed.
People that say it is slow to react unless you’re on a track or really putting peddle to the metal are just naive to how it operates.
These dual clutch transmissions are incredible pieces of engineering, understand it and it’ll be all the gearbox you’ll ever need
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If you’re accelerating and you pull the down paddle it will delay as it thinks you’re accelerating and therefore will not want to change down. And visa versa.
If you’re breaking approaching a roundabout then you floor it it, there will be a delay as it thinks you’re decelerating and won’t want to increase speed.
People that say it is slow to react unless you’re on a track or really putting peddle to the metal are just naive to how it operates.
These dual clutch transmissions are incredible pieces of engineering, understand it and it’ll be all the gearbox you’ll ever need
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Just to add to all the above comments.
I have a heavily modified 280, I could have changed it for something else but the basic car is great, my modifications just gave me Much more of the same and I can assure you there are lots of so called fast cars that are very surprised as I say goodbye.
@paddy6789 has a heavily modified 290 and he will say the same as me (great car with lots of potential).
You need to decide what you want from the car, personally the bigger screens are pointless because i drive my car, not spend all my time looking at the screens (and using the cars OBD2 Port I can display much better info on my Phone/Tablet/Hud unit. I have DAB (so good music) DSG Box is the best (although mine has been mapped for the extra power), All the goodies (Stock and OBD11 Modified) but these cars for me are about driving and they all do that.
So go for a test drive in the cars you see and work out what you want from it.
I have a heavily modified 280, I could have changed it for something else but the basic car is great, my modifications just gave me Much more of the same and I can assure you there are lots of so called fast cars that are very surprised as I say goodbye.
@paddy6789 has a heavily modified 290 and he will say the same as me (great car with lots of potential).
You need to decide what you want from the car, personally the bigger screens are pointless because i drive my car, not spend all my time looking at the screens (and using the cars OBD2 Port I can display much better info on my Phone/Tablet/Hud unit. I have DAB (so good music) DSG Box is the best (although mine has been mapped for the extra power), All the goodies (Stock and OBD11 Modified) but these cars for me are about driving and they all do that.
So go for a test drive in the cars you see and work out what you want from it.
Leaving the car in Cupra all the time is pointless, when you turn the car off and start it another time the car will say its in Cupra, everything will be in Cupra except the for engine, that reverts to comfort every time you switch off, although it will say in the mode selection that it is in Cupra
Completely agree - I barely look at my screen other than to see when my next fuel stop is due. And the rare sat nav occasion.
Modifying the car isn’t a ‘must’ as they are great cars as stock. But for me, the mods just unlock and enhance the performance even more. I’m always smiling when driving, and I always look back at my car when I’ve parked up.
My 290 is the only car I’ve had for 2 years or more. Normally after 6 months I want to change. But the thought hasn’t even crossed my mind to change and I don’t know what I’d want as an alternative in the same price range.
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