Cupra 290/300 - Estate vs Hatchback

Nov 13, 2019
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1
Hello everyone,

I currently have a Leon FR 1.8 TSI hatchback and driving it is a joy but I'm due an upgrade soon.

I've had a look at Cupra 290's, 300's both estates and hatchbacks, I like the idea of extra grip and performance on the 4wd ST but for some reason I cant shake the idea that a bigger car is less fun to drive (yes I realise that sounds incredibly daft, but it is what it is and that's why I want advice from you).

So bottom line, estate or hatchback, 4wd vs 2wd - which do you prefer?

Any opinions would be appreciated, cheers
 

Jimbobcook

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Not that I'm bias or anything but the 4Drive estate is fun to drive lol I would buy another one after this over a hatch I think.

I have also driven the 290 MK3 Hatch and it was a little rocket but to get the power down you had to put PS4S's and engine mounts to stop wheel hop under heavy acceleration, the 4Drive hasn't skipped a beat and boot space is a winner!

My 2 pence
 

Sparkie

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Sep 25, 2009
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I drive a 2 wheel drive car. Mk1.
Pal has a 4x4 300 ST
The 4 eheel drive has minimal benefit tbh.
Except when ripping out of a corner. Rest of the time it has more weight to pull around.
Also don’t forget it’s a Haldex system so only 4x4 when the computer decides it’s needed.

The other thing to consider In real world driving is that the modern 290 and 300 have electronic diffs in them making the 2 wheel drive almost as able as the 4 x4 versions.
They also have less under steer than the 4x4. So on a hot lap on track I’d say they would be neck and neck.


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Jimbobcook

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I drive a 2 wheel drive car. Mk1.
Pal has a 4x4 300 ST
The 4 eheel drive has minimal benefit tbh.
Except when ripping out of a corner. Rest of the time it has more weight to pull around.
Also don’t forget it’s a Haldex system so only 4x4 when the computer decides it’s needed.

The other thing to consider In real world driving is that the modern 290 and 300 have electronic diffs in them making the 2 wheel drive almost as able as the 4 x4 versions.
They also have less under steer than the 4x4. So on a hot lap on track I’d say they would be neck and neck.


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3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
This is a classic what I think it feels like to someone with actual knowledge haha all I know is that the super short take off is handy to have my car lol
 

andylong

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Jan 21, 2021
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If you want to run out of grip at the front, stay with 2WD. Who here hasn't had that happen.

Oversteer, understeer, if that's an issue work it out on the track then you'll be fine on the road. With drive to the rear you should see less understeer at the extremes, but since we are all about FWD understeer is always there if you are driving quickly, never mind to the point where the fronts are losing grip. FWD losing grip is all about understeer. Over or understeer is more about where the engine is, unless it's on throttle when its about where the wheels are pointing and how much grip is left to turn the car.

The haldex system, with heavy bias on the fronts will still feel FWDish, you'll just be faster round corners and in a straight line, not that you'll notice if you are having fun in either car.
We have more than a third of the year in the UK with wet roads and 4WD makes a lot of sense.

From a physics point of view, steering and drive on the same axle will be slower through a corner compared to 4WD. Even if you have only 30% drive to the rear that's less work for the fronts to do or the same work but with more cornering capacity. A particular model might be rubbish, but that's not my understanding of the car in question here and these are road cars with real world road issues not a lovely smooth dry track etc etc.

However if you compare a 2WD car that is better set up than a 4WD car you might think the 2WD is better, because it might well be.
 

andylong

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Jan 21, 2021
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The same software that's deciding the front rear split is deciding the left right split and how much power the car will allow you to put down.
 

Sparkie

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Sep 25, 2009
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This is a classic what I think it feels like to someone with actual knowledge haha all I know is that the super short take off is handy to have my car lol

I’ve driven both. So no, not what I’m guessing.
And driven a few 4x4s. In my time.
We also go driving together and he can’t pull away from me on road or track unless from standstill.
So I stand by what I say.


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Jimbobcook

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I’ve driven both. So no, not what I’m guessing.
And driven a few 4x4s. In my time.
We also go driving together and he can’t pull away from me on road or track unless from standstill.
So I stand by what I say.


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Erm maybe my poor English but I said I was guessing you had the knowledge lol
 

BoomerBoom

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Jun 1, 2018
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Not driven the 4wd but have several of both the hatch and ST versions, you won't notice the ST extra length unless it's full of dogs or cement.
 
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Leeoncupra

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Feb 12, 2017
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Whilst I have had a few quattro haldex cars , as good as the grip is I find them to civilised , yeah they are handy in the wet and snow but youl miss having the fight from the front if your used to FWD

Me and my mrs agreed our next car is going to be a fwd mk3 , I'd want a manual but she loves a dsg too much so will have to stick to that , how often are you going to do full throttle launches from traffic lights compared to tootling along and all of a sudden a boy racer appears in your rear view , at 40mph the 4drive wont make much difference in traction

That's just my opinion of course

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matthab

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Jun 16, 2010
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West Midlands
Estate all day long, had a 280 hatch and the estate has no negatives. Its not that much longer but adds loads of practicality. Take the mountain bike with ease and fill it to the brim on holiday, plus at Ikea it just swallows flat packs. 4drive makes the car very planted and the estate means no loss of boot due to the diff.

I had a front wheel drive Cupra and it got a little tiresome with the wheel hop on harsh acceleration.
 

Jimbobcook

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Sorry thought It was saying I didn’t own one so didn’t have real life experience.
Sorry bud.


Badger5 Custom Map + TIP,
3”Custom exhaust, FMIC, Bosh 550’s, BC Coilovers, ARB’s +loads more.
I know better haha I re read what I put and it's not obvious so my bad.
 

Cuprabenwytm

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Jun 17, 2020
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2wd all the way, i test drove a golf r bwfore i bought my 290 and yes they are nice but I felt the 290 fwd wanted to kill you more which is better if you ask me lol

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Fishbowlhead

Mk3 CupraST 280
Nov 20, 2020
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Estate all day long, infinitely more practical. I have a mk3 st280 and couldn’t imagine living with a hatch and loosing all that boot space.

As for Awd vs Fwd. Whatever is best for you. Ive missed the Awd from my Scoob once since getting my Cupra, when it snowed. On the other side my Cupra will do 43mpg on the motorway being Fwd only, I doubt you’ll get anywhere near that in an Awd Cupra? Obviously if your living in the hills or mountains then Awd is a must.

Also, the ST looks better than the hatch :)
 

matthab

Active Member
Jun 16, 2010
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Estate all day long, infinitely more practical. I have a mk3 st280 and couldn’t imagine living with a hatch and loosing all that boot space.

As for Awd vs Fwd. Whatever is best for you. Ive missed the Awd from my Scoob once since getting my Cupra, when it snowed. On the other side my Cupra will do 43mpg on the motorway being Fwd only, I doubt you’ll get anywhere near that in an Awd Cupra? Obviously if your living in the hills or mountains then Awd is a must.

Also, the ST looks better than the hatch :)
First drive on the motorway at 70mph mine showed 36mpg and was still rising when I came off. I was only on for 15 miles.
 

Jimbobcook

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Estate all day long, infinitely more practical. I have a mk3 st280 and couldn’t imagine living with a hatch and loosing all that boot space.

As for Awd vs Fwd. Whatever is best for you. Ive missed the Awd from my Scoob once since getting my Cupra, when it snowed. On the other side my Cupra will do 43mpg on the motorway being Fwd only, I doubt you’ll get anywhere near that in an Awd Cupra? Obviously if your living in the hills or mountains then Awd is a must.

Also, the ST looks better than the hatch :)
I can get 41mpg on a motorway with ideal weather etc, my 3 hour trip I did this morning with town and motorway miles I got 37mpg with some fun times included, with a bedded in engine. I admit it's probably not as easy to reach the high numbers but it's possible lol
 

Damo H

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Car Length In Front
Long post warning LOL. Skip to the last 2 paragraphs if you must.


I've only ever had the estate Mk3, but the first was a 280 DSG FWD, the current one is a 300 DSG 4Drive. So think I've got a good view point on the factory FWD VAQ E-Diff cars vs the 4drive Haldex system. Sorry if this comes across a bit arsey/know it all LOL:


Size/weight
The FWD 280 never ever felt like a big heavy estate, just a normal hatch in every respect except when you look to check your blind spot (This was coming from a Mk 2 Hatch).

However, the 300 (standard), although physically the same size car, did feel heavy to drive (still does TBH) and after the 0-60 (standard) definitely slower. My wife said it lacked 'drama' when accelerating after the initial 30mph, my daughters favourite thing was when I would accelerate up or down the slip road.


Fun
The 280 was by far the more fun car from the factory. I spotted someone saying you'll get less understeer with the 4drive. With all due respect that a load of BS if your talking in the dry. The Limit Slip e-diff on the FWD 280 gave me so much more confidence in corners, Where as the 4drive felt like it was understeering like a cross channel ferry in comparison.


Acceleration
Yes 300 4drive is faster, initially and 100% in the wet. But on a roll my old 280 would of quickly dispatched the 300.


Traction (not grip)
Link to the above, of course better on the 4drive, no wheel hop, and the car is effortless to drive quickly. Foot planted out of a corner, where the surface is less than perfect is effortless. Where as the 280 took some work on bumpier roads.

Nice road however, the traction with the VAQ E-diff is just mind blowing on the FWD, so much fun and surprising. Never once felt wanting. Yes people will say in the wet it isn't great. But , if you are on public roads and driving like a **** in the wet, then your an idiot.



So why didn't I sell up and get a FWD again.

Well I was going from a 280 with the old sat nav etc etc. Where as I was lucky enough to get a Carbon Edition. So this car has Buckets, bigger brakes. Also being a 300 it came with the updated interior, 8" screen, the very lovely Virtual Cockpit. And for 95% of my driving it is just a much nicer place to be.

That being said, I really missed the buzz the 280 gave me that 5% of the time. Yes the 0-60 drag (well 10-60 for me a still not used launch control) is fun for a time, but for me its the corners.

So 2 weeks into ownership I swapped 4 brand new Continental Sport Contact 5Ps for £600 worth of Micheline Pilot Sport 4S. I'd hoped the biggest difference between the cars was the tyres (I was running Michelin Pilot Super Sports on the 280 for 15k before it went).

Yes it made a difference, a big difference even to the feel, and feedback., and I've never once regretted spending the money. But still, the fun factor was missing and it still understeered when trying to power through a corner. Even when compared to the Kumho ditchfinder tyres my ex dealer demo 280 came with.

Then it was a £90 strut brace, that probably got the confidence feel 99% there, but the ability of the car still meant it felt slow in a straight line and more prone to understeer. I tweaked the 4drive settings in OBDEleven and it was near enough there but fuel economy suffered so i switched it back.

To get the car to feeling as much fun and confidence inspiring (and fast) as the the 280 it took:

Lowering springs
Fixed camber plates (similar setup to the R ST now).
Racingline Stage 1 map. Initially it only had 330hp (long story) and that made it feel as quick as the 280. Now its sorted it defo feels quicker (270PS/265hp)., and 0-60 is still mind blowing (to be anyway lol)

But imagine what the 280 would of been like with this money spent on it...


So in short, if you don't have the hatch/FWD already, you'll probably love the 4drive. Your Grandma could drive it at 95%,, so very very capable.

But if you want the absolute most fun, and are happy to deal with the challenge of the 0-30 traction/wheel hop, and/or don't want to be blowing £1,000s on tyres and modifications, then the FWD is the car to have.


Now if I could just save up for a proper LSD for the 4drive. it would be perfect...
 
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Seastormer

Cupra Leon VZ2 300/CBF1000
Apr 25, 2014
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The lesser weight in the FWD Cupra is the reason back when the 280 came out that its time for a lap of the green mile was quicker than the Golf R 4WD. So a 4WD will beat you off the lights, but then is carrying extra weight for everwhere else.
 
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