Cupra ST - Some quality questions

[alper]

Hello everybody,

I've test driven a Cupra ST and in short: loved it. However during the drive I was mostly focused on things like throttle response, handling and suspension feeling and the roads we drove round with the salesman were quite smooth really. Thus I didn't have the chance of evaluating how the car behaves on bad roads, how well is the dash put together, possible rattles and creaks etc. And also, these things are not always noticeable from a small drive on good roads.

So my question to owners that have been living with the car for some time now is how do they rate the overall ride and build quality of the car (not suspension - this works quite well with the DCC imho). Has it developed any rattles/creaks or whatever strange sounds over time? Does the dash, controls, seats feel as solid as at the time of purchase?

Ultimate question that may get me banned in a SEAT forum : Would you say it is as refined as it's brother starting with a G....? Is it equally quite and insulated at 100mph on the highway or at least close? I'm really struggling to choose between the two and I've had a much more thorough test-drive in the Golf R plus been inside one of a colleague so I know it ticks the boxes for me. From my short experience with the Cupra I think would be just as fine inside it as well, plus I like the ST looks more but I wonder whether it was the initial enthusiasm that filtered out small noises and faults that I will notice around 6 months after purchasing, it has happened before...

 

[bretth1974]

Dunno about the golf but I have owned my ST for 6 months and 5000 miles and not one squeak or rattle from it at all.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[kiddo]

I echo bretths comments. Ive owned my st cupra for 6 months / 5000miles and so far no squeaks rattles or issues. Solid as a rock I've not been in a mk7 golf but the concensus seems to be there is a higher quality finish in the golf but not as many std offerings... Everything is an option at great cost. I find the golf boring to look at and are 10 a penny. The estate version looks like a barge

 

[JimH]

Likewise - solid as Rocky McRockface's rockery rocks......

 

[alper]

That's great input. And what about highway noise at ~100mph? I know acceptable noise levels are subjective but would you say it's generally quite at these speeds with a steady part throttle (<3K)?

 

[bretth1974]

Well you aren't supposed to travel at 100mph in the uk but If theoretically I did I would expect it to be perfectly acceptable, easy to hold a conversation and also listen to some tunes on the radio.

 

[J500ANT]

I did 28k (or thereabouts) in a year in my last Leon mk3, one minor rattle by the speedo and creaky suspension - both sorted first time round by the dealer.

 

[alper]

Well you aren't supposed to travel at 100mph in the uk but If theoretically I did I would expect it to be perfectly acceptable, easy to hold a conversation and also listen to some tunes on the radio.

I was only referring to Autobahn cruisin obviously, what else....

But it's important for me to be able to hold a conversation at those speeds, at least with the front passenger at minimum. If you say it's an easy job, that's great.

I did 28k (or thereabouts) in a year in my last Leon mk3, one minor rattle by the speedo and creaky suspension - both sorted first time round by the dealer.

Any car can have the odd failures, as long as they were fixed i don't think there's much to worry about.

 

[simonsaunders]

I drove the GTi and an FR back to back. The Golf is definitely posher inside and a tad more refined. The Leon was a bit less refined, but that led to a slightly more sporty feel. Seriously though, there isn't loads in it.

Drove a Cupra, ordered one of them.

 

[alper]

I drove the GTi and an FR back to back. The Golf is definitely posher inside and a tad more refined. The Leon was a bit less refined, but that led to a slightly more sporty feel. Seriously though, there isn't loads in it.

Drove a Cupra, ordered one of them.

If the Cupra is as well-built and refined as people say it is I think the only thing that I'm going to miss from the R is going to be the 8" screen. Maybe today 6.5" sounds big enough but judging how quickly car infotainment evolves I'm sure in 2-3 years time I'll be looking for a larger replacement. Which I won't go for and I'll just moan about it occasionally. A pity the Cupra doesn't get it as an option. Although for 5K less I will get over it easily.

 

[bretth1974]

There are lots of stories on here of creeks, rattles and squeaks from Leon's but it seems seat up'ed their game from MY16 onwards as most of the problems were on earlier models.

I am sure the golf is as good if not better but I would take a little extra noise or a little rattle and have £5k in the bank.

 

[Villers]

I'd love to give you my honest opinion on the quality of the Leon but I would be shot down by the buyers pride brigade. Safe to say no car is perfect, and not every car needs recall work to remedy dash and door card rattles. I'd recommend you read through the forum and get a a balanced view rather than just the positives because these things can be noisy at 30mph let alone 100mph. Some are lucky some are unlucky.

 

[bretth1974]

I'd love to give you my honest opinion on the quality of the Leon but I would be shot down by the buyers pride brigade. Safe to say no car is perfect, and not every car needs recall work to remedy dash and door card rattles. I'd recommend you read through the forum and get a a balanced view rather than just the positives because these things can be noisy at 30mph let alone 100mph. Some are lucky some are unlucky.

As with every make of car.

 

[Villers]

Absolutely, but it's the response you get from the dealer and manufacturer that will make the difference. Our car school comprised of my 2014 mk3, a 2011 A5 coupe and a 2007 fiat panda. Having the noisiest car with the most rattles was a little embarrassing given the price tag.

 

[alper]

Absolutely, but it's the response you get from the dealer and manufacturer that will make the difference. Our car school comprised of my 2014 mk3, a 2011 A5 coupe and a 2007 fiat panda. Having the noisiest car with the most rattles was a little embarrassing given the price tag.

Sounds like these early rattles I've read about? One of the reasons I usually avoid new models in their first couple MY's, regardless of manufacturer. Oh and there's bad dealers everywhere, again, regardless of manufacturer. You do need a bit of luck with every new car though, that I'll agree.

 

[Villers]

Oh you would go a long way to find a worse dealer than I did, small town with only one franchised car dealer, they seemingly don't need to try!
One thing I noticed at the end of my mk3 was the weird offset between the seat and the pedals, meaning you were at an angle to the steering wheel almost. I thought my SEAT base was twisted.

Mine was a middle 2014, so not exactly early but then again not the latest.

 

[Ken H]

I'm 2 weeks into ownership so a bit early for me to comment.People talk about the interior and hard plastics being the most probable cause for all these creaks and rattles?!? All I know is the plastics on the interior of the 290 are actually soft and not hard. The dash the doors etc.... Driving on Irish roads is a good test for any car and all I can say is I'm very impressed with build quality.

 

[RacerBice]

I had an FR 180 SC for 53000 miles and now a Cupra ST 290 with 2000 miles on the clock. And never any rattles or squeaks or other kinds of annoying noises. Solid feel, especially compared to the Mk VI Golf R I had prior to that, which was simply rubbish in terms of build quality. Maybe they've improved the Mk VII, but it was my worst ownership experience ever. I also had a rental Mk VII for a week while the SC was in the paint shop after having been scratched at a parning lot. And there was nothing special about its interior at all. For me it's nonsense that a Golf would feel so much more posh. The two look different inside, that's about it. The Leon slightly simpler lines but makes up for it with the feel to all materials. There’s really not much in it. In fact, that rental Golf was so boring that I could hardly believe it. Now, throw in an A3 in the comparison instead and you have a whole other ballgame. That's the real benchmark of the entire class. As for road noise, I have done some obscene speeds with both Leons. Even with 225/40-18 studded winter tyres, it is certainly more quite than both that old Golf R and the three S3's that I've had. Still not a quiet car. And why should it be? It's not an A6. As for nav screen; are you fecking kidding me?!

 

[simonsaunders]

I had an FR 180 SC for 53000 miles and now a Cupra ST 290 with 2000 miles on the clock. And never any rattles or squeaks or other kinds of annoying noises. Solid feel, especially compared to the Mk VI Golf R I had prior to that, which was simply rubbish in terms of build quality. Maybe they've improved the Mk VII, but it was my worst ownership experience ever. I also had a rental Mk VII for a week while the SC was in the paint shop after having been scratched at a parning lot. And there was nothing special about its interior at all. For me it's nonsense that a Golf would feel so much more posh. The two look different inside, that's about it. The Leon slightly simpler lines but makes up for it with the feel to all materials. There’s really not much in it. In fact, that rental Golf was so boring that I could hardly believe it. Now, throw in an A3 in the comparison instead and you have a whole other ballgame. That's the real benchmark of the entire class. As for road noise, I have done some obscene speeds with both Leons. Even with 225/40-18 studded winter tyres, it is certainly more quite than both that old Golf R and the three S3's that I've had. Still not a quiet car. And why should it be? It's not an A6. As for nav screen; are you fecking kidding me?!

A cooking Golf VII is well screwed together, but doesn't stand out. The GTi / R manages to add a bit of sparkle to that IMO. A few better materials, nice seats, etc. and it just seems a cut above. Certainly a nicer place to be than the S1 that I also had on test.

However, the GTi really isn't a performance car IMO. Brisk, not quick. Of course, that all depends on your other points of reference, but all considered it is still a very nice thing. But based on the deals I could get, the Cupra is notably cheaper than the GTi, way quicker, better spec'd, I think it looks better, the increase in NVH was welcome in my case (a bit more sporty feeling) and it did enough. But it's not quite as stylish inside and definitely feels a bit cheaper. Cupra came across as a bit more fun too.

Obviously the R adds the missing performance from the GTi, but adds a chunk of cost too. I also got offered some cracking deals on an S3 - about the same as a GTi TBH.

But the 290 really worked for me. 4 weeks until delivery!

 

[Seastormer]

Sounds like these early rattles I've read about? One of the reasons I usually avoid new models in their first couple MY's, regardless of manufacturer. Oh and there's bad dealers everywhere, again, regardless of manufacturer. You do need a bit of luck with every new car though, that I'll agree.

Arrived in July 2014, and to date still no rattles, creaks etc. In fact the only fault has just appeared in the last month, one of the rear lens on the hatch has started misting up after heavy rain/car washing, but as I seem to be lucky in having a good dealer I don't foresee any probs in getting it sorted.