Cupra Thoughts - 100 miles in

simonali

Active Member
Apr 3, 2014
834
36
Wiltshire
Gonna resurrect this thread rather than start another, as I'm roughly 100 miles in, too. A few foibles that I've noticed so far, some of which may have a workaround?

The stop/start - when I pull up on my driveway the engine does its cutting out thing when I've come to a stop, as it should. I then put the gear selector in P and the engine starts up again. Is this because I'm not putting the handbrake on first perhaps?

Rear parking sensors turn off the radio when I select reverse.

The doors only have 2 open positions, fully open and not open enough to get in and out! Another one in the middle would have been nice, señor SEAT.

Anyway onto the likes:

It's bloody quick! Think I prefer the gearbox in D, as in S it seems to stay in 4th once you've hit a steady 60 mph, rather than be smart enough to realise that's as quick as you'll be travelling. I leave it in D, flick to S if I want to accelerate past something quickly and then another flick back to D once that's over.

Headlights. I'm not convinced they're quite as bright as the xenons I've had on my previous cars, but the colour is great, as is the spread of light. Had a play with the main beam and convinced myself that it has a different beam pattern to the momentary flash, but I may be imagining that? Also like the DRLs, but would like the rears to be on as well...

Toys. Lots of gizmos and gadgets to play with, my favourite being the DIS between the dials. I've not had much of a play yet, as I'm still getting to grips with the gearbox, but the amount of info that can be displayed on the ickle screen is brilliant.
 

Seastormer

Cupra Leon VZ2 300/CBF1000
Apr 25, 2014
5,007
692
68
Edinburgh (Scotland)
Think it's something to do with the brake pedal. Did you lift off the brake pedal then put it back on while in P, try pressing it gently instead of normal braking and it is supposed to go off again, the handbook is confusing.:confused:
 

simonali

Active Member
Apr 3, 2014
834
36
Wiltshire
Not sure tbh. It didn't do it when I went out earlier, so I must've done something slightly differently, but I don't know what it was!
 

dieselface

Active Member
Jul 1, 2010
647
3
Someone in the FAQ section said that isn't possible anymore and I've merely taken their word for it. I'll have a play later and see how that pans out...

I think it should be possible. I have mine on but I am a 2013 build.

One compromise is that your interior console lights are on full time (unless I've missed a workaround).
 

Nick

Full Member
Jun 24, 2001
135
0
Coventry, UK
Visit site
I now have 800miles on the clock and it's going well.

The flat spot between 2000-3000 rpm is there in all modes but not always noticeable.

The throttle pedal seems to have two stops. If you push it down to the bottom and push a little harder it snaps a little further down.

I find the anti roll-back a bit annoying at times. I have a slight up slope into my garage and like to a approach the door and then roll back slightly to get aligned and it won't roll back unless I engage reverse gear.

The handbrake is really tight (noticed this on the demo I drove). Comes up one notch or two if really pull on it.

All things I can live with and i'm still smiling. :happy:
 

Rydale13

Active Member
Apr 20, 2014
55
0
I now have 800miles on the clock and it's going well.

The flat spot between 2000-3000 rpm is there in all modes but not always noticeable.

The throttle pedal seems to have two stops. If you push it down to the bottom and push a little harder it snaps a little further down.

I find the anti roll-back a bit annoying at times. I have a slight up slope into my garage and like to a approach the door and then roll back slightly to get aligned and it won't roll back unless I engage reverse gear.

The handbrake is really tight (noticed this on the demo I drove). Comes up one notch or two if really pull on it.

All things I can live with and i'm still smiling. :happy:

Foot hard on the brake, then lift the handbrake. Makes it much easier and allows for a stronger hold, too. :)
 

MarkE

Acceptable in the 80s
Jul 20, 2003
1,705
0
Lancaster
www.markeaston.org
OK, 5000 miles in, let's do this :

- It's still comfy.

- It still has better fuel economy than the Mk2.

- I like the lights. Probably not more than I liked the Mk2 LCR xenons but they're closer to that than the hopeless headlights on my Mk2 Cupra. I kind of miss the adaptive headlights and the cornering fogs.

- With the ESC in Sport or off, it'll launch up the road in 1WD if it needs to.

but...

- When it's in a mood*, it's IMPOSSIBLE to either set off smoothly or to make a neat change from 1st to 2nd. If there's a bump in the road near the junction you're setting off from, forget it, you're lurching along with your passengers looking at you like you're 17 and/or forgot how to drive.

- In case you actually manage to set off and change up smoothly, the borked mapping between 2000 and 3000 is there to add lumpiness to your progress.

- With the ESC on, it'll hold back IN A STRAIGHT LINE to the point that you think that the turbo has failed. Because it happens without any lights flashing on the dash. On a dry road. In July.

- The stereo controls are still awful. Seriously, why does turning on shuffle have to be so complicated? It was easier (and easier = less dangerous) in the Mk2, even with a screen that was lower down on the dash.

--

If I didn't know better (I don't know better), I'd think that they mapped the car for DSG and then didn't make any changes for the manual box. It's almost as though the 2000-3000 dead spot is there to coax a DSG box to change gear.

In conclusion, it's the most Marmite car I've ever owned, both the best and worst thing I've ever driven. :):(


*Could be cold, could be warm, apparently there's no logic to it.
 
Last edited:

simonali

Active Member
Apr 3, 2014
834
36
Wiltshire
I'm at 7,000 miles or so now.

Likes:

Performance. When I had my last car and overtook a car or two I'd always end up seeing those cars in my RVM a few miles further up the road. In this car I generally never see them again!

Toys. Still liking (nearly) all the gadgety bits; touch screen, MFSW, foldy mirrors etc, but not the nav which is pretty hopeless. It gets you where you want to go most of the time, but never seems to know where that actually is ("no street data available") and takes half your journey to devise the routes.

Gearbox. The DSG can be frustrating now and then, but I like it a lot more than I thought I would. I ummed and ahh-ed about whether to get the DSG car, but now I can see myself getting another flappy paddle car next time.

Looks. It's a great looking car, the best on this platform, in my opinion.

The brakes. Very similar to my last car, but a nicer feel to the pedal. Nice and powerful when required.

Dislikes:

Being of the Victor Meldrew type disposition, I expect everyone knows what I'm going to write here, as I've documented my feelings before, but I'm going to repeat myself again.

The headlights. My opinion of these worsens every time I drive the car at night. They're rubbish. If SEAT brought out a 4WD, 350 bhp Cupra R with carbon fibre bodywork and 8 pot Brembo brakes for £12,000 I still wouldn't buy one if it had these LED headlights fitted...

SEAT dealers and SUK. the second and third reasons why I wouldn't buy the above.

The lack of traction. A lot of people on here say stuff along the lines of throttle control, don't press the go pedal so hard etc, but I might as well have a 150 bhp car if this one can't apply what power it has to the road whenever I want it to without crash-bang wheel hop or a little yellow light flashing away well into third gear. I'm a bit loathe to spend any money on the car because I don't reckon it'll be staying much longer, but I do think new summer tyres will be required when I remove the winter ones, as the OEM Bridgestones just don't cut the mustard. Talking of winter wheels/tyres, the comfort, traction and handling have all been massively improved with the fitment of 18" wheels. Only problem is they look a little lost in the arches, despite being 8J and ET42.
 

AndrewJB

Friend to SEAT UK & Cupra Racing
Aug 16, 2007
11,211
484
Maranello
OEM Bridgestones, Stage2, 5:30am this morning.... wheel spun once

Summer I will be buying some R888 or similar though.
 

kazand

Is powered by Medtronics
Jun 6, 2010
4,138
73
Brum
3000 miles in and a lot of mt comments/thoughts echo previous posts.I also apologise for repeating any points made elsewhere. Car is 5 door 280 manual.
Likes : Anonymous look. No more d1ckheads trying to race everywhere. (previous was Mk2 LCR)
Power delivery- far smoother than R, less steering fight when overtaking.
Quicker- around the Evo triangle and on a few other roads its certainly smoother and faster than the R ( in daylight....)
Diff - works well but it needs to be pushed, will allow initial slip but then bites.
MFD & steering wheel controls better, also speed set is now displayed for CC.
Ride- better than R.
Media system - nice sound , especially with subwoofer , although I am old, partially deaf and no one shares my taste in music....
Dislikes -
Sat nav. Poor compared to RNS315. Its slow to load, zooms in and out for no reason and is less user friendly. Maybe I'll grow to like it..
Media system - so slow. Listen to music via I pod, turn engine off, restart , cant find iPod. Reverts to radio. Press media button. No iPod. Wait 5 minutes, try again, hey presto iPod. Poor.
Changing colour door lights. Pointless. Illuminated footwells ( when driving) ditto. Should have spent money elsewhere. On sat nav....
Complication of minor controls. The 'why use 1 simple button when 3 levels of touch screen menu will do'
Bridgestone tyres - not impressed. Goodyears next methinks.
LED headlights. Not as good as previous Xenons on dark winding roads.
Side mirror dipping. Why can you not have a dipping mirror that's heated? One or the other.come on Seat/VW , Citroën were doing this years ago....
Colour choice. Disappointed with the colour choice, would have loved a speed blue one......
I am growing to like it, honestly...... ;)
 

golf gti dude

Lottery win needed.
Sep 2, 2012
512
0
Chester/Shanghai
3000 miles in and a lot of mt comments/thoughts echo previous posts.I also apologise for repeating any points made elsewhere. Car is 5 door 280 manual.
Likes : Anonymous look. No more d1ckheads trying to race everywhere. (previous was Mk2 LCR)
Power delivery- far smoother than R, less steering fight when overtaking.
Quicker- around the Evo triangle and on a few other roads its certainly smoother and faster than the R ( in daylight....)
Diff - works well but it needs to be pushed, will allow initial slip but then bites.
MFD & steering wheel controls better, also speed set is now displayed for CC.
Ride- better than R.
Media system - nice sound , especially with subwoofer , although I am old, partially deaf and no one shares my taste in music....
Dislikes -
Sat nav. Poor compared to RNS315. Its slow to load, zooms in and out for no reason and is less user friendly. Maybe I'll grow to like it..
Media system - so slow. Listen to music via I pod, turn engine off, restart , cant find iPod. Reverts to radio. Press media button. No iPod. Wait 5 minutes, try again, hey presto iPod. Poor.
Changing colour door lights. Pointless. Illuminated footwells ( when driving) ditto. Should have spent money elsewhere. On sat nav....
Complication of minor controls. The 'why use 1 simple button when 3 levels of touch screen menu will do'
Bridgestone tyres - not impressed. Goodyears next methinks.
LED headlights. Not as good as previous Xenons on dark winding roads.
Side mirror dipping. Why can you not have a dipping mirror that's heated? One or the other.come on Seat/VW , Citroën were doing this years ago....
Colour choice. Disappointed with the colour choice, would have loved a speed blue one......
I am growing to like it, honestly...... ;)

Cupras have a subwoofer?
 

drykoke

Active Member
Oct 31, 2013
21
0
- When it's in a mood*, it's IMPOSSIBLE to either set off smoothly or to make a neat change from 1st to 2nd. If there's a bump in the road near the junction you're setting off from, forget it, you're lurching along with your passengers looking at you like you're 17 and/or forgot how to drive.

*Could be cold, could be warm, apparently there's no logic to it.

I have similarly negative sentiments towards my 1.8 TSI FR gearbox (1st to 2nd), reassuring to hear that I'm not the only Leon owner reduced to driving/ lurching like a 17 year old learner driver.

Absolutely agree that the OEM Bridgestone lose traction far too easily (a couple of bad experiences in the current cold weather mix of grit and mud with the Yellow light flashing and car struggling to set off, even on a lightish throttle).

And the Seat service department....

Shame really, as it is a very competent and capable car that I respect, but I haven't managed to develop a great affection for.
 

simonali

Active Member
Apr 3, 2014
834
36
Wiltshire
OEM Bridgestones, Stage2, 5:30am this morning.... wheel spun once

I found a picture of your tyres just before you left. :D

IMG_0190.JPG
 
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