CUPRA LEON VZ

Cupra celebrates racing success with 321bhp special-edition hot hatch

- MATT SAUNDERS

Being the inheritor of a long line of memorable hot hatches, the Cupra Leon has been suffering with something of a hierarchy problem. For the past few years you've had to buy the bigger Leon Estate if you've wanted the 329bhp, Volkswagen Golf R-spec engine.

For 2026 that problem has been resolved, as two new variants put the five-door Leon back on top of the performance pile, namely the VZ and VZ TCR.

Both are limited editions, out to commemorate the Leon's success in global TCR touring car racing. Both have more power and torque than any Leon hatch of recent years (although, perhaps a little annoyingly, neither quite as much as the 2.0 TSI 333 4Drive estate).

Both get mechanical and cosmetic upgrades over the series-production 2.0 TSI 300 hatch (the next model down in the range). But the VZ version reviewed here arrives first, will cost less and is available in larger numbers (1500 units versus 499 globally).