Seat Leon Cupra R

Unveiling this R-badged version of its acclaimed Leon Cupra 20V, SEAT is poking the hot hatch hornets' nest, surpassing the power and performance of the Honda Civic Type R and snapping at the heels of the mighty Subaru Impreza WRX.

After the success of the standard Leon Cupra hatch, powered by Audi's 180-bhp turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol unit, expectations are high for this souped-up version. The Leon has always offered Latin flair and affordability, and the Cupra R raises the stakes on both counts. The sleek and stylish looks are even racier than before, but the 'R' brings with it a big hike in price.

This is the fastest and most powerful road-going SEAT ever, and its aggressive front air dam, 18-inch alloys, low-profile Pirelli P-Zero tyres and lowered suspension certainly hint at some major performance potential. Inside, the feeling continues with the optional Recaro sports seats, white instruments and vivid red stitching throughout the cabin. Fire it up and the Cupra R sounds as though it means business, too. The huge sports exhaust has been tuned to emit a terrific roar and, even at idle, it creates a head-turning burble.

Impressive

On the move the SEAT is impressively quick. With 210bhp generated by a reworked version of the 1.8T engine, it races from 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds and tops out at a claimed 147mph. Putting all that power through the front wheels is a recipe for trouble. You have to fight with a wriggling steering wheel under heavy acceleration, but the wide tyres and ESP traction control manage to transmit most of that power to the tarmac successfully.

Even at high speed the Leon still feels very refined, with surprisingly little wind and road noise despite those unforgiving tyres. Throttle response is also instant throughout all six gears, making cross-country progress a doddle.

In the bends, a new chassis set-up offers remarkable grip, inspiring confidence up to the limits of adhesion. As with all Leons, the Cupra R is still prone to understeer, but overall the handling package, with smooth and responsive steering, is probably its strongest suit.

The chassis, wheels and tyres have stiffened the ride to a point where day-to-day driving might loosen a few fillings on Britain's neglected urban roads, but it's well tuned for smooth motorways and A-roads. However, there's another price to pay. While the original ί¿½14,995 Cupra was a bargain performance package, buyers will have to reach for a wallet-busting ί¿½19,000 for the standard spec UK 'R' when it goes on sale this year - plus an extra ί¿½1,200 for our test car's Recaro seats.

The Cupra R will fire the imaginations of hot hatch enthusiasts after VW build quality and five-door practicality. But while more power and refinement are tempting, the Leon fails to bring anything new to this sector. For genuine inspiration, cars such as Honda's Civic Type R will keep the temperature rising. the Leon has long been an un-known hero of hot-hatches, so much is expected from this ultimate evolution of the model.

With 210bhp coming through the front wheels, this is about as hot a hatch as you can buy - but a big leap in price over the standard Cupra. This will act as a deterrent for driving enthusiasts hunting out affordable thrills.

Refinement, build quality and the flexibility of five doors are on its side, but against the wild and involving ί¿½15,995 Civic Type R, the SEAT cannot quite take the chequered flag.

At a glance

* Leon Cupra R on sale later this year, priced from ί¿½19,000

* Produces 210bhp from turbocharged 1.8-litre engine

* Performance is impressive, with 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 147mph