The SEAT Leon ST Cupra 280 is aimed at people who want a hot hatch but also need the practicality of an estate, and it succeeds on both counts. It can carry 587 litres of luggage with all the seats in place, which is by no means class-leading but should certainly be enough for most people.
It also has the same running gear as the three and five-door Cupra 280 hatchbacks, namely a 276bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine driving the front wheels through either a DSG semi-automatic gearbox or a more conventional six-speed manual. The DSG is more expensive and makes the car slightly quicker but also less economical. The manual box, as tested here, allows for very smart gear changes, though the DSG's shifts are faster still.
There are, of course, certain compromises. The ST, being longer than the hatchbacks, is also around 300kg heavier and therefore slower - it takes three tenths longer to reach 62mph from a standing start, doing the job in 6.1 seconds.
There's also an issue with the handling. Estate cars have to be able to carry heavy loads, and that sends the required rear suspension settings in the opposite direction from what you'd expect of a hot hatch. If pin-sharp cornering is what you require from a Leon Cupra, the ST is not for you.
It is, however, quite good fun to drive. In a straight line it performs very well, with a rousing engine note as you head towards the 6,500rpm rev limit. Through the bends you can feel quite a lot of movement at the rear, but never enough to make it feel as if the car is about to lose control.
You can affect its behaviour by choosing different modes in the Drive Profile system. The highest setting is, reasonably enough, called Cupra, and firms up the damping quite considerably, though not to the ridiculous extent that SEAT was guilty of in pre-2009 Leon Cupras.
The lowest setting, called Comfort, makes the car feel very soft, almost to the point of floppiness, and should be avoided if you want to do any quick motoring. It does, however, make life a lot easier when you're simply going from A to B.
The limiting factor is traction. Even with the help of a limited slip differential, the tyres can sometimes struggle for grip in the dry, and really don't like being asked to do much work in the wet. In particularly bad conditions it's worth selecting Comfort mode just to give them a chance to operate properly.
The list price is £29,205 (or £30,560 if you opt for DSG) and for that you get sat-nav, DAB digital radio, an iPod connection and various styling features not found on cheaper Leon specifications. Unfortunately, however, there doesn't seem to be a USB port. Leather upholstery, Monsoon Grey metallic paint, electric adjustment for the driver's seat, upgraded navigation and various splashes of orange brought the price of the test car up to £31,520.
