2022 Cupra Leon e-Hybrid hatchback and estate: specs and prices

The plug-in hybrid Cupra Leon is now priced from £35,205 in hatchback form, but like its SEAT-badged predecessor, it's also available as an estate, with prices starting from £36,300. For 2022, the Leon e-Hybrid will be available in two new paint colours, and comes with a mode 3 charging cable as standard, which should enable faster charging.

Power still comes from a 1.4-litre petrol engine and electric-motor combination producing 242bhp, along with a 13kWh battery that offers a 32-mile pure-electric range. A dual-clutch automatic gearbox feeds power to the front wheels. Charging is done through a port on the Leon's wing; charging speeds top out at 3.6kW, which equates to a charging time of around three hours and 42 minutes from a home wallbox. Plug into a standard domestic wall socket and it'll take a shade under six hours.

Fuel economy of up to 217.3mpg (201.8mpg for the estate) is claimed, along with a 30g/km (or 31g/km for the estate) CO2 emissions figure that's great news for company-car users thanks to the resulting 11% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) rating.

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There are two bodystyles to pick from – hatchback or estate – along with two trim levels. VZ2 kicks off the range with standard 19-inch wheels, digital cockpit dials, a 10-inch infotainment system and heated steering wheel for 2022. VZ3 cars add 'Petrol Blue' Nappa leather and wireless phone charging.

All versions of the Cupra Leon get distinctive exterior styling. Two unique matte paint finishes are offered, along with a large open air dam at the front of the car and 18 or 19-inch alloy wheels coloured silver, black or copper. The car also sits 25mm lower at the front and 20mm lower at the back than its conventional counterpart.

A full-width light bar runs across the back of both the hatchback and estate versions, above a new design of rear bumper which sits above copper-tipped exhaust pipes and an elaborate aerodynamic diffuser. Cupra says that the Leon is 8% more aerodynamically efficient than its predecessor.

There's more copper to be found inside, including on the seat-stitching highlights, steering wheel and air-vent surrounds. On the steering wheel, there's a switch to select from one of four driving modes – Comfort, Sport, Cupra and Individual – while the usual range of hybrid-specific modes also apply. The car will always start in pure-electric mode if there's sufficient charge.

Rivals for the plug-in hybrid Cupra Leon e-Hybrid are largely limited to those from elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group, both of which use a very similar powertrain: the Volkswagen Golf GTE, Audi A3 40 TFSI e and 45 TFSI e and Skoda Octavia vRS iV.