2025 Cupra Leon V Tribe Edition review

Cupra wants to lure more Australians into its tribe.

The sporty Spanish spinoff brand from the Volkswagen Group sold more than 3700 cars in Australia in 2023, but it’s struggled to hit the same heights so far in 2024. To date, it’s down 30 per cent on the same point last year.

Rather than resting on its laurels, Cupra has responded with a range of deals. Along with sharper pricing on a number of its models, it’s rolled out special editions like the Leon V Tribe Edition to entice new buyers into showrooms.

Although it’s based on the cheapest Cupra money can buy, the Leon V, the Tribe Edition packs a selection of special touches to make it look and feel a bit more special.

Outside, it has a more prominent rear wing and side skirts, along with a new set of wheels. The cabin has picked up Petrol Blue leather seats and dashboard trim, and the front seats are heated.

Now it’s worth noting this Tribe Edition is on the pre-facelift Leon currently on sale in Australia. Cupra has confirmed the mid-life update will land in local showrooms around May-June next year – read more here.

Is this enough to entice buyers to join the Cupra tribe?

How much does the Cupra Leon cost?

Although the Tribe Edition is cheaper than the existing Leon V entry variant based on its regular drive-away price, Cupra is currently offering the Leon V for $45,888 drive-away until September 30, making the Tribe $2000 pricier.

To see how the Cupra Leon stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

What is the Cupra Leon like on the inside?

The big difference between the Tribe Edition and the regular Leon V is the lovely Petrol Blue leather trim on the seats.

It’s shared with the more expensive VZx, and immediately makes the cabin feel special in a way the (already nice) V just doesn’t. Beyond the Cupra stable, the only rival with a comparably interesting finish is the less performance-oriented, but more luxurious Mazda 3 Astina with its red leather cabin.

Otherwise, you get the same basic Cupra design that features in the Leon and Formentor.

The fundamentals are excellent. Driver and passenger sit in sporty seats with plenty of bolstering, and tall drivers won’t have trouble getting comfortable.

As you’d expect of a modern Volkswagen Group cabin, screens are the showpiece here. The touchscreen is a 12-inch unit running Cupra’s take on the software rolled out in the Golf and Skoda Octavia, along with the same touch sliders below for volume and temperature control.

Points to Cupra for allowing owners to drop a widget on the home screen to control fan speed for the air-con, and for making shortcut buttons prominent – it’s easier to jump around the system than in the Golf – but it’s fiddly at times.

It’s also harder than it really should be to change drive modes. You need to dive through sub-menus in the V to find Sport or Cupra, which seems like a weird oversight for a brand that wants to be overtly sporty.

The VZx has a wheel-mounted button that’s very Lamborghini; we’d love to see it here as well.

The digital cockpit is handsome, and features unique graphics in keeping with Cupra’s sportier remit. The steering wheel itself feels great in your hands, and has proper buttons instead of the touch controls rolling out elsewhere.

Rear seat space is about par for the class. The chunky front seats with their one-piece backrests block forward visibility, but kids will be able to get comfortable back there without too much stress.

Average-sized adults will be able to slot back there as well; although the bigger Formentor or Ateca are better options if you’re lugging people around regularly.

Dual ISOFIX points and three top-tether anchors for child seats feature back there, along with a fold-down central armrest, air vents, and dual USB-C points.

As is the case in any other similar-sized hatchback, the rear door opening is quite tight, which means loading kids (or squeezing in adults) isn’t as easy here as in the more practical Ateca. Then again, that’s not really the point of a small hatchback anyway.

The claimed 380 litres of boot space is up 6L on what you get in a Golf GTI, and the load bay itself is a broad space that’s easy enough to load awkward items into. Folding the rear seats reveals 1210 litres of space.

It has a very low floor, which is great for carrying bulky bags or boxes, but does mean you need to lift and place them back there rather than just sliding them over a loading lip.

To see how the Cupra Leon stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

As with all petrol-only versions of the Cupra Leon, the V Tribe Edition is powered by a punchy 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder.

To see how the Cupra Leon stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

How does the Cupra Leon drive?

You miss out on some of the drama on offer in the more powerful Leon VZ and VZx here, but it still feels like a close relative.

There’s a little flourish of revs when you prod the start button, and it packs more of a punch than you’d expect of a base model when you put your foot down.

With plenty of torque on tap, the Leon is a smooth mover around the city. The dual-clutch transmission is devoid of any awkwardness off the mark, and it shuffles smartly through the gears when you’re just cruising around town.

Throw in a comfortable ride on the adaptive dampers – an option usually reserved for more expensive cars, and one that offers impressive customisation potential – and you’ve got a car that’s very comfortable on the daily drive.

Although they’re not dripping with intent like some of their hot hatch rivals, Volkswagen Group hatches offer their performance with very little compromise. That’s always been a core part of the appeal.

The grown-up, big-car-in-a-small-car-body feeling you get from the Leon translates to the open road as well.

It’s nicely settled at highway speeds, and has enough performance in reserve for high-speed overtakes.

With that said, the Leon falls into a familiar trap on Australian highways. With the cruise set to 100km/h there’s a lot of road roar from the 18-inch wheels, forcing you to crank the stereo to drown it out.

It’s not a dealbreaker – the same issue afflicts premium European hatches like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Audi A3 – but it’s the most noticeable issue in what’s otherwise a very refined package.

A full suite of active driver assists is on hand to keep a gap to the vehicle in front, keep you between the white lines, and warn of hidden obstacles in your blind-spot at highway speeds, all of which are smartly calibrated.

Cupra gives you Sport and Cupra modes, but you can also configure the car using an Individual mode. It’s a shame you need to dive through so many different touchscreen menus to jump into those modes.

The adaptive dampers can be toggled through a huge range of settings, from more relaxed in Comfort to firmer in the most aggressive Cupra mode; while the steering and drivetrain are all configurable as well.

The Leon is a fun, fast way to cover ground when the road gets twisty. The front-end is keen to turn, body roll is kept nicely in check, even with the adaptive dampers set up with a focus on compliance.

With accurate, direct steering, it’s easy to place the car where you want it, and there’s plenty of torque on tap to drag you out of corners from low in the rev range.

Compared to the more expensive VZ you need to work it harder, but the difference is most noticeable at the top end of the rev range. Here the VZ rips confidently to its redline with its Golf GTI-derived engine, while the V can feel a bit breathless.

It sounds decent though, with a solid serving of huffing and puffing from the turbocharger, and a raspy bark from the engine.

Shifts from the seven-speed transmission are sharp in Cupra mode, and pulling the plastic paddles behind the wheel elicits an instant response. When you take charge with the paddles the car will actually stay in the gear you’ve chosen unless it absolutely can’t.

To see how the Cupra Leon stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

What do you get?

Standard equipment in the Tribe Edition largely mirrors the Leon V.

Cupra Leon V equipment highlights:

• Automatic LED headlights
• 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• Keyless entry and start
• Heated steering wheel
• Ambient lighting
• Tri-zone climate control
• Front and rear parking sensors

Leon V Tribe Edition adds:

• 18-inch alloy wheels in black/copper finish
• Black rear spoiler extension
• Dark aluminium side skirts
• Petrol blue dashboard
• Petrol blue nappa leather seat trim
• Heated front seats
• Power driver’s seat adjustment and memory

To see how the Cupra Leon stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

Is the Cupra Leon safe?

The Cupra Leon has a five-star ANCAP safety rating, which is based on Euro NCAP testing conducted on the SEAT Leon in 2020.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist detection
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane-keep assist with highway lane-centring
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross traffic alert
• Safe exit warning
• Driver fatigue monitoring
• Reversing camera
• 8 airbags
• 2 x ISOFIX ports
• 3 x top-tether points

To see how the Cupra Leon stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

How much does the Cupra Leon cost to run?

The Leon is no longer being offered with three years of free maintenance like it previously was.

To see how the Cupra Leon stacks up against its rivals, use our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Cupra Leon

The Leon V was already a winner, and the Tribe Edition improves on the formula.

Its blend of performance, practicality, and style is rare in a base model, and the Tribe Edition builds on that with a flash-looking interior and some stylish exterior add-ons.

The value equation remains impressive when you consider you’ll pay at least $13,000 more for an Audi A3 with the same engine, and the similarly priced Golf R-Line packs less power and pizazz.

Complaints? It’s still too difficult to unlock the sporty flavour within the Tribe Edition. We’d love if Cupra added the Lamborghini-esque steering wheel from the VZx to make it easier to shuffle between drive modes.

There’s real sporting ability built into this car and it should be easier to tap into.

Interested in buying a Cupra Leon? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here

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MORE: Everything Cupra Leon