I just specced both up to what I wanted. It may be closer of course otherwise.

Stever750,

 

Hope you don't get me wrong , the Leon 280 is still a very good car as well, as it was in my test car list and I totally enjoyed my test drive.

 

As always ,it's each to their own ,thank goodness and it keeps us all chatting and debating !!.

A Porsche Macan every time before a Evoque, they really are a poor product from Land Rover, a styling exercise to far. A Freelander does it better. Well IMO

A worse car than a Freelander?

Thats a very bold statement George haha.

Same car as the Freelander and less practicable really. Drive them both at a similar or identical price you will see what I am getting at.

Same car as the Freelander and less practicable really. Drive them both at a similar or identical price you will see what I am getting at.

I dislike them both tbh haha.

The early freelanders were massively unreliable too iirc. Dno if the newer ones are any better

Well, I discovered the limits of LSD managed FWD. 258lb/ft on damp cold roads is limited by physics. A dose of understeer, as the LSD hesitated momentarily before allowing the stability thing to stop me rotating into the hedge. Not quite sure for a few milliseconds who was actually in control; me, the diff or the ECS system!

 

In truth, 4WD would have been far less bum twitching, and that tbh is the really important difference in real life day to day driving in the UK. Sunny day, dry road maybe Sutters is right, but this evening he wouldn't. Thing is, I so much prefer the looks of the leon to the golf, at every model level, but you know, at the end of the day, the thing that bugs me most, that makes me sad is that Alfa has nothing remotely close to any of them. If they did, I'd run away tomorrow.......

Job done.

From the perspective of someone that's had a 330bhp/340lb/ft fwd Quaife equipped Focus, a 240bhp/240lb/ft mk1 4x4 turbo Octy, a fwd 290bhp/340lb/ft octy mk2 VRS estate and a 330bhp/330lb/ft 4x4 Yeti... Fwd is left for dust if you have anything other than a dry piece of tarmac to play on. In this country the awd equivalent model just gives so much more outright grip, balance and stability - yes it makes it 'easier' at any given level but it also equates to quicker and safer IMO. For me, I probably prefer the overall look of the Golf to the Leon so again no issue for me. If anything, the Golf looks very subdued compared to the much sharper suited Leon but I like the sleeper approach to quick car ownership.

Well, I discovered the limits of LSD managed FWD. 258lb/ft on damp cold roads is limited by physics. A dose of understeer, as the LSD hesitated momentarily before allowing the stability thing to stop me rotating into the hedge. Not quite sure for a few milliseconds who was actually in control; me, the diff or the ECS system!

 

In truth, 4WD would have been far less bum twitching, and that tbh is the really important difference in real life day to day driving in the UK. Sunny day, dry road maybe Sutters is right, but this evening he wouldn't. Thing is, I so much prefer the looks of the leon to the golf, at every model level, but you know, at the end of the day, the thing that bugs me most, that makes me sad is that Alfa has nothing remotely close to any of them. If they did, I'd run away tomorrow.......

stever,

At least it enabled you to experience the limits, without damage, well only to your underpants.All part of the ownership learner curve I guess.

I was always going hunting the limits of grip, I'm a bit disappointed in the wintracs tbh, they let go rather quickly on a greasy road. The issue was turn in understeer on a trailing throttle, so the golf and S3 would have done the and thing. I've read from a couple of cupra owners that you can feel the LSD working, which adds just an element of uncertainty right when you don't need it. I hadn't noticed it on the Nero zeros in the dry. I'm pretty sure I can find the right way to drive it on the throttle, and I have to say the amount of traction out of a tight bend is deeply impressive. Now if the cupra R has the haldex 4wd system I'd be somewhat frustrated! For me, I'd like the leon with the 4wd chassis, with the golf std of interior

No point getting something like a Golf when you can get a Golf or a S3.

Job done. image.jpg

From the perspective of someone that's had a 330bhp/340lb/ft fwd Quaife equipped Focus, a 240bhp/240lb/ft mk1 4x4 turbo Octy, a fwd 290bhp/340lb/ft octy mk2 VRS estate and a 330bhp/330lb/ft 4x4 Yeti... Fwd is left for dust if you have anything other than a dry piece of tarmac to play on. In this country the awd equivalent model just gives so much more outright grip, balance and stability - yes it makes it 'easier' at any given level but it also equates to quicker and safer IMO. For me, I probably prefer the overall look of the Golf to the Leon so again no issue for me. If anything, the Golf looks very subdued compared to the much sharper suited Leon but I like the sleeper approach to quick car ownership.

Yup couldn't agree more. I've stuck with 4wd as its so much more useable no matter the weather. Within reason ha

http://home.bt.com/images/drivers-ignore-winter-tyre-benefits-136394757246210401-141202115018.jpg

http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/motoring/motoring-news/drivers-ignore-winter-tyre-benefits-11363947572515

stever,

Have you got yours yet.

I will be interested to hear results, if and when you have them fitted.

Edited 7 December, 201411 yr by vrskeith

Just tomorrow and some will get to try their New cars or tyres on some white slidy stuff. And try to avoid those driving like it is any other day.

Edited 7 December, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

Just tomorrow and some will get to try their New cars on some white slide stuff. And try to avoid those driving like it is any othwe day.

Snowing here now.

I'll look forward to bricking myself as people approach side road junctions at silly speeds and expect to stop straight away.

I'll probably get stuck too. These tyres are carp in the white stuff. More grip if i used racing slicks i think.

http://home.bt.com/images/drivers-ignore-winter-tyre-benefits-136394757246210401-141202115018.jpg

http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/motoring/motoring-news/drivers-ignore-winter-tyre-benefits-11363947572515

stever,

Have you got yours yet.

I will be interested to hear results, if and when you have them fitted.

Yes fitted on Wednesday. They're obviously a bit softer in turn in. Not as grippy as the uniroyals I had on the octy perhaps but then that wasn't as powerful of course.

stever,

 

For your perusal :http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=31309&utm_source=2014-12-9&utm_medium=email&utm_content=html&utm_campaign=newsletter

Thanks Keith, they've obviously been wowed by autocar and auto express. Says more about PH fleet writers tbh. Most interesting part was his choice of personal settings. I too dislike the artificial sound effects in cupra (and you too golf, it's really tacky!). I've also got cupra diff settings, cupra dampers, and sport steering for same reasons. Anyway, I get the auto emocion thing, I have to admit I loves it I does

Keith, OT I know but the wintracs were superb this evening, heavy rain all the way from Haverfordwest to Caerphilly, and they were superbly confidence inspiring. I am staggered how much wet grip there is, and frankly if it goes horribly wrong it would have to be in(s)ane driving.

Just to finish the price issue, accepting you could shop around (and be limited by what spec is on offer etc) as a starting point this is how they compared for me (both 5 door)

 

Golf R with leather, DSG, metallic paint, stereo upgrade, winter pack, DCC comes in at £37,085

 

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/new/golf-gti-vii/configure/extras/1701/1707

 

Cupra 280 same spec £29230 (so leather, winter pack, sound system upgrade, metallic paint; all others are std)

 

http://carconfigurator.seat.co.uk/seat-cc/desktop-desktop-006_DEFAULT-en-normal.view?msk=1#carline

 

You can get a discount on both, even if you got 50% better deal on a Golf, that's a hell of a delta to justify for 4WD and the badge (which for some like me has no perceived value, although probably does have +ve ££ residual value). 

 

For me, the situation was wait 4 months for a new Golf at that price (or shop around, but when you factor high business mileage, little deposit trade in, requirement for a second car) it was just as cost effective from a main dealer on a PCP. The Leon was there at an OTR of £22k, with all of the extras I wanted, so was a pretty simple decision to make at the time. I'd like to have a 4WD system for sure, but no way is it worth the extra (for me, and my driving capability/responsibility).

 

I never got to look at the S3, which was on my radar too, but again my head is put off by the badge premium, no matter how nice inside it is. Very nice ownership prospect though, for sure, but more of an emotional purchase perhaps.

I drove the S3. Was lovely inside but quite soulless to drive. Would be great as a getaway car for a bank job in the rain but I didn't think it had any sense of fun or occasion.

I'm hoping the Golf R will have more character (when I get to have a go in one)....

I drove the S3. Was lovely inside but quite soulless to drive. Would be great as a getaway car for a bank job in the rain but I didn't think it had any sense of fun or occasion.

I'm hoping the Golf R will have more character (when I get to have a go in one)....

Get your arse in the dealership Tom - book the test drive for the R Estate.

Get your arse in the dealership Tom - book the test drive for the R Estate.

Will do -Soon as the R Estate is released I will be hunting one down for a drive.

Trouble is down here in deepest darkest Cornwall VW dealers are very rare. We've only got one and they are a bunch of *******.

I asked to put my name down for a test drive of the mk7 golf GTI when it was first released but they never bothered to call me back when the demo arrived. Anyone would think they don't need sales!

Will do -Soon as the R Estate is released I will be hunting one down for a drive.

Trouble is down here in deepest darkest Cornwall VW dealers are very rare. We've only got one and they are a bunch of *******.

I asked to put my name down for a test drive of the mk7 golf GTI when it was first released but they never bothered to call me back when the demo arrived. Anyone would think they don't need sales!

Exeter, or Barnstaple or Taunton, an option for a family day out .

 

Guy call Adrian Winter at VW Barnstaple has been helpful to me ,you never know he might meet you halfway if you are considering an R Estate. 

I drove the S3. Was lovely inside but quite soulless to drive. Would be great as a getaway car for a bank job in the rain but I didn't think it had any sense of fun or occasion.

I'm hoping the Golf R will have more character (when I get to have a go in one)....

You might not enjoy the Golf R then, as it's probably an identical powertrain. If we're all honest, it shows how anodyne modern cars are, when something with 300bhp weighing just over 1.5 tonnes isn't really that much fun. The problem is they are just too damn fast, so you rarely get a chance to explore the outer limits, unless you're stupid.

You might not enjoy the Golf R then, as it's probably an identical powertrain. If we're all honest, it shows how anodyne modern cars are, when something with 300bhp weighing just over 1.5 tonnes isn't really that much fun. The problem is they are just too damn fast, so you rarely get a chance to explore the outer limits, unless you're stupid.

Tom,

take it out on a wet slippery day on Cornwall country roads, you will have fun-honest

Tom,

take it out on a wet slippery day on Cornwall country roads, you will have fun-honest

Fun picking your teeth off the floor as you crawl out of the broken windscreen and back through the gap you just made in the hedge!