Cupra Leon V Tribe Edition 2024 Review

The Leon V Tribe Edition pre-empted the Formentor VZe Tribe to launch in the local market by only a few weeks. At a road-ready price of $47,888, it is the least-expensive Cupra on the books. Not only does it cost $1302 less than the regular V-spec Leon; it adds more bling, some of it superficial, most of it substantial.

It might lack the scintillating punch of the $65,690 (drive-away) Leon VZx which puts away the zero to 100km/h sprint in just 5.7 seconds, but it does borrow a lot of its in-cabin luxury. Using common parlance, could the Tribe variant be described as the Leon VZx-Line?

Recognisable from outside by black 18-inch wheels (Leons from VZ spec upwards get 19-inch wheels) featuring Cupra-signature copper-look highlights and splashes of black on some of the aero bits, the Tribe Edition’s added value becomes really evident inside, where there’s Nappa-leather trim, powered and heated front seats with memory settings for the driver and, among other touches such as the deep-blue Nappa seats with contrasting stitching, an amplifier-boosted Beats sound system with a sub-woofer. A distinctive Petrol Blue shade on the dash, and dark alloy floor pedals are nice touches too. Regular Leon Vs, although generally well fitted-out, offer none of this unless the $2500 Leather and Sound Package is specified.

The Tribe Edition’s carry-over equipment from the V model includes GPS on a 12-inch centre screen, a heated steering wheel with paddle shifters, a fully-digitised 10.25-inch information display, multi-zone climate control, keyless start, auto-dipping internal rearview mirror, auto-dipping LED headlights with active see-around-the-corner fog lamps, remote opening/closing windows, heated and folding rearview mirrors and rain-sensor wipers. A sunroof option is available for an extra $1800.

As a part of the Volkswagen family, the Cupra Leon comes with a five-year unlimited-kilometre warranty, along with a roadside assist program that’s applicable for the full period.

Servicing is scheduled at 12 months or 15,000km intervals, whichever comes first, and there are optional three and five-year fixed-price service packs tagged respectively at $990 and $1990. The five-year pack includes a complimentary concierge service that covers pick-up/drop-off to a nominated address within 10km of the nearest authorised Cupra service partner.

The 10-airbag Cupra Leon earned a five-star safety rating in 2020 and measures up well with high and low-speed autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist protection, follow-to-stop active cruise control, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, a rear camera and the ability (of all Leon models) to self-park.

The Leon V Tribe, especially since it’s based on the well specified entry-level Leon V model, comes with a pretty complete swag of in-cabin technology.

On top of the already standard embedded GPS and the adaptive see-around-the-corner LED fog lights which supplement the self-dipping LED headlights, buyers will appreciate the wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity with smartphone charging, a pair of USB-C ports front and rear (along with a 12-volt socket), and voice control.

The 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol familiar across many Volkswagen products is the standard powerplant for the Leon Tribe. It’s the least powerful engine in the Leon range but it works well enough with the Tribe’s 1486kg tare weight to hustle along with more immediacy than you might expect – it feels faster than the quoted zero to 100km/h of 7.2 seconds suggests.

The Cupra Leon V Tribe drives exclusively through the same front-drive, seven-speed dual-clutch auto combination you’ll also find in a wide range of Volkswagen group products.

Cupra says the Leon V Tribe will consume 95 RON unleaded fuel at a respectable combined-cycle figure of 6.2L/100km, and while we didn’t match that in our review vehicle, which recorded 7.1L/100km, we sensed the factory figure might actually be achievable.

Cupra likes to give its vehicles, right across the range, a notably sporty persona and the Leon V Tribe fits the brief nicely. If it’s not quite a hot hatch, it’s definitely a nicely warmed one.

There’s noticeable road/tyre noise, but most would prefer to trade that for the way the small Cupra hatch points and steers.

The 2.0-litre turbo is omnipresent, delivering unexpected levels of vocality and performance compatible with the combination of sports-tuned suspension and razor-sharp steering. Factored into that is Cupra’s Dynamic Chassis Control which regulates the dampers and steering according to the mode selected – Normal, Sport or Comfort – via a button on the centre console.

Overall, the ride is firm and, no doubt due to the lowish-profile 225/40 18-inch tyres, sensitive to small, sharp bumps. In any mode the Leon feels well controlled and settled once speeds rise, satisfyingly lithe and responsive on the sharp, twisty bits where the dynamic chassis control and the engine’s solid, progressive torque can be put to good use.

If at first glance the Leon V Tribe’s cabin looks a bit underdone, it doesn’t take long to discover it isn’t at all.

Applying a deep and moody mix of colours and finishes, Cupra’s interior designers have done a great job of imbuing the Leon – any Leon – with a recognisable character that eschews pretentiousness for Euro restraint.

The powered front seats with their fixed headrests and well-bolstered side support are good for the long haul. In the back, however, compromises are readily found; legroom tends to be adequate rather than generous.

The dash is nearly devoid of buttons and levers, which sounds like a good thing until you start looking to control certain functions and get bamboozled by the too clever design. Examples include the slide-touch heating controls that are almost deliberately tricky and counter-intuitive to use.

The boot contains an 18-inch space-saver spare, and can be expanded from a minimum of 380 litres of space to a quite generous 1301 litre maximum with the 60/40 split-fold backrest lowered.

Why wouldn’t you? If the Cupra Leon V is appealing, then the V Tribe version is doubly so.

Its extra features, using the Leather and Sound option pack as a guide, total something like $2500 worth of added value, yet the Leon V Tribe is priced $1302 lower than the regular Leon V. Overall, that totals a $3802 saving that will surely help Cupra Leon sales as it prepares to segue into a soon-to-be-launched update rollout.

Already an endearingly different and unquestionably sporty mid-size Euro hatch, the Cupra Leon V Tribe verges on irresistible.

2024 Cupra Leon V Tribe Edition at a glance:
Price: $47,888 drive-away
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 140kW/320Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 6.2L/100km
CO2: 141g/km
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP Year 2020)

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