The Volkswagen Golf's sporty Spanish twin has received a makeover, with new styling, a larger touchscreen, and revised engines more powerful and/or fuel-efficient than before.
Cupra's latest twin to the Volkswagen Golf – the updated 2026 Cupra Leon – is due in Australian showrooms next month with a new look, revised interior, and an overhauled model range.
The Leon will be available as a wagon for the first time – alongside the hatchback – while a new entry-level S variant has joined the Cupra small-car line-up, debuting mild-hybrid technology to trim fuel consumption.
Prices start from $46,990 plus on-road costs – $1800 more than the outgoing Leon V, which had more power from a non-electrified but larger 2.0-litre engine – up to $64,990 plus on-roads for the VZx hatch performance flagship.
The new Sportstourer wagon is launching in 200kW, front-wheel-drive VZe plug-in hybrid trim, priced from $69,990 plus on-road costs.
Due next year is a mid-grade Leon Ve plug-in hybrid hatch, with 150kW and front-wheel drive, as well as a flagship Sportstourer VZx petrol-only wagon with 245kW and all-wheel drive.
The 140kW V and 180kW VZ hatchbacks with 2.0-litre engines have been dropped from the line-up due to slow sales, alongside the VZe hatch.
Exterior changes for 2026 include a restyled 'shark-nose' front end with a more aggressive bumper and triple-triangle daytime-running lights, new full-width LED tail-lights, and fresh 18- and 19-inch wheel designs.
Inside, a larger 12.9-inch touchscreen replaces the old 12-inch unit, running new software claimed to be more responsive and easier to use, with climate controls pinned along the bottom edge of the display.
The illuminated slider controls under the display for volume and air temperature are now illuminated, the wireless phone charger is now ventilated, and the nine-speaker Beats premium audio option has been replaced by a 12-speaker Sennheiser unit.
Cupra has tweaked the materials used on the centre console, door panels, and dashboard to improve quality, while the 'Supersport' steering wheel with drive mode and engine start buttons is now standard across the range.
Newly available on the VZx variant are Cup Bucket front sports seats as part of the Extreme Package, which also includes Akebono performance brakes, upgraded headlights, and more.
Powering the new base-grade Leon S is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developing 110kW and 250Nm, matched with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.
It is aided by 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, using a small electric motor to assist the engine under acceleration, and switch it off when cruising to let the vehicle 'coast' and save fuel, but it cannot drive the wheels on electric power alone like a hybrid Toyota.
The Leon S claims an 8.7-second 0-100km/h acceleration time and fuel consumption of 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres, down from 6.2L/100km in the 2.0-litre V.
The VZx flagship uses a 221kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder with the same seven-speed auto and front-wheel drive, for a 5.7-second claimed 0-100km/h time and fuel use of 7.6L/100km.
Mechanical changes compared to the S include more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension – rather than a basic torsion beam – plus a front differential lock, performance brakes, and adaptive suspension.
The Sportstourer VZe combines the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine with a more powerful electric motor and 19.7kWh battery for 200kW and 400Nm combined, sent to the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic.
It is rated to be capable of driving on electric power for up to 121km, while in hybrid mode it quotes 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds, and quoted fuel use – based on lab testing, and as long as the car is started with a charged battery – of 0.4L/100km.
Those specifications compare to 180kW from the old Leon VZe hatchback's 1.4-litre turbo-petrol plug-in hybrid system, which was rated with 67km of electric-only range from a 12.8kWh battery.
The 2026 Cupra Leon is due in Australian showrooms next month (October), with deliveries to commence in November. A list of standard features is included below.
2026 Cupra Leon price in Australia
Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.
2026 Cupra Leon S standard features:
2026 Cupra Leon VZx hatch adds (over S):
2026 Cupra Leon Sportstourer VZe adds (over S hatch):
The optional $2200 Leather and Sound Package, available on Leon S, adds:
The optional $7600 Extreme Package, available on Leon VZx, adds:
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
