Cupra Leon vs rivals ROAD TESTS

BMW 118i M Sport

£32,015/£37,760 £18,425/57 6% £13,590 £1,967/£3,935 £2,191/£3,651 20/£540/£165 £802 (3 years)

4,319/2,670mm 1,434/1,799mm

3cyl in-line/1,499cc 134/4,500 bhp/rpm 220/1,500 Nm/rpm 7-spd auto/fwd 42 litres/repair kit 380/1,200 litres 1,395/550/1,300kg 11 4 metres 3yrs (60k)/2yrs 16th/15th 83/87/76/72/5 (’19)

8.8 secs/132mph 37 5/8 2/346 miles 47 9-42 8mpg 10 5-9 1mpl 174/134-150g/km/31%

Six/yes/yes/yes

£1,350/yes Yes/yes Yes/yes £1,150/yes £595/yes £500/£500 Yes/yes yes/yes £350/yes/yes

Power

CONSIDERING its relatively modest output the 118i can easily hang on to its rivals in a straight line

Towing

BOTH the BMW and Mazda can haul a 1 300kg braked trailer; the Cupra can tow 100kg more

Mazda 3 e-SkyactivX auto GT Sport

£31,105/£31,675 £14,899/47 9% £16,206 £1,972/£3,945 £1,933/£3,222 22/£538/£155 £799 (3 years)

4,460/2,725mm 1,435/1,795mm 4cyl in-line/1,998cc 183/6,000 bhp/rpm 240/4,000 Nm/rpm

6-spd auto/fwd 51 litres/repair kit 330/1,022 litres 1,522/441/1,300kg 11 4 metres 3yrs (60k)/3yrs 7th/N/A 98/87/81/73/5 (’19)

8.5 secs/134mph 42 5/9 3/477 miles 47 1mpg 10 4mpl 154/137g/km/32%

Dimensions

MAZDA is the longest car here by 62mm and it also has the longest wheelbase

Cupra Leon 1.5 eTSI V1 DSG

£32,985/£33,855 £17,871/54 2% £15,114 £2,093/£4,186 £2,019/£3,364 21/£533/£155 £1,224 (3 years)

4,398/2,689mm 1,444/1,799mm

FUEL TANK LARGEST fuel tank of this trio allows the Mazda to cover the furthest distance between refuelling stops

Insurance

BASED on our AA-sourced quotes there will be little between th s trio for cover costs

4cyl in-line/1,498cc 148/5,000 bhp/rpm 250/1,500 Nm/rpm 7-spd auto/fwd 45 litres/repair kit 380/1,200 litres 1,395/485/1,400kg 11.2 metres 3yrs (60k)/2yrs 17th*/N/A 91/88/71/80/5 (’20)

8.7 secs/133mph 40 7/9 0/403 miles 47 1-44 1mpg 10 4-9 7mpl 160/136g/km/32%

Options

KEYLESS entry and a powered tailgate are part of a pack on our test car but they can be specced separately

Seven/yes/f&r/yes £1,550/yes Yes/yes Yes/yes Yes/yes £570/yes Yes/no Yes/no Yes/yes £241/yes/yes

LEATHER BLACK hide is standard with GT Sport trim while a burgundy alternative is available as a no-cost option

Six/yes/f&R/yes

Yes/yes No/yes Yes/yes No/no £580/yes Yes/no Yes/yes Yes/yes Yes/yes/yes

TURNING CIRCLE THERE S not much to separate these three for manoeuvrability, but the Cupra is marginally the best here

GEARBOX

THE Leon 1 5 TSI is available with a manual gearbox, but it foregoes the mild-hybrid system that comes with the DSG unit

Bmw

A PREMIUM brand at a fairly mainstream price –what’s not to like? The BMW 118i offers enough for the keen driver who doesn’t want to break the bank with high running costs, yet backs that up with great fit and finish, superb in-car tech and a spacious boot Strong residuals and competitive monthly figures – as long as you go easy on the pricey options and packages available –make the 1 Series very hard to fault

Mazda

THE Mazda 3 is often overlooked in the family car class, and this test proves that it deserves more success It’s genuinely engaging to drive, the cabin is smart, and you get loads of equipment for your money The non-turbocharged engine won’t suit everyone, nor will the lack of cabin space. As a result, the Mazda isn’t quite capable of toppling the BMW – but it does come tantalisingly close