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Honda Civic vs Cupra Leon

What's the difference?

VS
Honda Civic
Honda Civic

$47,200 - $74,100

2024 price

Cupra Leon
Cupra Leon

$36,880 - $67,888

2023 price

Summary

2024 Honda Civic
2023 Cupra Leon
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Turbo 4, 2.0L

Turbo 4, 1.4L
Fuel Type
-

Premium Unleaded/Electric
Fuel Efficiency
8.9L/100km (combined)

1.8L/100km (combined)
Seating
4

5
Dislikes
  • Price, maybe
  • Limited availability
  • Likely a swansong

  • Infuriating multimedia system
  • Expensive
  • PHEV-related limited boot space
2024 Honda Civic Summary

Before we dive in, this isn’t your typical road test. 

That’s because there’s no road, per se. Instead, the majority of what you’re about to read comes from The Bend Motorsport Park in South Australia.

You’ve read the headline, though, so you’re probably putting it all together: a Honda Civic Type R on a well-liked race track must be bliss. Let’s find out.

A very quick catch-up for those not in the know. The Honda Civic Type R (or CTR if you like) is the brand’s only performance model on sale after the demise of the NSX supercar. 

The current (FL5) CTR is a little over a year old, having been launched internationally in late 2022, but has only been on Aussie shores for a little while. In fact, we’ve already reviewed it for the road, back in April.

But Honda Australia was keen to get media behind the wheel in a setting it says the CTR thrives in - a racetrack. Its predecessor was a car loved almost universally, can this one live up to the new standard?

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2023 Cupra Leon Summary

Behold the beautiful Cupra Leon VZe.

Like its name and multimedia screen, this enigmatic hatchback needs some decoding to make sense to Australians.

Essentially, the Leon VZe is a variation of today's eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf. Except it's built in Spain by VW Group subsidiary SEAT (remember them?), offering sleeker styling, and – in VZe guise – a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain.

In other words, this is similar to the intriguing Golf GTE grade not offered in Australia, but with more than a splash of Balenciaga about the way it looks, feels and drives – and with pricing to match (from $59,990, before on-road costs).

So, does the Leon VZe combine the sportiness of a hot hatch and torquey zing of an EV with the parsimony of a hybrid? Could this be the most complete small car on sale in Australia today?

Let's spill the tea to find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2024 Honda Civic 2023 Cupra Leon

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