Cupra Leon vs Skoda Superb

What's the difference?

Cupra is not trying to fit in.

In a car market that is getting more and more crowded the Volkswagen Group-owned Spanish performance brand is looking to stand out. Which is why its refreshed Leon hatchback range has added the most unlikely of new models - a small wagon.

The conventional hatchback is struggling to survive against the onslaught of SUVs, and almost every brand has abandoned the wagon in all its sizes, but not Cupra. It has added the Leon Sportstourer to its facelifted Leon hatchback range, giving buyers looking for something different a new alternative.

This new compact wagon is powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain and joins the Leon hatch in a three-pronged line-up initially, with the Leon S mild-hybrid and VZx hot hatch. A red hot VZx version of the Sportstourer and plug-in hybrid hatch are locked in to join the local Cupra range in 2026, but for now we’ll focus on this trio.

The large passenger car segment, meaning big sedans and wagons, has taken a huge nosedive in terms of sales and available models over the past decade or so.

The Holden Commodore, Chrysler 300, Kia Stinger and even the Volkswagen Passat? All axed locally.

The Toyota Camry remains a strong fleet and private buyer option (hello Uber). But it leans more towards medium than properly large car proportions, as confirmed by industry statistician, VFacts segmentation.

The only vehicle left now before you start considering premium players is the Skoda Superb. It has just launched locally in new, fourth-generation guise.

Sitting alongside the new Kodiaq as a flagship product for the Czech brand, the Superb continues to now only be offered in a single, fully-loaded Sportline trim level. Thankfully, you still get the option of either a liftback or wagon body style.

Skoda has made a wide array of changes to this new-generation Superb, including plenty of new ‘Simply Clever’ touches, but will Australians actually care about this new version of a dying breed?

@carsguide.com.au Simply Clever? The new 2025 Skoda Superb’s ‘Smart Dials’ are a set of three physical dials that are capable of altering the following: Climate control temperature Air direction Fan speed Seat heating, ventilation Drive mode Sat-nav map zoom Volume P.S. these Smart Dials also feature in the new 2025 Skoda Kodiaq SUV#skoda #superb #sedan #wagon #car #carsguide #fyp ♬ original sound - CarsGuide.com.au

Read along to find out.