2020 Cupra 290 DSG | Daytime Drive (POV Binaural Audio)

[@ItsDanLatham]

Definitely going to go 4k for the next POV to avoid the grainy effect caused by compression. Let me know what kind of POV driving videos you want to see!

[@Zunimassa97]

I like your video's, because you don't just accelerate hard literally everywhere being a jackass. Just being able to cruise and chill is more enjoyable.. Also you explain things nicely and calmly. Good video's man!

[@ItsDanLatham]

Thanks mate much appreciated. There’s so much more to enjoy about driving than just taking everything to the limit!

[@Alex-zi6ym]

Great Vid mate. Picking up my Cupra 290 this weekend and Ive watched this vid about 3 times now already. Cant wait lol

[@ItsDanLatham]

You’ll love it !

[@Ilovetanktops]

Great video Dan, I have a 290 also and didn’t know about the sport information on the infotainment screen, so thanks for enlightening me with that👍🏻

[@oddities-whatnot]

After watching Abarth videos, I still cant believe how good they sound compared to most other hot hatches. Ive had two, nothing came close for fun factor. Power isnt everything, but character is.

[@ItsDanLatham]

Indeed - the GPF’s in cars after 2019 really dulled the sound of most.

[@oddities-whatnot]

@@ItsDanLatham im cashing pensions in soon and after a new car to last me a long time. Looked at S3, A35 AMG etc and tested them but they sound bland unless floored. Power isnt everything, Abarth has enough but nothing else has exhausts on a four cylinder that sound like that.

[@ItsDanLatham]

@@oddities-whatnot I do get your point, but if its a daily driver the abarth is very harsh. I have full review of a 595 on my channel. Depends on budget but if you’re in the £20-30k bracket I’d probably be looking at an S5 with the V6 or something as a great all rounder. But of course if its a toy something like an abarth is more suited for B road bashing! They’re very affordable too! Hatch wise there’s always the m140i but they are deathtraps in the wrong hands.

[@TheDJFra1]

Definitely a nice weekend for it, cars looking smart 👌

[@ritchiemclean]

I have the same car sat on the drive and I'm sat watching this haha

[@ItsDanLatham]

Yours even looks like mine 😂 good way to save fuel

[@tweez7817]

I seriously considered a Lux 290 about a year ago but there was nothing local (or a sensible distance at least) to me and went with a 2019 i30N Fastback in the end. But I’m now starting rethink. Love the look of the Lux cabin/seats/dash and fancy trying an auto for a bit. (I know yours is the non Lux). I’m sure most people would think I’d be nuts to trade in an i30N for a Leon Cupra! 🤔

[@ItsDanLatham]

I’ve driven both and the i30N is much better as a drivers car in my opinion. But the day to day luxuries of the 290 lux do make it a nicer daily. Its also slightly less firm in comfort mode.

[@namesbinge3073]

Quality is questionable with the i30N. Just need a tap more effort into it.

[@z7olliez7518]

what's the difference between the Lux and normal 290?

[@craigchapman1761]

Love your cupra bro thinking of getting one myself. They look better then the Golf r to be honest

[@ItsDanLatham]

Always found the cupra to be more engaging to drive, not as good off the line but I think for what you pay you get more car for the money!

[@thetobymeister8881]

Nice vid looking at getting one of these on the same spec. Really helps

[@stevenvater8720]

Love that cupra, but my vrs 245 with similar torque little less power with LSD puts its power down brilliant and with long term mix of driving touches 39mpg, driven quite hard at times

[@adamluma8937]

Hi Steve you had any mods to the exhaust on the vrs?

[@stevenvater8720]

@@adamluma8937 no, not at moment. I wanted to do stage 1 320bhp 300ftlb, on standard clutch. But insurance was too much. (im unusually honest so declare mods!) I could do another tune with 320bhp but 400 lbft but that would require heavy duty clutch. I'm cautious about modifying as imo the car is at a sweet spot. Good power excellent 280lbft torque at 1600rpm, very balanced handling on P Zeros. Better sound exhaust would be better tho.

[@adamluma8937]

@@stevenvater8720 yeah I've got the vrs 245 and had the res deleted but I can't tell the difference 😂 I'm thinking next year back box delete or something to do with the downpipe/gpf but it's just the mots 👎🏼

[@stevenvater8720]

@@adamluma8937 my exhaust is much better at high revs, window open to hear actual sound not speaker generated one from cabin. I'm not sure whether late models had a mod.?

[@adamluma8937]

@@stevenvater8720 mines late 2018 with the gpf 😞 just hope it gets louder/deeper with more miles on the clock

[@michaelpeters838]

Great video! Good insight into the car - I’m torn between going for this or a Golf GTI 2018. Have you driven one before? Any thoughts?

[@ItsDanLatham]

I think the Cupra represents better value, faster due to the larger turbo and better equipped for the money you pay. I have a 2017 Audi TT now which has the same turbo as the GTI, and whilst its nippier round town due to the low end torque, its doesn’t have legs high end. The Cupra is more comparable to the Golf R

[@oddities-whatnot]

@@ItsDanLatham Does the Leon grip well enough in the wet being FWD ? I had a Cooper S and it tended to slip a bit if I didnt watch it (manual gearbox version), cheers

[@ItsDanLatham]

@@oddities-whatnot cornering fairly good in the wet, but you'll definitely get lots of slip under load at low speeds. Such is the way with any FWD car with lots of ponies! I replaced this with a quattro audi with less power and the audi feels way faster due to the off the line grip of 4wd

[@Leo-bx6gp]

Nice video, the Cupra is looking 👌. Would be great if you could get your hands on an i20n to hear your thoughts.

[@ItsDanLatham]

Hi Leo thanks for the feedback. I did actually ask hyundai for an i20n for review, and I will be meeting with them later this month so fingers crossed!

[@Tantrix1]

Mines going back in September, whens yours going back? We got the car at the same time from the same dealer with one letter difference in number plate loll. I'm thinking of the M140i @Dan Latham

[@ItsDanLatham]

My mate has GWD so there must be a few out there ! September also, have considered extending because its actually cheaper…. But since I’m driving more press cars and review cars I was considering a cheap runaround for a bit as a project for the channel. M140i is a good choice but they are lively and insurance is crazy

[@Tantrix1]

@@ItsDanLatham haha certainly makes sense with the price, we got them for an amazing price 😉 . hence i am buying the M140i with these inflated lease prices, leasing don't seem worth it anymore

[@ItsDanLatham]

@@Tantrix1 Leasing seems geared mainly towards business customers currently, mostly low tax hybrids etc. Not much spicy around. Although I paid 208.9 for V-power yesterday so I can understand why 😂 I’m currently editing a review of the 2022 Ford Kuga hybrid which over the week averaged nearly 80mpg. My cupra feels like a skateboard with a rocket strapped to it now

[@arronlowley5659]

Hi dan, what is your gearbox like in sports mode when downshifting, specifically 3-2, 2-1 does it feel like engine braking is kicking in?

[@joHanz931]

3-2, 2-1, 1-2, 2-3 and sometimes 3-4 feels kinda weird

[@kaim.4269]

Hi Bud, any comments on the standard sound system? Finding it a chore waiting for a car with seat sound to come up.

[@ItsDanLatham]

My previous one had seat sound, and was a decent upgrade. The standard one isnt bad by any stretch but lacks the punch the seat sound one has. Theres a company you can find on the cupra owners club facebook page who will do a seat sound retrofit for about £300, so you could go down that route if you’re not happy with the stock setup!

[@kaim.4269]

@@ItsDanLatham perfect thanks for the response, I will look Into that. Feel like every time I find a car that fits my spec something is missing "typically the audio" so if it is something that inexpensive to sort I think I'll have a much better time finding a car to buy 🤣

[@WillardS]

Great video Dan! I hope you feel better soon. I'm still loving my 290 2019 Nevada White. Get those back seats down for interior pops 'n' crackles! :P All the best mate

[@samculpan891]

My 2020 290 is going back soon and they won’t let me extend the lease. Looks like I’m gonna have to buy sommat cheap for a bit. Anything you recommend for sub 3k? I go from hot hatches to big old barges. I want an automatic really but also want a small, fun hot-hatch 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@ItsDanLatham]

I’m going to be getting rid of the cupra soon (mortgage is calling me). Lease deals are sparse and I’m thinking bargain barge. Quite tempted by a 5 cylinder volvo, or another saab (cant recommend a 9-3 enough!) to keep me going and give me something to tinker with. Saab 2.0t is a good one, similar engine setup to an astra VXR so lots of modding potential, exceptionally comfy and quirky. Or you could buy an absolute shed of a mk5 GTi on facebook marketplace 😂

[@samculpan891]

@@ItsDanLatham same reason for me mate. House is the priority right now. There’s an absolutely mint Renault Sport Twingo 133 for under 3k that I might be viewing on the weekend. Always fancied one of those. There’s also a Lexus GS300 MK3 for sale local to me for 2k (I know you’ve had experience of one of those) which I like the idea of but the complete opposite of end of the spectrum. Decisions decisions…

[@mudguardrider8211]

Hi mate, I'm looking to purchases a 2019 Cupra 290. Does it pop and bang in Cupra much or does the OPF/GPF prevent this?

[@ItsDanLatham]

GPF definitely prevents this. 2018 and earlier models are much louder from factory

[@JP_RS6]

If you drive it often enough the sounds come out. I doubled the miles on mine in a year, 12k to 29k and it sounds a lot louder now, you get lots of pops and bangs in sport mode and DSG farts in any mode when you floor it.

[@JP_RS6]

Just discovered your channel again. I thought i was subbed, resubbed any way. You've done everything to your cupra I want to, i also had a plan to ecu remap and change the intake on my 290 at progressive parts but life got in the way. Looks like your still enjoying the cupra :)

[@ItsDanLatham]

Thanks for watching, still enjoying it!

[@scotthehsnsn9918]

What’s your your mpg on motorway

[@aymanshaheen92]

Seat Leon cupra which year is last one I mean before cupra Leon

[@ItsDanLatham]

2020

[@paulw9101]

The question is... Should I buy one?? 2020 12,000 miles on the clock??

[@ItsDanLatham]

I think they’re a good buy! I’d have a golf R or S3 for the 4wd if it was the same price but the Cupra usually represents better value

[@shylomcnally8637]

I have a 2017 one it’s crazy how quiet this one sounds due to the opf filter 😫🤦‍♂️

[@Tantrix1]

Mines much louder being the same car and year as his, i think it may have to do with how his exhaust might have been opened up, i tend be foot to the floor 90 percent of the time so the exhaust has opened up allot more

[@JP_RS6]

@@Tantrix1 i agree with you, pretty much the same. Car was quiet as this when i first got it. I doubled the miles in a year and drove it like the hot hatch it is and the sound has come alive now, pops n bangs in sport mode and DSG farts in any mode if I floor it, love it.

[@robprior1246]

It’s very weird my 68 plate 290 was really noisy engine note wise and the mode noises were totally different ( comfort/sport/cupra ) to my copper 2019 .Agree its in comfort 99% of the time , try using the paddles just to drop down when you need to rather than sport g/box , car will go back in to auto after a mile or so , and both of my exhausts have been much noises than yours both gpf standard .

[@gaffnaldo1]

Had this car, it was rapid, mechanically fantastic but quality was total shit

[@ItsDanLatham]

I’ve had a fair few bits break on it in 2 years of ownership

[@zblazek2]

@@ItsDanLatham May I ask what issues did you have with a car? I feel like I had enough of my ND Miata and want to try a Cupra for a bit. I have always though these cars are quite solid.

[@ItsDanLatham]

@@zblazek2 water pump leak, door sill LED failed, creaky door card, infotainment crashed regularly. To be honest all small problems to fix especially with warranty but not what you expect on a brand new car

[@zblazek2]

@@ItsDanLatham Exactly, would not expect such things on a brand new car. Thanks for the response!