After spending time creating five-door versions of the Ibiza, eco cars and basically doing everything but develop the sporty cars the brand is known for, Seat has finally gone back to its roots.
Apparently in a rush to make up for lost time, the Spanish (but Volkswagen-owned) car maker has released not one but three hot hatches. There’s the ‘warm’ FR, the faster Cupra and this, the Bocanegra.
These latter two are powered by a 1.4 litre petrol engine fitted with a turbocharger and a supercharger. The little unit produces a big 180hp, enough to do the 0-62mph tango in 7.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 140mph.
The only difference between the Cupra and the Bocanegra is styling. For an extra £700 the Bocanegra Spanish for ‘black mouth’ gets unique trim detailing and a large, gloss black grille in keeping with its name. It looks pretty sharp.
Inside, it feels suitably hot hatch-like. The sports seats have natty red stitching, and ‘B’ logos litter the cabin. There’s a steering wheel, behind which are the twin paddles for when you feel like taking manual control of the seven-speed twin clutch DSG automatic gearbox.
The exhaust – impressively large, stainless steel, and located centrally in its own housing – generates a pleasingly sporty note though to my ears it becomes strained and squawky as the engine approaches the red line.
The automatic gearbox switches nicely through the gears, changing early for economy if you’re easy with the right foot, and holding it through the rev range for speed if you have a heavier shoe.
Good as it is, I still prefer my hot hatches to have manual transmission. Call me old fashioned, but I’ve never quite got the hang of using paddles to change gear.
The auto box does make dawdling through town a cinch, however, and the Bocanegra’s also better than you’d think at covering long distances. I took it 260 miles to the west coast and back for an interview with my childhood hero Glen Michael (of Cartoon Cavalcade fame).
The suspension is firm, though not dreadfully so, and the exhaust note does as it’s supposed to penetrate the cabin, but I wasn’t too exhausted at journey’s end.
Thanks to its small size, economy is one of the Bocanegra’s strong suits, and with careful driving it’s easy to achieve 40mpg.
That firm ride means the Bocanegra is a lot of fun on the twisty stuff, remaining composed and grippy in corners. It’s not blindingly fast, but it’s quick enough to have a lot of fun with.
It’s an enjoyable, distinctive car and I’m pleased Seat have rediscovered their talent for making hot hatches.
Price: £17,245.0-62mph: 7.2 seconds.Top speed: 140mph.Economy: 44.1mpg.CO2 emissions: 148g/km.