MOST folk would put the evergreen Golf GTI as ‘head of the heard' when it comes to hot hatches.

But not everyone wants to follow the heard. For those keen drivers looking for something a bit different, try the Cupra Leon VZ, a 155mph rocketship that has racier bodywork than the VW but much the same mechanicals.

Cupra, for those unaccustomed to the name, is the sporty arm of SEAT, which in turn is the sporty offspring of the VW Group. So with a smidgen fewer than 300bhp, dual clutch automatic gearbox and tweaked suspension the Leon VZ2 we borrowed is very much a rewarding attack dog.

Although it has slightly fewer horsepower than the Golf R, it actually feels marginally faster - partly because the Cupra is driven by its front wheels, rather than all four wheels. This tends to make it somewhat harder to tame, particularly on greasy road surfaces when the low profile rubber scrabbles for grip.

For those with deeper pockets and a desire for more space the estate car version has four-wheel-drive together with an extra 30bhp.

The hatch's acceleration from the turbocharged 2.0litre is enormous with 62mph flashing up in 5.7seconds, and mid-range punch is similarly explosive thanks to the brilliant automatic seven-speed box coupled to the high torque turbo fourpot.

The chassis easily takes the abundant power and offers a comfortable but quite firm ride, an essential ingredient for a high performance hatch. Bumps are felt, but they don't disturb the composure or affect its course.

Steering, happily, is quite high geared so small movements can be made to make quick corrections during fast cornering. Body roll is almost non-existent and directional changes are coped with well.

The cabin is smart functional and nicely styled with a snugly small steering wheel and a new large touchscreen to its left. We were less impressed with the orange on black colours used, however. And it would have been more sensible to have the start/stop button beside the gear selector rather than on the steering wheel.

Like most hot hatches these days, the Cupra is a five-door with reasonable space in the back for two passengers. Luggage room in the boot of 380litres makes it a practical holiday car.

Front seats are well shaped, supportive and pleasantly soft. Electric adjustment makes finding a good driving position that bit easier. Pedals are well placed and line up perfectly. A sliding panoramic roof was a boon in the warm weather and added to the car's feel-good factor.

You don't choose a performance saloon for its economy, so the Leon's average consumption of 27mpg during our tenure was no great surprise. On a gentle meandering drive we managed 35mpg.