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Seat Leon Cupra 5FStage 1 to Stage 4 tuning guide

Every Leon Cupra 5F already has the bigger IS38 turbo from the Golf R, on the same EA888 Gen 3 engine, so it starts where most Golf GTIs end up after a turbo upgrade. SEAT raised the power from 265 and 280 PS at launch to 290 PS in 2015 and 300 PS with 380 Nm in the 2017 facelift (SEAT's data sheet). Late cars from about 2018–19 have a particulate filter and a 7-speed DSG, and the ST estate came with 4Drive all-wheel drive. Software, intakes and intercoolers are shared with the Golf GTI and R Mk7; the exhausts are Leon-specific.

Years: 2014–2020
Engine: 2.0 TSI EA888 Gen 3, IS38 turbo
Gearbox: 6-speed manual or 6-speed DSG (DQ250); 7-speed DSG (DQ381) on late filter cars
Stock power: 265, 280, 290 or 300 PS; 350–400 Nm

Power by stage

Stock is SEAT's figure: 300 PS and 380 Nm on 98 octane for the 2017 car; the late 290 has 380 Nm and the late ST 300 4Drive 400 Nm (late 5-door data, ST data). Stage 1 to 4 are the tuners' own claims at the engine, in PS or hp as each states them, on 95–98 octane unless the table says otherwise. The lower end of each range is usually a car that keeps its particulate filter.

Stock265–300 PS

Stage 1345–375 PS / hp Stage 2368–401 PS / hp Stage 3433–520 PS / hp Stage 4520–600+ PS / hp

Names with an arrow go straight to that part's product page for this car. Names in a dashed outline are other brands that make the part; exact links for them are being added.

1

Software only

345–375 PS

Because the IS38 is already fitted, a remap alone claims about 345–375 PS and up to about 470 Nm on 95–98 octane. The engine computer is flashed through the diagnostic port; every tuner checks its box code first. Filter cars get their own files: APR's claims 311–333 hp (its release) and REVO's 345–370 PS.

Typical cost: remaps £555.50 (APR UK), £718.80 (REVO at Car Enhancements UK) or €690 (BR-Performance); DSG software £555.50–£779.94 or €400; plug-in boxes €229–€459 (RaceChip) or €799 (DTE).List prices, Sept 2026, before shipping, import tax and fitting.

Stage 1 tunes compared

Tune	Fuel	Claimed power	Claimed torque	Notes
APR Stage 1	95 / 98 RON	357 / 370 hp	366 / 383 lb-ft	High-torque file; £555.50 at APR UK
REVO Stage 1	97–99 RON modes	350–375 PS	330–360 lb-ft	Cars without the filter
REVO Stage 1 (with filter)	95–99 RON modes	345–370 PS	339–368 lb-ft	£718.80 at Car Enhancements UK, a REVO dealer
Unitronic Stage 1 / 1+	95 / 98 RON	355 / 375 hp	338 / 350 lb-ft	Sold through dealers
RacingLine Stage 1	95 RON	370 PS (355 with filter)	471 / 465 Nm	£1,098 as a flash-at-home kit (RacingLine shop)
BR-Performance Stage 1	—	350 hp	460 Nm	€690; 280, 300 and filter 290
Superchips Stage 1	—	346–353 bhp (tested)	447–461 Nm	Price on request
RaceChip S / RS / GTS 5 (300)	—	+48 / +60 / +73 hp	+80 / +100 / +120 Nm	Plug-in box; €229–€459; smaller gains on filter cars
DTE PowerControl	—	+53 hp	+75 Nm	Plug-in box; €799, with a German parts approval

Tune the DSG too

The DSG needs its own software to hold the extra torque: APR's DQ250 file (£555.50) or DQ381 file (£779.94), REVO's DQ250 and DQ381 files, Unitronic or BR-Performance (€400). On the ST 4Drive, Haldex.Flash (£399.99 at AMD Tuning) or HPA's Gen 5 controller ($1,099) sends more torque to the rear.

Before you buyRacingLine says Stage 1 torque "can exceed the limits of the standard clutch" on manuals, and REVO has a lower-torque mode for stock clutches. BAR-TEK's Stage 1 parts bundle recommends 102 octane, which isn't sold at Israeli pumps. SEAT UK's warranty excludes "damage or defects caused by modifications" (the terms).

2

Downpipe, intercooler and intake

368–401 PS

Stage 2 adds a downpipe, intercooler and intake with a matching file: REVO claims 374–401 PS and RacingLine 392 PS / 533 Nm on 95 octane. Filter cars can stay legal: REVO's Stage 2 GPF file keeps the filter (368–400 PS) and doesn't support removing it, and RacingLine's Stage 1+ keeps the exhaust untouched at 375 PS.

Typical cost: Milltek downpipe £1,166.29, or £2,503.15 with an EC-approved cat; HJS ECE downpipe with filter €2,701.90 on sale; intercooler £851.76–£856.96 (RacingLine, Forge); intake from £666.99 (RacingLine).List prices, Sept 2026, before shipping, import tax and fitting.

Stage 2 packages compared

Package	Fuel	Claimed power	Claimed torque	Required hardware
REVO Stage 2	—	374–401 PS	365–405 lb-ft	Intercooler, downpipe, intake
REVO Stage 2 GPF	—	368–400 PS	365–415 lb-ft	Keeps the particulate filter
RacingLine Stage 2 (no filter)	95 RON	392 PS	533 Nm	Intake, intercooler, high-flow cat
RacingLine Stage 1+ (with filter)	95 RON	375 PS	480 Nm	Intake and intercooler; exhaust untouched
APR Stage 2	95 / 98 RON	372–387 hp	367–409 lb-ft	—
Unitronic Stage 2	98 RON	397 hp	368 lb-ft	Unitronic downpipe
BR-Performance Stage 2 / 2+	—	370 / 380 hp	500 / 520 Nm	Exhaust, sports cat, intake; 2+ adds intercooler, fuel pump, clutch
BAR-TEK Stage 2 bundle	—	380 PS	490 Nm	€1,601.59 parts bundle

Parts list

Downpipe required Milltek downpipe with HJS cat (hatch, no filter)Milltek downpipe (290 with filter)Milltek downpipe (ST 300 4Drive)HJS ECE downpipe with filter Unitronic downpipe
Milltek's hatch pipe with an EC-approved cat lists at £2,503.15, or £1,166.29 without the approval. HJS's ECE pipe keeps the filter on front-wheel-drive filter cars (€2,701.90 on sale at a German dealer). Milltek's pipe for filter cars bypasses the filter, which isn't road-legal where the filter is factory-fitted.
Intercooler recommended RacingLine intercooler Forge intercooler Wagner Competition intercooler do88 intercooler
Forge measured the stock core heat-soaking after three runs. RacingLine's costs £851.76, Forge's £856.96, Wagner's $949 before VAT, and do88's $961.13, with a support frame to trim.
Intake recommended RacingLine R600 intake Forge carbon intake Wagner carbon intake
RacingLine's R600 package starts at £666.99, Forge's intake is £778.45 and Wagner's $1,020.
Cat-back exhaust optional Milltek cat-back (280/290)Scorpion cat-back Scorpion (ST 4Drive)Remus EC cat-back (ST 4Drive)
These are Leon-specific: Milltek from £1,155.60, Scorpion £893.28 (£1,371.78 for the ST 4Drive), Remus from €975 (without the front section; tailpipes extra).

Before you buyRacingLine says removing the particulate filter for Stage 2 is illegal in most markets where it's factory-fitted. Parts dealer STR says a catch can becomes "mandatory for Stage 2" to protect the PCV valve (its list of EA888 weak points).

3

Upgraded or hybrid IS38

433–520 PS

With the IS38 already fitted, Stage 3 means an upgraded or hybrid version of it, plus fuel pumps. REVO's IS38ETR claims 455–520 PS and RacingLine's hybrid 487 PS / 575 Nm on 95 octane with a standard engine. RacingLine's PowerMax turbo keeps the filter and catalyst at 433 PS.

Typical cost: RacingLine hybrid turbo £3,144.96 on exchange; PowerMax turbo £1,428.44 plus £600 software; Turbo-Total €1,806.68–€2,176.43 before VAT; Sachs clutch £739.95–£789.95.List prices, Sept 2026, before shipping, import tax and fitting.

Turbo upgrades compared

Kit	Fuel	Claimed power	Claimed torque	Notes
REVO Stage 3 (IS38ETR)	—	455–520 PS	368–428 lb-ft	Needs high- and low-pressure fuel pumps, intake and intercooler pipes
RacingLine Stage 3 hybrid	95 RON	487 PS	575 Nm	£3,144.96 on exchange; Stage 2 parts and a high-pressure pump
RacingLine PowerMax (with filter)	—	433 PS	534 Nm	Garrett GT2260S £1,428.44 plus £600 software
BR-Performance Stage 3	—	440 hp	550 Nm	BRP460 turbo; price by email
Turbo-Total V2 / V3	—	up to 440 / 500+ hp	—	€1,806.68 / €2,176.43 before VAT; no exchange needed
BAR-TEK Stage 3 bundle	—	450 PS	560 Nm	Turbo and injectors; €4,534.29
TTE475 / TTE535	99 RON (TTE535)	535 PS+ (TTE535)	—	From €1,091.60 / €1,343.70 before VAT; 99 octane isn't sold in Israel

Parts list

Upgraded turbo required REVO IS38ETR RacingLine hybrid RacingLine PowerMax Turbo-Total TTE
Every one needs a matching file and, per REVO and RacingLine, an uprated high-pressure fuel pump.
Clutch (manual cars) required Sachs Performance clutch (550 or 810 Nm)
RacingLine says even Stage 1 torque can exceed the standard clutch. Sachs's organic kit is rated to 550 Nm and its sintered kit to 810 Nm (£739.95–£789.95).

Before you buyA changed turbo isn't road-legal without approval. On the DSG, BAR-TEK wants a reinforced clutch pack above 500 Nm plus a gearbox oil cooler; REVO says its DQ381 limits are tested up to its IS38ETR stage. On 2014–15 cars, STR warns the original IS38's shaft can snap.

4

Built engine and big turbo

520–600+ PS

BAR-TEK sells the only complete Stage 4 package listed for this car: forged pistons, steel rods and a bigger turbo for 520 PS / 590 Nm, or a race engine for 600+ hp. Bigger turbos for the same engine include TTE's TTE555 (580 PS+) and CTS's BOSS range, which CTS calls "650–750 hp capable".

Stage 4 options compared

Kit	Fuel	Claimed power	Claimed torque	Notes
BAR-TEK Stage 4 bundle	—	520 PS	590 Nm	Forged pistons, steel rods, turbo; €10,644.83
BAR-TEK race engine	—	600+ hp	—	€13,897.02
TTE555 turbo	—	580 PS+	—	Turbo only; €1,511.76 before VAT
CTS BOSS650 / BOSS750 V3	—	"650 / 750 hp capable"	—	$2,999.99 for the BOSS750; needs a 2.5" outlet pipe
APR Stage 3+ EFR7163	—	470–536 hp	—	Software listed; turbo price not shown

Parts list

Built engine, fuel system and gearbox required BAR-TEK Stage 4 bundleForged pistons and rodsPort injectionUprated DSG clutches
BAR-TEK's Stage 4 bundle replaces the pistons and rods, and BAR-TEK wants reinforced DSG clutches (rated to 700 Nm) and a gearbox oil cooler above 500 Nm.

Before you buyCheck the engine's known weak points first: the plastic water pump and thermostat housing warps and leaks (VAG Manchester), and STR says the timing chain stretches around 120,000 km. This is a race-car budget, and none of it is road-legal.

Watch: real builds

From tuners', shops' and motoring journalists' own YouTube channels. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.

StockEveryday Driver on the Leon Cupra 290EverydayDriver on YouTube

StockCar Keys reviews the 2017 Leon Cupra 300Car Keys UK on YouTube

StockAn owner on four years with a Leon Cupra and what it cost to runParagon Cars London on YouTube

Stage 1A Leon Cupra with APR Stage 1, 70–210 km/h⭐️ K E H V ⭐️ on YouTube

Stage 2BERK Performance tunes a Leon Cupra 280 to Stage 2+, with dyno and 100–200 km/hBERKPerformance on YouTube

Stage 2First drive in a 402 bhp Stage 2 Leon CupraOFFICIALLY GASSED - OG on YouTube

Stage 3A 467 bhp hybrid-turbo Leon CupraOFFICIALLY GASSED - OG on YouTube

Stage 4A 520 hp big-turbo Leon Cupra on the AutobahnAutoTopNL on YouTube

All build videos, by car

Questions to ask the shop

Is my car an early one or a later car with the particulate filter, and is my gearbox the DQ250 or the DQ381? What is my engine computer's box code, and do you have a file for it?
Is the file made for 95 or 98 octane? Many headline figures assume 99–102.
Will you tune the DSG too, and what torque will the stock clutches see? On a manual, will my clutch hold?
Which downpipe or exhaust keeps the filter and catalysts so the car passes inspection, and do you have the approval papers?
Will you check the water pump housing, the PCV valve and the timing chain first? On a 2014–15 car, which IS38 revision do I have?
On a 4Drive: will you touch the Haldex, and how do you handle intake-temperature limits and heat soak?

Compare side by side: Seat Leon Cupra 5F vs VW Golf R Mk7 · Seat Leon Cupra 5F vs Skoda Octavia RS Mk3 · Seat Leon Cupra 5F vs VW Golf GTI Mk7

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