Order books for them 2023 Cupra Leon V small hatchbacks have opened ahead of the first deliveries in the coming months.

Priced at $43,990 plus road charges, or $47,990 for the drive-thru, the Leon V is the cheapest vehicle in the Volkswagen-owned Spanish automaker Cupra’s lineup, along with the Volkswagen Golf.

According to Cupra, the Leon V – which combines Cupra-specific exterior body kit and chassis tuning with a less powerful engine available in its standard Seat Leon counterpart in Europe – was originally developed specifically for Australia.

However, the model variant has since spread to other Cupra markets in Europe as well as the UK.

The Leon V is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine developing 140 kW and 320 Nm, with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, front-wheel drive and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time in 7.2 seconds.

Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, an electronic differential lock, adaptive suspension, cloth sport bucket seats, a 12-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a range of advanced safety features.

Meanwhile, Cupra Australia says it “expects to secure another allocation” of the Leon VZe plug-in hybrid after the initial allocation – consisting of a total of 98 Leon VZe and Formentor VZe models – sold out.