WE all live fettered lives, confined by convention, rules and regulations.

Sometimes it is liberating to break free.

Even the cars we drive restrict and oppress. How many times, for instance, have you wanted to overtake something slow moving down a country road but haven't had the power to do so safely?

On how many occasions is the journey time prolonged as the speed is dictated by the slowest road user? It is their choice to travel at 35mph on a 60mph road, not mine, yet I am forced to conform because an overtake would be risky.

It is frustrating, particularly when time is precious and there's a job to be done. It is also stressful, which is bad for the health.

Car maker Seat provides the means to escape this daily grind in the Leon Cupra, a car designed on the track yet at home on the roads.

Cupra is the pinnacle of an allencompassing sleek and sporty range. It packs a mighty punch - a 2.0 litre FSI four-cylinder motor, race tuned and featuring a turbocharger.

It makes impressive reading: maximum power 240PS, torque 300Nm, 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds and a top speed of 153mph. The combined fuel figure of 34mpg is also remarkable.

But more startling still is the real-life driving experience of the Cupra. The Seat is a genuinely fast car in all conditions. It will sprint away from rest like a flash; it will rocket through the gears and it will power on in the top three of its six ratios.

It is the perfect tool for crosscountry sorties, giving the driver the option of a safe overtake which would not exist with other cars.

This freedom of choice reduces stress because you are seldom baulked by the slow movers.

None of this has anything to do with speeding, transgressing the law or driving recklessly. With power comes responsibility and the performance is so controlled and so readily available that there is never a need to use it unwisely.

When the power rushes in it is exhilarating but it is also safe and secure.

The chassis is sublime and capable of containing the performance. Ride, handling and grip are peerless. It boasts great poise and balance, superb steering and feedback from the road so the driver is always aware of what is happening around.

The red-painted brake callipers that shine brightly through the large alloy wheels bite deeply, scrubbing off speed in an instant and drawing the Leon quickly to rest.

They not only work well, they also look great, giving the Cupra a distinctive image along with the alloys, oval rasping exhaust, unique bumpers and sleek, curvaceous shape.

Inside, the body-hugging sports seats are also exclusive to Cupra and the interior gets other sporting touches, such as the six-speed gear lever, chunky steering wheel and alloy finishes.

The dash is somehow a little plasticky and spartan, some would say minimalist. It all works well enough and is well placed but would benefit from better quality.

Rear space isn't bad and the hidden door handles on the rear doors make the Leon look like a coupe rather than the five-door hatchback it is.

The boot is a decent enough size and can be made bigger still by dropping the rear seats.

Cupra is such an impressive car that it has the makings of an icon, which should help residuals.

Its blend of performance and agility, matched with practicality and character, make the Leon an excellent choice.

It is sheer pleasure to drive and a means to shatter the chains which bind our lives.