Last month Cupra confirmed that its first electric SUV, the disappointing to look at Tavascan, will cost up to £60k to buy in the UK when it goes on sale here next week. But before that even happens, the brand has launched another family-friendly SUV, the Terramar - and this one, you expect, it actually expects to sell in respectable numbers. We can assume this because it comes in a full lineup of petrol, mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid flavours, which correlates with the sort of cars that private buyers are actually shopping for. Moreover, it will likely be Cupra's final combustion-powered new model - so if you’ve been holding off on buying one to see where the brand goes, it’s worth knowing about.
Or one version is at any rate. Probably the mild-hybrid 1.5-litre eTSI will be cheapest (you don’t want that because with 150hp, it’ll be permanently winded) and certainly the e-Hybrid, with up to 70 miles of charge from a 19.4kWh battery will be the costliest (obviously you don’t want that because it’ll be duller than ditchwater) - but in between the two, there is the prospect of a 265hp 2.0-litre TSI, exactly the same unit as used by the Mk8.5 Golf GTI, in VZ trim on 19-inch wheels. Not quite as spirited as the 310hp equivalent that the current Formentor gets - but more than adequate for living up to the Terramar’s mildly sporty brief.
This idea - that Cupra occupies a better-to-drive space than its stablemates - persists with the newcomer, its maker suggesting that the newcomer is lower to ground and endowed with different suspension geometry to the family favourites like the Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Kodiaq. Of course, it’s based on the same MQB Evo platform, and at 4.5 metres long, is a familiar size. The pure petrol version is expected to be a few hundred kilos lighter than the plug-in hybrid, and will get a seven-speed DSG and all-wheel drive as standard, alongside bigger Akebono performance brakes. The snazzy interior is intended to be more driver-orientated than its siblings, although you’ll likely recognise the increasingly ubiquitous 10.25-inch instrument cluster and 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen.
The exterior styling, of course, is all Cupra’s own work and you’ll make of that what you will. The key takeaways of its new design language are ‘bold proportions’ and the presence of the ‘powerful’ shark nose at the end of what the firm takes to be a long bonnet. In terms of proportions, it seems easier on the eye than the Tavascan - although from where we're standing there appears to be a lot more nose than shark, and without the distinct physical presence of the Formentor. Regardless, the C-SUV segment is a crucial place to be in Europe, particularly if you’re looking to gather mainstream sales steam, as Cupra undoubtedly is. “The Terramar represents the next stage in our growth journey,” said Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths. Expect to learn more about it ahead of a UK debut early next year.
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