Cupra Terramar review: Discount ‘Lambo’ on the way
Want a Lamborghini but don’t want the price tag? This European performance car is the answer you’ve been looking for.
Motoring
Don't miss out on the headlines from Motoring. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Squint and you might see more than a little Lamborghini Urus in the styling of the latest Cupra Terramar.
Confront its designer about its link with the near $500k Lambo SUV and you’ll receive nothing more than a cheeky grin and a succinct “why play safe?” reply.
Cupra knows the Terramar has polarising looks, but with the mid-size SUV segment in Australia bursting at the seams with more than 40 different entrants, it could ill-afford for the car to get lost in the traffic.
MORE: 2024 Cupra Leon V review
Developed side-by-side with the next Audi Q3 and even made in the same Hungarian factory, think of the Terramar as a sportier alternative to a Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson or Mazda CX-5, with overtly sporty styling to attract those upgrading from cars like the VW Golf GTI.
The link with the latest hot VW hatch continues under the bonnet, as the Cupra mid-sizer gets the very same 2.0-litre Turbo and its quick-shifting seven-speed DSG. Power remains the same as the GTI at 195kW, but the Terramar gets more torque at 400Nm.
Remarkably, that means the quickest version of the Cupra SUV can replicate the Golf GTI’s 0-100km/h 5.9sec sprint.
If you’re not all about the performance there will be the Terramar V that’s set to come with a nifty 110kW 1.5-litre mild-hybrid engine that return around 6.1L/100km.
For those looking for an even more efficient way of fulfilling the mid-size SUV brief there’s also a plug-in hybrid version that uses the VW Group’s latest hardware. Combining a 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder, 85kW e-motor, 19.7kWh battery and a six-speed dual-clutch, the Terramar VZe blends a very respectable 200kW of power with brisk acceleration (7.3sec 0-100km/h) with a pure-EV range of between 112-121km.
That means most Australians won’t use a single drop of fuel on the Monday to Friday commute without any of the EV-related range anxiety on a family road trip come the weekend.
Speaking of driving, for those coming from a hot hatch or sports car or any other SUV it’s hard not to come away impressed with the fine ride/handling balance offered by the Terramar. We drove the 2.0-litre turbo and was won over by its agility and smoothness of its quick-shifting transmission, precise steering, lack of body roll and supple-enough ride.
Cementing its performance credentials, there’s also the option of both adaptive brakes and a big brake performance upgrade for that adds powerful six-piston front brake calipers and larger discs for, presumably, those who will take their Cupra SUV out on track.
Within, there’s plenty of space upfront and if you like what they’ve done outside you’ll love the styling highlights of the cabin, that includes a mix of unusual materials and structured design that inexplicably includes a boomerang shape on the centre console.
It’s the perfect antidote to the fake carbon-fibre used on other sport SUVs, although the overuse of the brand’s trademark rose gold can grate.
In the rear, legroom is a little tight but there’s lots of headroom and big 602 litre boot, making it much more practical than the hot hatch you might be migrating from.
Like the latest Golf GTI, Cupra hasn’t dropped the ball when it comes to in-car tech, there’s the usual 10.5-inch configurable digital dash ahead of the driver and the VW Group’s latest 12.9-inch infotainment that now gets backlit touch-sensitive sliders and offers both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
When it arrives in Australia early next year Cupra says the Terramar will be its last vehicle to be powered by combustion power as the brand begins its switch to pure-electric power. If that’s true, we think it’s a crying shame it’s not offered with the same near-300kW Audi RS 3 derived turbocharged five-cylinder, but maybe that’s to come.
For now, the Cupra Terramar has a lot to offer buyers even in a segment saturated with capable mid-size SUVs. We just hope when prices are announced Cupra hasn’t been too greedy because the prospect of life with the mini-Urus is pretty appealing.
CUPRA TERRAMAR VZe
PRICE: About $55,000 plus on-road costs
ENGINE: 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid, 200kW/400Nm
WARRANTY/SERVICING: Seven years/unlimited km, tbc
SAFETY: Seven airbags, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control, park assist, reverse camera, driver fatigue detection and both side and exit assist.
THIRST: 8.4L/100km (VZ, WLTP)
CARGO: 602 litres
SPARE: Repair kit
Originally published as Cupra Terramar review: Discount ‘Lambo’ on the way
Monster truck Aussie roads can’t handle
This massive, loveable truck that’s new to Australia is also an ‘absurd, impractical masterpiece’ that our roads just can’t handle.
‘F*** him’: Aussie celeb leads Elon backlash
A famous Australian has traded in their ‘gross’ Tesla in protest of Elon Musk’s political views.