My eagerness to test the new Cupra Terramar (‘Landsea’ if translated from Spanish) was curbed when I realised this mid-size SUV isn’t as amphibious as its name suggests. Still, after hastily cancelling a trip to the Lake District, I pressed the start button and my enthusiasm returned as the familiar – yet increasingly rare – rumble of a ‘real’ engine reverberated through the cabin.
The Terramar also comes as a hybrid, but my test car did without electrical assistance, and arrived in range-topping VZ2 trim. Its 2.0-litre TSI engine also serves in some lower-spec models, but here power increases by 61hp to 265hp.
In Cupra’s ever-expanding lineup, the Terramar sits above the compact Formentor and is cheaper than the fully electric Tavascan. It can be tough to tell them all apart; the styling is similar and each SUV is simply labelled ‘CUPRA’ across the back. The model on test totalled £53,185 after £2,590 worth of ‘Dark Void’ purple paint, Sennheiser audio system and glass roof had been optioned.
A question of sport
Testing the sportiest Terramar felt appropriate given Cupra’s brand identity. The company sponsors FC Barcelona, La Liga and the World Padel Tour – setting the tone for its performance-focused cars. The Terramar is no different. A large button on its steering wheel beckons you to select Performance or Cupra modes, both of which stiffen the dampers, sharpen the steering response and make the transmission hold onto gears for longer.
For a large car, the Terramar ably resists body-roll, aided by the fact it isn’t lugging around a heavy battery. Four-wheel drive also contributes to this safe and planted feel. Acceleration out of the blocks is good, although the seven-speed DSG auto gearbox’s hesitancy actually made me miss driving an EV around town.
Once I was able to stretch the Terramar’s athletic legs, however, it was refreshing to engage with this tried-and-tested engine (shared with the Volkswagen Golf GTI) and shift manually using the paddles.
Inside the Cupra Terramar
You hear real engine noise as you reach higher revs, supplemented by synthetic notes piped through the speakers. These are about as convincing as one of the FC Barcelona players’ dives for a penalty: a situation not helped by the real exhausts being hidden away behind a diffuser (which I suspect is about as useful as I’d be in the Catalan starting XI).
More to the point, perhaps, the diffuser complements the Terramar’s aggressive and eye-catching styling. Triangular lights, a bulging bonnet, angled vents and sharp strakes leave it looking one ‘Vamos’ away from a dialled-in Alcaraz between points.
There are flashes of Cupra’s signature ‘Cup Copper’ on the badges and throughout the interior. These help brighten up a moody cockpit, along with a light bar around the top of the dashboard. The latter comes straight from the Darth Vader school of interior design.
Making some space
It’s a comfortable interior and my car had all the tech and mod-cons one would expect from a range-topper: head-up display, sunroof and a generous helping of parking aids.
I thought the sensors had failed me when the car suddenly jolted to a halt as I reversed into a parking space. I braced for an awkward call to Cupra HQ, convinced I’d just rearranged the diffuser with the help of a lamppost. Thankfully, it turned out the radar was off and not my judgement. Maybe Cupra should borrow Xavi or Iniesta to recalibrate the Terramar’s spatial awareness…
The strength and conditioning work Cupra has put the Terramar through is evident. It looks determined and performs well enough to honour the sporting identity that Cupra has carved out for itself.
I wish the gruff 2.0-litre TSI engine made a more characterful noise, but its performance makes a compelling case over the hybrid version if you enjoy driving.
Verdict: Cupra Terramar 2.0 TSI
The nutritionist’s no-lithium diet pays off too, especially in the corners, so the overall package feels agile and engaging. There are still areas for improvement, of course, but sport has always been about the pursuit of perfection, not perfection itself.
As such, the Cupra Terramar is a lively and likeable companion from the fitter, more focused cousin in the Volkswagen Group.
Cupra Terramar 2.0 TSI VZ2
PRICE: £50,595
POWER: 265hp
0-62MPH: 5.9 seconds
TOP SPEED: 151mph
FUEL ECONOMY: 33.mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 193g/km