Cupra Terramar

Bigger sister to the Formentor completes Cupra's combustionengined SUV line-up On sale Early 2025 Price from £35,000 (est)

- George Hill

THE IDEA BEHIND the new Cupra Terramar is very simple. In the same way that chorizo is a spicier, more flavoursome Spanish alternative to the German bratwurst, the Terramar is a sportier serving of the Volkswagen Tiguan family SUV. Both cars offer a similar range of engines, but variations on and beneath the surface mean they look and feel different The Terramar is larger and more expensive than Cupra's Formentor, but it will still rival the likes of the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai. Like most other Cupra models, it has a heavily sculpted 'shark nose' front end, triangular LED headlights and an illuminated badge at the rear.

Power comes from a range of mild hybrid petrol and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) engines. The entry-level option is a 148bhp 1.5-litre mild hybrid that drives the front wheels via a sevenspeed automatic gearbox. Electric assistance enables coasting without using any petrol, but you can't drive it on electric power alone.

Next up are a pair of 2.0-litre petrol engines, with 201bhp and 261bhp. Each brings fourwheel drive and an automatic gearbox. The more powerful version is named 'VZ' - the designation typically given to the most powerful versions of Cupra's cars.