At first that may seem faintly ridiculous, but when you look at the Venn diagram of price, proportions and performance, the Ateca lives in a little world of its own. To get vaguely comparable speed and power from any other medium-sized SUV, you’re looking at spending around £50k+ on a Porsche Macan S or an Audi SQ5. But although it may be marooned in its own micro-sector, that doesn’t mean it has a free pass. A £40,000-ish Seat – sorry, Cupra – has a lot to prove, starting with how it drives
Pros Hot hatch performance with SUV styling and practicality
Cons £40k for a Seat with somewhat unconvincing branding
The Cupra Ateca SUV is a brilliant family car that’s fast and great to drive, but you’ll have to accept its gloomy interior and boy racer exterior complete with tuner-esque branding.
Pros Surprisingly nimble Fizzing performance Still practical
Cons Boy racer looks Dark, gloomy interior A VW Golf R costs less
Pros Much faster than you'd expect Decent battery range Roomy and comfortable
Cons Touchscreen could be easier to use Not cheap to buy Doesn't handle as well as it goes
Pros Design, overall build quality, performance, handling and ride
Cons Expensive for a ‘small’ SUV, some of the interior certainly doesn't match the price
PROS Trendy design, powerful electric powertrain, thoughtful interior storage solutions.
CONS Some rivals offer more driving range, heavy and feels like it in corners, high starting price.
