Cupra
Terramar
Cupra will soon only sell electric cars, but to bridge the gap to that day is the new Terramar, a five-seat SUV that takes on the best-sellers in the country. Using the same mechanicals as the Volkswagen Tiguan, the Terramar features a subtly stylish exterior and a notably high-quality cabin to lift it above most mass-market SUVs in the sector. It drives well, too, especially in plug-in hybrid guise with an official electric range of over 120km. Some will grumble about the lack of a diesel, but for everyone else, this could be a real star.
The Tavascan’s crisp design includes many of the company’s signature copper elements and an impressive dashboard layout with a 15-inch touchscreen
Tavascan
After the Born, the Tavascan is the second fully electric model in Cupra’s line up and is similar in size to the Volkswagen ID.5 and the Skoda Enyaq Coupe. The Tavascan’s crisp design includes many of the company’s signature copper elements and an impressive dashboard layout with a 15-inch touchscreen. Available in 285hp rear-drive and 340hp all-wheel-drive setups, it doesn’t lack performance but isn’t as exciting to drive as it could be given the brand’s sporting heritage.
Ateca
Though eventually to be replaced by the impressive new Terramar, the Ateca SUV soldiers on for now. The Ateca is also available under the SEAT brand, but it was the first model sold by Cupra when it separated from its parent, and it has carved out a niche for high-performance SUVs that double up as hot hatches. This car may be aging, but it’s still really enjoyable to drive, especially as the 300hp VZ range-topper.
Born
“Born electric” is where this car’s name comes from, emphasising that the five-door hatchback is only offered with electric power. The Born shares its underpinnings with the Volkswagen ID.3, but is sportier in design and from behind the wheel. The top model’s rear-mounted electric motor produces up to 321hp for some serious performance, while still offering the potential for up to 599km between charges of its 77kWh battery pack.
Leon
Because the Leon has been around for many years as a SEAT, the Cupra version perhaps doesn’t seem so new. But it is – it only arrived in 2020 and, following a notable facelift and tech update in 2024, it’s one of the company’s core models. It’s sold as both a hatchback and a Sportstourer estate, with a range of turbocharged petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The fastest one, a Sportstourer, has 333hp and all-wheel drive.
Formentor
The Formentor was the first Cupra-specific model launched by the Spanish company – in that it wasn’t on sale as a SEAT version first – and it has gone on to be a big success for the outfit; rightly so, as it’s an excellent coupe-SUV. It was treated to a significant facelift in 2024 which changed its front-end looks dramatically, but at the same time the flagship 2.0 TSI version was taken up to 333hp.