• Cupra retains regular Ateca’s practical interior
• Plenty of space for a family and luggage 
• Useful extra storage areas throughout

How much space is there?

Being based on the SEAT Ateca means the Cupra is off to a good start when it comes to practicality. In the front, there’s plenty of headroom and a good amount of adjustment in the seats for both occupants to get comfortable for a long journey. 

Move to the back and space remains generous – legroom is particularly good considering the Ateca is fairly compact on the outside, while headroom is plentiful, too. It can feel quite dark due to the black headlining, but an optional panoramic sunroof can brighten things up considerably. At a push, three adults will fit across the rear bench, but it’s best as a place for two adults to sit comfortably.

Boot space and storage

At the back of the Cupra Ateca you’ll find a powered tailgate that reveals a sensibly-shaped boot. This offers 485-litres of space in all but the entry-level 1.5-litre model, which offers 510 litres of luggage room.

The difference is due to the all-wheel drive system fitted on all other versions of the Cupra. This eats into the available space and means there isn’t a dual-height load area as there is in the SEAT Ateca. Still the rear seats fold easily to expand total capacity to a minimum of 1,579 litres – growing to 1,604 litres for the front-wheel drive 1.5.

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In the cabin you’ll find door pockets that can manage water bottles but may be initially confused by the lack of conventional upright cupholders – these are hidden beneath the sliding front armrest, where you’ll also find a deep cubby hole. Ahead of the gear selector on the centre console there’s a further cubby with a wireless phone charger that’s easily accessed yet also holds your phone impressively securely.

Is it easy to park?

At 4,376mm long, 1,841mm wide and 1,615mm tall, the exterior of the Ateca remains fairly compact, so it doesn’t feel too big or intimidating in tight car parks or city centre streets.

All-round visibility is pretty good, but Cupra makes life easier by offering front and rear parking sensors, reversing camera, 360-degree camera system and automated park assist. That said, the graphical overlay on the 360-degree camera display is perhaps the most confusing we’ve ever encountered, making this system less useful than it should be.

Safety

• Regular Ateca awarded five stars 
• Plenty of safety kit available
• More available as part of an optional pack

The SEAT Ateca scored a five-star safety rating when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2016. That means the Cupra version can be expected to perform in the same way in the unfortunate event of an accident. And while the Euro NCAP test has become tougher since then, this should still prove a safe car.

Standard safety kit includes Front Assist with City Emergency Braking (SEAT’s name for autonomous emergency braking) with Pedestrian Protection, a tiredness recognition system and seatbelt reminders, as well as a suite of airbags all-round. 

The 300hp VZ2 model and above also come with a ‘Safe and Driving Pack’ which includes adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane assist and high-beam assist. However, this isn’t even an option for lesser models, which means all 150hp and 190hp models miss out.

Watch the Euro NCAP crash test video