Cupra Ateca practicality and boot space

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

Being based on the SEAT Ateca, the Cupra version is off to a good start in terms of practicality. In the front, there's plenty of headroom for the tallest of drivers, while there's a good amount of adjustment in the seats for both occupants to get comfortable for a long journey. 

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

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. Plus, standard-fit parking sensors aid with manoeuvrability, while plenty of glass makes visibility pretty good, too. 

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At the back of the car, the tailgate lifts automatically to reveal a well-shaped 485-litre boot. That's just shy of the regular car's 510-litre load bay, but that's because this car comes with all-wheel drive which eats into the boot slightly. It means there isn't a dual-height load area like the normal car. Still, the rear seats fold easily to expand the total space to 2,150 litres.

Is it safe?

• 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. 

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. 

You can add a Comfort and Sound Pack which includes adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, lane assist and high-beam assist to boost the driver assistance and safety kit tally.