• Choice of petrol-power only for the Terramar
• Quickest model uses VW Golf GTI engine
• Focuses on precision more than involvement

Petrol engines

The Cupra Terramar is only available with petrol engines – no electric or diesel versions are included in the range. The most pragmatic choice is the entry-level eTSI. That’s a 150hp, 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged mild-hybrid with an extra-keen stop-start system and an additional battery that can provide a little extra response and torque (pulling power). Both features that help save fuel.

While we haven’t driven a Terramar eTSI yet, we have vast experience this setup in other Volkswagen Group products. It’s smooth, quite eager to rev, and capable of reasonably economy – a good choice for most people, although it’ll likely feel a touch sluggish when this family SUV is fully loaded.

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The 1.5 eTSI 150 is front-wheel drive and has a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It’ll do 0-62mph in 9.3 seconds – not very fast by modern standards, reflecting a fairly hefty kerbweight of over 1.6 tonnes.

Want all-wheel drive and more oomph? There are also two 2.0-litre TSI turbo petrols that fit the bill. The first has 204hp, the second – which we’ve spent most time in – has 265hp. Both also have a seven-speed DSG ‘box and 4-Drive, Cupra’s name for VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system. It’s an active system that balances power between the wheels as power and grip levels require.

Performance is pretty swift in both TSI models. The 204hp version completes the 0-62mph dash in 7.4 seconds, the 265hp one takes just 5.9 seconds – making it the fastest Terramar currently available. Perhaps most tellingly, the 265hp Terramar’s substantial 400Nm of torque makes it feels pretty muscular at all times and unstressed by steep hills. That makes it pretty effortless to drive.

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Plug-in hybrids

The plug-in hybrid e-Hybrid models combine a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with an electric motor. There are two to choose from, with 204hp or 272hp. Both have a six-speed DSG automatic and front-wheel drive. The extra weight of their batteries and motors bumps mass up to around 1.9 tonnes, so performance feels a bit blunted compared to the TSI models – the 204hp version takes 8.3 seconds to reach 62mph, the 272hp version takes 7.3 seconds.

We’ve tested the higher-powered e-Hybrid and found it’s pleasingly brisk and has better traction than the equivalent Tiguan. Even in electric-only mode there’s enough poke for most scenarios, and the engine isn’t too hesitant to fire up if you need more go. However, we’d suggest also the 204hp version will be more than quick enough for most drivers as well as being usefully cheaper to buy.

Check out the facts and figures for every model at our Cupra Terramar specs pages.

What’s it like to drive?

• Modern adjustable suspension on many models
• Very grippy and predictable, if a little firm
• Covers ground quickly, but ultimately a bit forgettable

The 265hp engine available in the Terramar is the same as that fitted in the contemporary Golf GTI – but that doesn’t mean this Cupra SUV is a genuine substitute for a hot hatchback. As family 4x4s go, it’s quick and very capable, but there’s little drama or genuine charisma of the kind that’ll make you get up early on a Sunday morning to make the most of the quiet roads.

Compared with the Tiguan, the Terramar features 10mm lower suspension. Cupra favours firmer suspension settings as well, so the ride is a little stiffer. However, if you opt for one of the VZ models, you get Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) which features motorsport-derived two-valve dampers with a wide range of adjustability from soft to hard.

A selection of pre-set driving modes – which can be chosen via the touchscreen or a dedicated button on the steering wheel – alter the comfort level, engine response, engine noise, steering and other parameters automatically, while the Individual mode allows you to tailor things further by mixing and matching the various options.

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In most cases you’re given a choice of three variations – Comfort, Performance and Cupra – which get progressively more aggressive. But there are only two modes for the transmission – normal Drive and racier Sport that holds onto gears longer and downshifts more rapidly, easily switched between by flipping the steering-column-mounted lever – while the DCC adjusts beyond the softest and hardest defaults.

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Part of the fun is trying out all the settings and finding the combination that best suits your preferences. Although we can’t imagine many owners will still be fiddling with it all many days into their custodianship, the various driving modes do make a difference to the feel of the Terramar.

For instance, the regular steering mode is too light and numb for us, but the firmer suspension settings that come along with the Performance and Cupra driving modes aren’t always the best fit for bumpy British roads. Similarly, we wanted a little more artificial engine noise in the cabin but found the Cupra variation is too annoying. So we swiftly created an Individual mode that combined Cupra steering and engine response, Sport engine noise, and a suspension setting biased towards Comfort but not quite that soft.

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No matter what you do, you’re unlikely to create a lairy monster. Cupra’s watchwords are performance with precision, and that’s what you get from the Terramar. The all-wheel drive system – which also has Normal and Performance settings plus an Offroad driving mode – and the carefully tuned suspension generate a lot of grip, so you don’t have to work very hard to cover ground at speed. The PHEV doesn’t feel quite as agile on account of the additional weight, yet it still feels precise and better tied down than the equivalent Tiguan.

But nor do you ever really feel that involved, leaving the overall experience effective but rather forgettable; although it does feel sharper and keener than the Tiguan, it’s not a huge differentiator. If you want a truly enjoyable SUV to drive of this sort of size, the BMW X3 is our recommendation – but the cheapest version of that is currently over £12,000 more expensive than the entry-level Terramar, so you do pay a lot more for the privilege. The older but much affordable Ford Kuga is also worth considering.