Cupra describes itself as an “unconventional challenger brand”, and it essentially sits below the mainstream VW range, with cheaper prices and a focus on fun rather than adornment.

So the Ateca – which is about the same size and offers similar outputs to the Tiguan R – costs $60,990 or $65,990 drive-up, which is significantly cheaper than the VW product, which costs $68 $990 before road charges, or – according to Volkswagen’s website – $77,279 by car for an NSW buyer.

Interestingly, Cupra has launched an agency model in Australia, which means you buy the vehicles from the brand itself, with the transition happening online and for a fixed price without negotiation, rather than from a dealer.

LED lighting for the headlights.

The Ateca might not offer quite the same grunt as VW’s R product, but it’s a significant saving. Oh, and metallic paint is also free – as is maintenance for the first three years – which means more savings.

So what do you get? The Ateca comes in a single VZx trim level, and on the outside you’ll find 19-inch alloy wheels, front and rear LED lighting, roof rails, power box, quad tailpipes, automatic headlights and keyless entry and start.

Inside, there’s a tri-zone climate, heated blue leather-wrapped sports seats in the front, wireless charging for your devices and ambient interior lighting.

You’re also well served for technology, with the VW Group’s 10.25-inch digital cockpit, a 9.2-inch center screen with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that works wirelessly as well as when you connect, a nine speakers (more under) Beats sound system, plus Dynamic Chassis Control and Custom Ride Modes – including Cupra Full Attack Mode.

Cupra talks about its Barcelona-born design inspiration, but you can still see plenty of VW in the side profile of the Ateca. But that’s no bad thing, with the Cupra managing to look both polished and performance-focused, but without looking like it’s trying too hard.

The big change is in the front end treatment, with a smaller center grille that houses the Cupra badge (which looks a bit like a fox, and a bit like the Decepticon badge from Transformers, but was actually “modeled on the attitude of tribal civilizations.”)

The big change is to the front end treatment, with a smaller central grille that houses the Cupra badge.

Cool DRL designs, bronzed two-ton alloys and quad exhaust tips all paint a pretty strong performance picture here, and for mine the Ateca cuts a fine figure.

Inside, however, it certainly feels a little less premium than modern VW products, with greater use of hard plastics and latest-generation climate and media controls, which – if you’ve driven the new Golf, for example – feel a bit old-school in comparison.

The Ateca measures 4386mm in length, 1599mm in height and 1841mm in width, and there’s around 485 liters of boot space with the rear seats in place, and a substantial 1579 liters with the rear benches folded down. flat.

It’s a solid backseat story here, too, with ample legroom and headroom, individual device charging ports and a fold-down seat divider that houses two cupholders.

The Ateca is 4386mm long.

There are two more up front, plus storage in each door, plus the ISOFIX mounting points in each window seat in the rear.

Now, it must be said that our test was carried out on a circuit, with limited laps, no road driving, and no chance of filling the vehicle with passengers or luggage, so for full play-by-play practicality, you’ll have to wait until the Ateca passes by the Cars Guide office for a more complete test.

On the right, the Ateca’s 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine produces 221 kW and 400 Nm, which is slightly less than the 235 kW and 400 Nm generated by the new Tiguan R.

But the Cupra is quicker, sprinting to 100mph in 4.9 seconds compared to the VW’s 5.1 seconds – and it feels plenty quick from the driver’s seat with your foot pinned to the ground.

That power is fed through a seven-speed DSG gearbox, with all-wheel drive standard on the Ateca.

Cupra has yet to reveal official fuel figures for the Ateca in Australia, but international guides claim a figure of 8.9-9.5L/100km on the WLTP cycle.

That’s no small number, and it’s a figure that will no doubt be compounded if you drive it the way you almost certainly will, but such is the price of performance.

The Ateca will also require 98RON fuel, which will also sting the bowser.

The Cupra Ateca arrives with a bag of advanced safety kit – helped, no doubt, by the launch of a single top-end model – as well as the expected items like airbags (there are seven of them) and riding aids. traction and braking.

Expect active cruise control, AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, side and exit assist systems, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree parking camera.

The Cupra Ateca has not yet been tested by ANCAP.

On the road, features like Lane Assist will help you stay between the lines, Travel Assist provides highway range, while a Fatigue Monitor will tell you if you’re tired behind the wheel.

The Cupra Ateca has not yet been tested by ANCAP.

Cupra tries to minimize stress here, so the Ateca carries a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, with three years of complimentary maintenance built into the purchase price, with five-year packs also available for purchase.

Choosing to launch your new SUV on one of Australia’s fastest circuits shows either supreme confidence or unnerving recklessness, but in this case it was also a necessity.

You see, Cupra is only a few months away from the official launch, with orders for the launch editions opening in May, and the only vehicles the brand has been able to get for its media preview have been imported from New Zealand and cannot be driven on public roads.

And so Sydney Motorsport Park was going to host our first experience behind the wheel of the Ateca, and after just a few fast laps it was starting to look like a masterstroke.

It’s not your average family SUV, and any vehicle in which you can drop the kids off at school before hitting over 200 km/h down the main straight of your nearest race track is something to to celebrate.

The sporty suspension will be firm enough to shake the hair of your head if you encounter dodgy road surfaces.

The downside is that it’s nearly impossible to tell you how the Ateca will feel on your local streets, or whether the sporty suspension will be firm enough to shake the hair of your head should it encounter dodgy road surfaces.

But I can safely say that the power is prodigious, the steering smooth and inspiring, and the AWD grip impressive in tight, high-speed corners.

But perhaps the most surprising thing about the Ateca is its ability to feel both planted and nimble in dynamic driving situations, with the SUV feeling more stable overall than the smaller Cupra Leon, and s clinging to the tarmac in the turns with more tenacity than the 140kW Cupra Formentor.

At first glance, commitment and enthusiasm are in order here, and that’s probably not a bad thing no matter what your daily commute looks like.