Cupra Ateca VZ review: Hot SUV has licence to thrill

There are those of us who like what might be termed ‘silk stocking’ motoring and many others who desire what you could call the ‘steel claw’ variety and this week’s tester falls firmly into the latter category, but with a velvet glove.

Some like anonymity in their cars and others like ZZ Top hot rod extravagance, but there’s a cultured few who like things which are mechanically sophisticated, beautifully engineered and fast, but don’t look like a Zonda.

Of course there are various guidelines that have to be adhered to – rwd saloon, or awd hatchback (both turbocharged, natch) but then we come to this week’s model, which is something of a rarity.

The car, a Cupra Ateca VZ, is that most unusual of things: a hot-SUV. We all know about the hot-hatch genre and have seen many generations of them. But the hot-SUV is a relative rarity and there are not too many of them about the place.

Not too many, unless of course you’re willing to splash out a serious amount of wedge for something German; something seriously German and seriously premium.

The Cupra, however, is none of those things (well, not really) and while it does carry a pretty hefty price tag, it also offers the sort of blistering pace and sorted handling that you get a the top end of the hot-hatch spectrum.

Now, when I say the Spanish car is not really German, it does have very close ties to the automative legend that is the Golf R. We all know it to be the standard bearer for the model line-up and while VW have made what are really track day specials like the stripped-out Clubsport version, the ‘R’ is a truly astonishing road-going thing.

This Cupra shares the same 300 bhp two-litre engine as the Golf R and also utilises the 4WD system from the Wolfsburg machine. That makes it pretty damn hot.

Cupra, as many are now learning, is a standalone brand within the SEAT branch of the VW universe. Cupra models were once the performance end of SEAT and in the past we have seen such as the Leon Cupra and the Ibiza Cupra.

The tables have been turned somewhat with new Cupra Leon hot hatch and estate models, as well as stuff like the electric Born and the Formentor crossover having already established themselves here, albeit in relatively small numbers. Coming down the tracks are SUVs such as the Tavascan and the Terramar.

Cupra has achieved a lot in a relatively short period of time, but many still have no idea what the brand is and where it has come from. Indeed, some of those who would consider themselves automotive blue-bloods and who are inquisitive about such things, merely scoff when told that Cupra is, indeed, a branch of SEAT, even if it’s much more at the premium end of the scale.

What with its curious and unusual badge (I’ve previously described the company icon as looking like a four-legged spider) and its copper-toned wheels, body inserts and interior trimming, the brand is still something of a mystery to many.

But, with cars like the Ateca VZ, that lack of customer knowledge should begin to turn around as the legend spreads. There is, of course, such a thing as the SEAT Ateca – a very popular beast in its own right – but having got the Cupra treatment, the car has turned into a different animal altogether.

The tester is a very eye-catching thing and especially so with the 19” alloys with copper inserts, while the designers have tricked around with the basic Ateca design to make it sleeker, sportier and mean-looking.

It is not that mean, though, that it attracts jaw-dropping attention from passers-by and, a bit like the Golf R, you have to look for the signposts that indicate it is rather more hot than a family SUV should be. Stuff like the dual twin exhaust outlets peeking out from under the rear diffuser, do suggest something that’s not quite normal.

Along with the 300 bhp engine (producing a very healthy 400 Nm of torque), there is a seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox and an electronic 4x4 system; you also get the same MacPherson strut front/multiple link rear suspension layout as seen on regular Arona all-wheel drivers, but with stiffer springs and roll bars, uprated adaptive dampers and upgraded brakes.

The ride height is also 20mm lower than the normal car and this definitely adds to the overall look and helps to suggest some of the menace that’s on offer here.

There’s none of the fancy torque-vectoring hardware we now see on many performance models, but you can adjust the car’s settings to tweak the inter-axle torque distribution to suit various roads or driving conditions. In ‘Normal’ mode the car doesn’t feel awfully special, but click it into ‘Sport’ and you get a much tighter feel, crisper gear changes and a much more dramatic exhaust note.

Despite the Cupra branded ‘Dinamica’ bucket seats, the interior does look a little elderly at this stage, not least because the Ateca was introduced eight years ago. It is also shows its VW lineage, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing because ‘old’ VW switchgear, infotainment systems and climate controls are assuredly preferable to what they’re churning out lately.

From a practicality point of view, this thing has loads of room for driver and passengers and although the boot space might be slightly compromised by the multilink rear suspension, the room back there is plentiful.

It is on the road though that the Cupra really proves its worth and while the ‘Normal’ setting is a little frustrating because the gear shifts are not as crisp as you might like, click it into ‘Sport’ and everything comes alive.

Performance comes as close to shattering as you’ll get from any sports car and both the 4.9 second 0-100 km/h time and the 240 km/h top speed will definitely get your attention. Oddly, for such a fleet machine, it will still return an 8.9 l/100 consumption figure, or over 31 mpg in old money.

The performance figures are all very well, but if the car doesn’t handle, they’re not worth a fig. Worry not, this thing has all the handling abilities the drivetrain deserves and the grip levels are truly impressive, even in damp or completely wet conditions. In the dry and on its performance Bridgestones, it’s sensational.

Sadly, the Ateca – even in VZ guise – is in run-out mode, meaning it’s not going to be around for very much longer as there’ll be a new one along shortly, but the one you want will take some time.

But, if you like your motoring chilli-hot, but still like your car to be somewhat reserved and a small bit anonymous and still need your motor to be a practical everyday thing, then this is definitely up your alley.

The thrills this thing is capable of delivering are quite stunning, even if you do have to trick around with the settings to get it to demonstrate its full potential. Once you get into the swing of it, you could well turn into an enormous bore, you’ll want to talk about it so much.

That’s why it gets a five-star rating.