Cupra Ateca 2020 UK first drive

Yesterday’s news, if we're being a bit flippant. Cupra has a brand-new debutant being promoted from the rafters: the Cupra Formentor. It’s a significant milestone for the Spanish performance marque as its first bespoke product designed separately from its Seat close relation. 

The Formentor is also significant in this context because it’s an SUV, and one of broadly (but not exactly) similar size to the first model launched with only Cupra badges: the Ateca. So why, you might ask, does a sub-brand turned brand in its own right dedicate two-thirds of its model range to effectively the same class of car? 

There are two trains of thought. The first is that whatever Cupra sells - and it must sell, because few brands have the cash for vanity projects nowadays - has to be a desired product not just for most of Europe, but now new markets such as Mexico, and likely others. Given Cupra's positioning, that means sporty SUVs, and two spun off the same platform is better than one. 

The second is that the Ateca itself has kind of done its job of establishing Cupra in its two years on sale. Along with the Leon, which for some reason kept its Seat badging until the new model recently arrived, Cupra clocked up nearly 25,000 sales last year. But for the brand to really succeed on its own, like DS has for Citroën, it must gradually move away from rebadged, steroid-injected Seats. 

So with the Formentor around, is there any real reason to buy the Ateca? Clearly, Cupra thinks so, having facelifted the latter, which we’re driving for the first time.

Not drastically different from the old car. Perhaps that's no surprise for a Volkswagen Group facelift, but we expected more effort to extend this car’s lifespan a bit, given it’s a generation behind the Leon and Formentor. 

Externally, as with the updated Seat Ateca, it’s a light re-dress with new LED light designs and tweaks to the front fascia to engender more visual aggression. Aluminium-effect detailing and trinkets such as puddle lights displaying the striking brand emblem go some way to livening it up, but it’s a pretty subtle renewal for a subtly attractive SUV.

It’s the same story inside, and this is fundamentally where the Ateca looks most outdated these days. Sure, there’s now a digital cockpit, better voice control and a supportive pair of Alcantara sports seats, but our car lacked the new wheel design with a neat, Audi R8-style integrated engine start button. 

It also doesn’t get the newer, more minimalist dashboard design, and although it does use the latest infotainment software and digital dials, it doesn’t receive the high-mounted glossy touchscreen panel of its siblings. Frankly, we’re not huge fans of the new design’s lack of physical climate control switchgear, but while the button-heavier Ateca is more ergonomically sound, it does seem quite dark, bland and oh-so-2016 in there. 

The Ateca is still the space champion of Cupra, though, with the clear intent being that the Formentor functions as a style-led coupé alternative. Although shorter, the Ateca is a full 150mm taller, with easier ingress and egress, more rear head room and a slightly bigger boot. But the Formentor is a chunk longer to account for its sloping rear end. To be honest, both are plenty roomy enough for most family needs and the Ateca isn’t substantially better in that respect.