2025 Cupra Terramar: Hot hatch performance meets SUV practicality
The Cupra Terramar is the most enjoyable midsize SUV for the money.
This sporty looking Spanish model takes what a VW Tiguan does and turns up the tempo to a new level, with a dynamic overhaul and a different look inside and out, despite being built on the same architecture as the more conservative German offering.
There are three grades of Terramar at launch, and a fourth one - a plug-in hybrid with more than 100km of EV range - coming later on. Pricing starts at $58,500 drive-away for the base model mild-hybrid FWD, through to $73,500 drive-away for the range-topping VZ AWD tested here.
It packs a fruity 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with 195kW and 400Nm – the same power and more torque than the Golf GTI hot-hatch – and there's all-wheel drive to ensure the grunt gets to the ground.
And it does. The powertrain is a punchy one, with more enthusiasm on offer if you cycle through the drive modes. There is a configurable setting to adjust engine, transmission, steering and even the suspension (15-stage dampers!), or you can just hit the Cupra button on the steering wheel and go max attack … responsibly, of course.
2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied
MORE: 'Hated': Push to get Boomers off Aus roads
There's some audible drama from the powertrain, with a nice note as the revs rise, but be mindful that there's also some road roar to contend with if the surface is rough.
It eats up corners and (because of the suspension) coasts comfortably on country roads, if you configure it as so. There is a level of firmness and assuredness to the ride, and those expecting a wafty, remote and cushy experience might be best checking out the Tiguan instead. The steering is tuned to feel direct and bitey, and if you want, you can upgrade to a bigger set of brakes with better stopping power, too.
2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied
Also worth pointing out that, even in the top-spec, you'll have to spend extra for a sunroof ($2000), which many rivals offer at no cost. But if you do go for the VZ, you get desirable extras like a 12-speaker Sennheiser sound system, 'Deep Burgundy' leather-appointed seat trim, and matrix LED headlights, not to mention the specific 20-inch wheels with Continental SportContact 6 tyres.
2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied
MORE: What the road tax could mean for you
The cabin is dominated by daring design, with certainly-not-boring trim finishes, beautiful lighting signatures, and the expected touchscreen control centre, too. The 12.9-inch display has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it hosts most of the controls for the car and aircon system, not to minion the standard (range-wide!) heated seats and steering wheel buttons. The media system will take some time to learn, but it's better than early Cupras by a sizeable margin.
2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied
2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied
MORE: China's RAM ute dupe to land in Aus
There are favourites buttons you can tailor at the top of the display, and – if you want to – it's simple enough to disable the lane-keeping tech by way of the screen on the steering wheel. Thankfully, the safety tech integration in this car feels like the job has been finished, not just started.
Back seat space is not hugely accommodating for adults, but with ISOFIX and three top-tethers it'll do the job for parents. There are directional vents and climate control for rear riders, and you can slide the bench to allow extra boot space if needed. The cargo zone is 508L with the seats back, and 642L with them slid forward.
2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied
Cupra offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan, and the brand has some discounted prepaid servicing options for three years ($1490) or five years ($2590), not to mention roadside assist and a guaranteed future value program if you're concerned about resale.
Not only is the Cupra Terramar fun to drive, it stacks up on value and practicality. Fun and functional – it could be one well worth a look if those are your priorities.
4.0 stars
Originally published as 2025 Cupra Terramar review
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- News.com.au
Oscar Piastri to be asked how he wants to lose championship after Aussie's Hungarian GP outburst
McLaren is planning to speak to Oscar Piastri about what will happen if his teammate, Lando Norris, is to win the 2025 driver's championship as tensions simmer at the F1 juggernaut. Piastri leads Norris by nine points at the championship break, in what has quickly become a two-horse race between the McLaren duo, who have won 11 of the 14 grands prix so far. However, after the Aussie was dudded by team tactics at the Hungarian Grand Prix at the start of this month, it became crystal clear that the team have a problem on their hands. The Aussie was the victim of his McLaren team's strategy gamble to put teammate Lando Norris on an ambitious one-stop strategy after he dropped positions on the opening lap, with tensions finally bubbling over. McLaren has done a brilliant job in keeping the relationship between Piastri and Norris amicable as they fight for the world championship — but Piastri's radio message to his team during the Hungary GP shows it is just a matter of time before the gloves come off. As Piastri was preparing for his final stop, he was asked by race engineer Tom Stallard if he intended to extinguish any glimmer of hope Leclerc had of winning the race, or was instead focussed on beating his teammate. As recorded by the @radiomessages profile on X, Piastri was asked: 'Leclerc is going to be four or five seconds ahead of our pit window. We suggest to box this lap'. Piastri's blunt response was incredibly telling: 'I don't really care about Leclerc. I just want the best chance to try and beat Lando. In the end, he didn't manage to reel in his teammate, and many felt the Aussie was dudded by the tactics, which seemed to favour the Englishman from the outset on a difficult track to overtake. And with McLaren sensing Piastri is growing frustrated, the team is set to pull each of their star drivers aside ahead of the season restarting at the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31. Speaking to The Race, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said the team will work out a plan on how to handle the losing driver, when the championship is ultimately decided. 'We'll just sit down and actually have a conversation and go 'Right, one of you is going to win, it's going to be the best day of your life – one of you is going to lose, how do you want us to handle that? You want us to jump up and down and celebrate this guy [who] won?' he said. 'We're fully aware and sensitive to how you celebrate that situation. And I think we'll just sit down with the drivers and come to an agreement: 'One of you is not going to be the champion. How do you want us to act?' 'That's the way we think. It comes back to thinking about our people.' In 2025, Piastri has six wins to Norris's five; they are level on four poles, and equal on podiums too, with 12 apiece. And McLaren insists they will give both drivers an equal opportunity to take their first title and will give them freedom to race wheel-to-wheel and employ different strategies. 'It's going to come down to execution,' said Brown, speaking about which man will come out on top. 'It's clear, from a pace point of view, there's nothing in it. 'So, it's going to come down to consistency of execution – or it could come down to luck of the draw: weather, safety car, or one guy gets wiped out by someone else on the track.'
News.com.au
8 hours ago
- News.com.au
2025 Cupra Terramar review
The Cupra Terramar is the most enjoyable midsize SUV for the money. This sporty looking Spanish model takes what a VW Tiguan does and turns up the tempo to a new level, with a dynamic overhaul and a different look inside and out, despite being built on the same architecture as the more conservative German offering. There are three grades of Terramar at launch, and a fourth one - a plug-in hybrid with more than 100km of EV range - coming later on. Pricing starts at $58,500 drive-away for the base model mild-hybrid FWD, through to $73,500 drive-away for the range-topping VZ AWD tested here. It packs a fruity 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with 195kW and 400Nm – the same power and more torque than the Golf GTI hot-hatch – and there's all-wheel drive to ensure the grunt gets to the ground. And it does. The powertrain is a punchy one, with more enthusiasm on offer if you cycle through the drive modes. There is a configurable setting to adjust engine, transmission, steering and even the suspension (15-stage dampers!), or you can just hit the Cupra button on the steering wheel and go max attack … responsibly, of course. There's some audible drama from the powertrain, with a nice note as the revs rise, but be mindful that there's also some road roar to contend with if the surface is rough. It eats up corners and (because of the suspension) coasts comfortably on country roads, if you configure it as so. There is a level of firmness and assuredness to the ride, and those expecting a wafty, remote and cushy experience might be best checking out the Tiguan instead. The steering is tuned to feel direct and bitey, and if you want, you can upgrade to a bigger set of brakes with better stopping power, too. Also worth pointing out that, even in the top-spec, you'll have to spend extra for a sunroof ($2000), which many rivals offer at no cost. But if you do go for the VZ, you get desirable extras like a 12-speaker Sennheiser sound system, 'Deep Burgundy' leather-appointed seat trim, and matrix LED headlights, not to mention the specific 20-inch wheels with Continental SportContact 6 tyres. The cabin is dominated by daring design, with certainly-not-boring trim finishes, beautiful lighting signatures, and the expected touchscreen control centre, too. The 12.9-inch display has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it hosts most of the controls for the car and aircon system, not to minion the standard (range-wide!) heated seats and steering wheel buttons. The media system will take some time to learn, but it's better than early Cupras by a sizeable margin. There are favourites buttons you can tailor at the top of the display, and – if you want to – it's simple enough to disable the lane-keeping tech by way of the screen on the steering wheel. Thankfully, the safety tech integration in this car feels like the job has been finished, not just started. Back seat space is not hugely accommodating for adults, but with ISOFIX and three top-tethers it'll do the job for parents. There are directional vents and climate control for rear riders, and you can slide the bench to allow extra boot space if needed. The cargo zone is 508L with the seats back, and 642L with them slid forward. Cupra offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan, and the brand has some discounted prepaid servicing options for three years ($1490) or five years ($2590), not to mention roadside assist and a guaranteed future value program if you're concerned about resale. Not only is the Cupra Terramar fun to drive, it stacks up on value and practicality. Fun and functional – it could be one well worth a look if those are your priorities. 4.0 stars
Daily Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
2025 Cupra Terramar: Hot hatch performance meets SUV practicality
Don't miss out on the headlines from On the Road. Followed categories will be added to My News. The Cupra Terramar is the most enjoyable midsize SUV for the money. This sporty looking Spanish model takes what a VW Tiguan does and turns up the tempo to a new level, with a dynamic overhaul and a different look inside and out, despite being built on the same architecture as the more conservative German offering. There are three grades of Terramar at launch, and a fourth one - a plug-in hybrid with more than 100km of EV range - coming later on. Pricing starts at $58,500 drive-away for the base model mild-hybrid FWD, through to $73,500 drive-away for the range-topping VZ AWD tested here. It packs a fruity 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with 195kW and 400Nm – the same power and more torque than the Golf GTI hot-hatch – and there's all-wheel drive to ensure the grunt gets to the ground. And it does. The powertrain is a punchy one, with more enthusiasm on offer if you cycle through the drive modes. There is a configurable setting to adjust engine, transmission, steering and even the suspension (15-stage dampers!), or you can just hit the Cupra button on the steering wheel and go max attack … responsibly, of course. 2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied MORE: 'Hated': Push to get Boomers off Aus roads There's some audible drama from the powertrain, with a nice note as the revs rise, but be mindful that there's also some road roar to contend with if the surface is rough. It eats up corners and (because of the suspension) coasts comfortably on country roads, if you configure it as so. There is a level of firmness and assuredness to the ride, and those expecting a wafty, remote and cushy experience might be best checking out the Tiguan instead. The steering is tuned to feel direct and bitey, and if you want, you can upgrade to a bigger set of brakes with better stopping power, too. 2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied Also worth pointing out that, even in the top-spec, you'll have to spend extra for a sunroof ($2000), which many rivals offer at no cost. But if you do go for the VZ, you get desirable extras like a 12-speaker Sennheiser sound system, 'Deep Burgundy' leather-appointed seat trim, and matrix LED headlights, not to mention the specific 20-inch wheels with Continental SportContact 6 tyres. 2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied MORE: What the road tax could mean for you The cabin is dominated by daring design, with certainly-not-boring trim finishes, beautiful lighting signatures, and the expected touchscreen control centre, too. The 12.9-inch display has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it hosts most of the controls for the car and aircon system, not to minion the standard (range-wide!) heated seats and steering wheel buttons. The media system will take some time to learn, but it's better than early Cupras by a sizeable margin. 2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied 2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied MORE: China's RAM ute dupe to land in Aus There are favourites buttons you can tailor at the top of the display, and – if you want to – it's simple enough to disable the lane-keeping tech by way of the screen on the steering wheel. Thankfully, the safety tech integration in this car feels like the job has been finished, not just started. Back seat space is not hugely accommodating for adults, but with ISOFIX and three top-tethers it'll do the job for parents. There are directional vents and climate control for rear riders, and you can slide the bench to allow extra boot space if needed. The cargo zone is 508L with the seats back, and 642L with them slid forward. 2025 Cupra Terramar. Picture: Supplied Cupra offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty plan, and the brand has some discounted prepaid servicing options for three years ($1490) or five years ($2590), not to mention roadside assist and a guaranteed future value program if you're concerned about resale. Not only is the Cupra Terramar fun to drive, it stacks up on value and practicality. Fun and functional – it could be one well worth a look if those are your priorities. 4.0 stars Originally published as 2025 Cupra Terramar review
