Cupra Terramar: a new family sports SUV designed in Spain

Rafa Guitart @GuitartRafa 3 September 2024 8 min.

Cupra Terramar: a new family sports SUV designed in Spain

The new model, which adopts the brand’s new design language, will be offered with five powertrain options, including a 272 CV plug-in hybrid (e-HYBRID) with more than 100 km of electric range and a Zero emissions label.

The evolution of Cupra has been exponential; it is one of the fastest-growing brands in Europe, with more than 600,000 cars delivered since 2018 and more than 800 points of sale worldwide.

The new Terramar, designed and developed in Barcelona, will be produced at the Audi plant in Györ (Hungary), with deliveries beginning in the last quarter of the year.

With striking dimensions, it measures 4.52 m long, 1.87 m wide and 1.59 mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2,680 mm, which allows it to offer a wide and spacious cabin, since it features sliding rear seats that increase boot capacity from 540 to 630 litres (in the PHEV version, from 400 to 490 litres).

Its powerful look, characterised by its “shark nose”, adopts the brand’s new light signature, with three triangles of Matrix LED Ultra groups and a logo framed by two characteristic lines on the tailgate. The model’s sporty focus is emphasised by the sports alloy wheels, available in 18, 19 and 20 inches, the wide front grille and its side air intakes.

It will be available in nine exterior colours, including two matt options: Century Bronze Matt and Enceladus Grey Matt, as well as Dark Void—inspired by the DarkRebel plasma colour—, Fiord Blue, Glacial White, Cosmos Blue, Timanfaya Grey, Midnight Black and Graphene Grey.

Sporty interior

The sporty atmosphere of its interior stands out, with multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters and satellite buttons, Bucket seats, also standard, Digital Cockpit instrumentation with infotainment system, featuring a 12.9-inch screen and a backlit sliding control or Windshield Head-up Display, which projects information onto the windscreen.

The infotainment system adopts widgets and an easy-to-use backlit climate control bar. The climate control is now integrated into the main screen, with all functions accessible and visual.

Three interior ambiences are offered: Deep Ocean, Moon Light and High Canyon. The Deep Ocean is characterised by its dark blue colour and features Bucket seats in PVC, upholstered in the central areas with recycled fabric made from recovered marine plastics. The dark grey Moon Light interior includes seats with specific upholstery containing up to 73% recycled fabric from PET plastics and clothing, while the High Canyon ambience includes dark burgundy Bucket seats in leather tanned through a natural plant-based process.

All seat options include the embossed CUPRA logo. They also feature Copper-coloured stitching matching the frames of the air vents, door trims and decorative inserts.

Five engine options

The new Terramar combines the possibilities of combustion engines with those of electrified engines, with five different powertrain systems encompassing three technologies: TSI petrol engines, eTSI (mild hybrid) and e-HYBRID (plug-in hybrid) with power outputs from 150 CV to 272 CV, all equipped with the DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

The entry point to the range is the eTSI mild hybrid 48V engine and 1.5 TSI 150 CV petrol engine (110 kW). The hybrid technology consists of a generator and a 48V lithium-ion battery that allows the vehicle to be driven with the combustion engine switched off in certain scenarios, provides electric assistance to the thermal engine and can recover energy during braking.

The e-HYBRID (plug-in hybrid) improves performance and achieves an extended 100% electric range, with two variants carrying the Zero emissions label: one with 204 CV (150 kW) and another with 272 CV (200 kW).

In the plug-in hybrid versions, the 1.5 TSI engine is paired with an electric motor and a battery with a net capacity of 19.7 kWh, which allows more than 100 kilometres on a single charge. In addition, the battery supports fast charging of up to 50 kW on direct current and up to 11 kW on alternating current.

For its part, the TSI versions are offered in two variants with a 2.0 engine: the first, with a power output of 204 CV (150 kW), with DSG transmission and 4Drive all-wheel drive system, while the second, available for the VZ version, delivers 265 CV (195 kW) and is likewise paired with the 7-speed DSG gearbox and 4Drive all-wheel drive.

Specific tuning

The Terramar features a sporty chassis, with McPherson front axle and independent multi-link rear configuration, as well as sports suspension (lowers ride height by 10 mm)—standard on all versions. It includes progressive steering that adapts steering assistance according to speed, and electric brake servo, capable of providing a faster response than a conventional system. It can also recover braking energy through the Blending function (specific to the plug-in hybrid versions).

The new generation of Adaptive Chassis Control (DCC) includes two-valve dampers and a new swing arm on the front axle to improve steering response and greater turning capacity. It offers different driving modes: Comfort, Performance, CUPRA (for the VZ versions), Offroad (for the all-wheel drive versions) and Individual. The ESC can be adjusted to Sport mode on all engines, and in the case of the VZ versions (e-HYBRID 272 CV and 2.0 TSI 265 CV) it can even be switched off.

As standard it features 18-inch wheels and 235 mm tyres (1.5 eTSI 150 CV, 2.0 TSI 204 CV, e-HYBRID 204 CV) or with 19-inch wheels and 255 mm tyres (VZ 2.0 TSI 265 CV and VZ e-HYBRID 272 CV). As an option, it can be fitted with wheels of up to 20 inches.

The VZ versions (both TSI and e-HYBRID engines) can be fitted with a high-performance Akebono brake system, with six-piston calipers and perforated discs measuring 375 x 36 mm, larger than the standard ones (340 x 36 mm).

Digitalised

The Terramar includes new high-resolution screens, a state-of-the-art high-fidelity audio system and access to the CUPRA ecosystem through the new My CUPRA App. The Digital Cockpit instrumentation is 10.25 inches, configurable, while the central screen reaches up to 12.9 inches, as standard.

It features the Full Link wireless system via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless fast charging of up to 15W with cooling for smartphones and a new optional sound system with 12 speakers and 390 watts of power.

With the My CUPRA App, you can remotely manage the climate control, charging of the battery and open or close the doors, among other functions.

Among the safety and assistance systems are the adaptive and predictive cruise control (ACC), the travel assist, the lateral assist and unintended lane departure warning, emergency assist and driver attention and drowsiness assist.

Predictive ACC positions the vehicle using the GPS of the navigation system, which allows it to correct its speed according to the road layout, taking into account bends, roundabouts, junctions, speed limits and urban areas. It can adjust the vehicle’s speed when limits change thanks to information gathered by the front camera and traffic sign recognition.

The travel assist uses information from the ACC and the lateral assist and unintended lane departure system to keep the vehicle centred and adjust its pace to existing traffic, so that it provides assisted driving at any speed.

The lateral assist and unintended lane departure warning monitors blind spots and provides a visual and audible signal if, when parking and wanting to leave the vehicle, the driver has not noticed the presence of something or someone approaching.

Optionally it can include the “Pre-Crash” occupant protection system, which prepares the car for a possible collision, based on the vehicle’s dynamics and information from the front and rear radars.

CUPRA Terramar America’s Cup limited edition

The Terramar America’s Cup limited edition will feature 1,300 specific units to commemorate the agreement with the event. It will be offered in Enceladus Grey Matt—this colour will be the first available exclusively for this limited edition—and will include 20-inch black alloy wheels and the America’s Cup logo laser-engraved on the B-pillars. Inside, it includes Moonslate leather upholstery and Bucket seats with the America’s Cup logo on the label.