2022 Cupra Ateca VZx review: Australian preview drive

This is our first Australian preview of the 2022 Cupra Ateca VZx. Stay tuned for a full on-road drive in the near future.

Australians will soon be able to add a new model to their small SUV shortlist, with Spanish brand Cupra launching locally in the coming months. As part of the company’s three-model line-up, it will offer the Ateca exclusively in high-grade VZx trim.

In Australia, the Cupra Ateca VZx is powered by the venerable EA888 engine courtesy of the Volkswagen Group – of which Cupra is a subsidiary – with 221kW/400Nm outputs. Power is delivered to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

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Unlike the multi-faceted line-ups of its Leon and Formentor siblings, the Ateca is offered in a single high-spec variant for Australia, which can be purchased with a $65,990 drive-away pricing. This includes three years of servicing and a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The retail pricing is $60,990. In that price range, the most obvious rival for the Ateca is the Audi SQ2.

Standard features are generous given the single high-grade model. Fitted without the need for extra box-ticking is metallic paint, 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and taillights, powered tailgate with hands-free function, quad exhaust tips, heated front seats, three-zone climate control, ambient interior lighting, wireless phone charger, and a nine-speaker Beats sound system that includes a 340-watt amplifier.

Cupra has worked on providing a product that appeals to Australians … it is finished with a generous specification. It feels like a premium product inside and out

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This is our first chance to get behind the wheel of Cupra models in Australia but it isn’t a first full-drive experience as there are some important external factors at play.

We are unable to drive the cars on a public road as Cupra has brought the cars we are driving to Australia for evaluation from New Zealand, providing local media the chance to see them in person and drive them on track to better understand the brand’s positioning locally.

As a result, it would be reductive to apply a definitive score as well as pros and cons to this first taste.

The good news is, our first impressions are quite positive and have us eager to get back into Cupra’s models for an extensive, comprehensive road drive. Testing took place at Sydney Motorsport Park, which includes several technical sections to challenge the Ateca’s body control, power-down ability and stability under braking and changes of direction.

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Quite the challenge for a small SUV, but something the Ateca took into its stride. Flat out track performance isn’t in the Ateca’s remit, its nearly 500-litre boot space indicating that owners will be more likely to use the Spanish SUV for weekend getaways than setting PBs. Though there are hints at the car’s sporty nature. The first is the Petrol Blue leather sports bucket seats look seriously cool and offer impressive lateral support.

Cupra has worked hard on providing a product that appeals to Australians. Not only does the Ateca have the credentials to appeal to our nation’s ferocious performance appetite, but it is finished with a generous specification that includes prolific use of high-quality materials at all the key points in the cabin. It importantly feels like a premium product inside and out.

There is a central 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, while the central infotainment system is controlled through a 9.2-inch touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto feature as standard.

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Cupra claims the Ateca can sprint from a standstill to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds. While we didn’t get the opportunity to test this claim, the Ateca was capable of piling on speed admirably and pulled healthily through its gears. It was only beginning to run out of top-end punch at the end of Sydney Motorsport Park’s lengthy front straight.

Gearshifts are crisp and executed without sudden jolts. It feels like the calibration would be well suited to a spirited road drive, but made some small missteps on track. Namely, not shifting down enough gears during hard braking, and only realising midway through progressive throttle application, rectifying with a sudden drop of ratios and flare of revs.

You’d be forgiven for initially thinking near Golf R levels of power in a compact SUV platform with practical levels of ride height would be a recipe for disaster. Quite the opposite, with the Ateca retaining a resolved composure that speaks to the passion put into its engineering process.

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Dynamic chassis control is standard, as well as different driving modes. However, due to our limited exposure, our assessment of these features isn’t extensive enough to provide a proper verdict.

On-road ride quality remains a mystery, though the Ateca demonstrated impressive body control. There was the kind of pitch and roll you’d usually associate with a car of this stature, but it remained controlled and purposeful.

Owners of the Ateca will never dream of taking their purchase onto a circuit. But the good news is they can, and we feel those who do would benefit from opting for the Brembos

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We wouldn’t call the chassis playful by any stretch, but the fact the Ateca remained composed and unfaltering on track speaks volumes about the small SUV’s abilities. Steering is crisp and direct, with enough feedback to be appropriate. Ultra-keen drivers will want for an extra level of involvement, but the Ateca’s main remit as a useable and practical small SUV with punch makes any additional changes for improved fidelity a game of diminishing returns.

There are some important optional extras you can add to the Ateca’s standard specifications. The first is an Akrapovic exhaust for $5960, along with a panoramic sunroof for $1800.

High-performance Brembo brakes are also available ($4050) which would add some bite to the Ateca’s braking performance. No bad thing considering the car’s straight-line ability. That said, we are aware that the Ateca isn’t a track car. Owners of the Ateca will never dream of taking their purchase onto a circuit. But the good news is they can if they wanted, and we feel those who do would benefit from opting for the Brembos after our experience with the standard units.

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The Ateca represents the most pragmatic vehicle in Cupra’s local line-up. While not built for the circuit, it’s mighty exciting to drive and offers a practical body that will suit owners wanting something useable day-to-day, but can be enjoyed on a classic Aussie driving road.