86 SpecialIssue http://www.autoexpress.co.ukOURCARS LivingwithaCupraAtecaVersatile
Stevehas used our
CupraAteca to do
everything from load-
lugging to driving on
race tracksSteveSutcliffe
[email protected]FINALREPORTSporty do-it-all SUV eventually
wonour man over, onceheset it up to his likingCupraAteca
TObeginwith,Iwasn’tsureaboutour
CupraAteca,especiallyafternoticingits
eye-wateringpriceof£41,910.Thatputsit
almostintobasicPorscheMacanterritory,
whichisabitridiculous,you’llsurelyagree.
PlusIwasn’tconvincedthatitwasallthat
wonderfultodriveatfirst.Quick,yes,asyou’d
expectwitha296bhp2.0-litreturbopetrol
engine.Grippy,too,thankstoitspart-time
four-wheel-drivesystemand,inthecaseof
ourtestcar,optional19-inchalloywheels,
wearingreasonablyfattyres.Butthere
werequiteafewaspectsabouttheCupra’s
dynamics,anditspracticality,thatwere
irritating,ratherthanamazing.
Forexample,Icouldn’tgetonwithitsride
andsteeringatthebeginning,noritsSUV
drivingpositionthatfeaturesabrakepedal
that’stoohighinrelationtothethrottle.I
alsodidn’tthinkthecabinqualitywasuptomuch,theair-concontrolsinparticular
feelingcheaptothetouch.Butthen,asthe
milesrolledby,Ilearnedtolivewith,and
thenlike,theCupra.Iadjustedtoit,and
eventuallytherelationshipbegantoblossom.
Bypositioningtheseataslowaspossible,
butabitfurtherawayfromthepedalsthan
Inormallylike,andbysettingthesteering
wheelaslowaspossible,Iadaptedtothe
drivingposition.IntheendIlikedtheway
itfeltbehindthewheel,butwheneverother
peopleclimbedintheythoughtIwasmad.
I’mstillnotconvincedaboutthecabin
quality,andtheswitchgearspecifically.Yet
theswitchableTFTdisplay,theexcellentnav
systemandtheComfortandSoundPack’s
high-qualityBeatsstereowereallveryhardto
fault.ItreachedapointwhereIjustenjoyed
beingintheCupra,usingitscomplexbut
intuitivetouchscreeninfotainmentsystem
prettymuchallthetime,knowingthatthe
navwasn’tgoingtomessup.
Also,onceI’dworkedoutwhichsettings
toengagewithintheadjustabledrive“I realised Individual mode wasthe waytogo,and Ifound abalance thatwas just right”programme,andwhichtoignore,Ilearned
tolikethewaytheCuprawentdownthe
road,too,whetherthatroadwasamotorway,
awindingB-roadorevenaracetrack.
Afterquitesometimeoftrying,andfailing,
toenjoydrivinginEcomode,Ispentawhile
witheverythingsettoComfort.Butthe
throttleresponsealwaysfeltstodgyinthat
setting,sothenIforcedmyselftodrivethe
AtecainSportforaweekorso,justtosee.
Itwasbetterbutnotperfect.AndinCupramodetheridewaswaytoostiff,soapart
fromthecoupleoftimesItookthecarto
atrack–whenitfeltsurprisinglysharp
todrive,andnotjustforanSUV–Isimply
didn’tbotherwiththeCuprasetting.
Eventually,IrealisedthatIndividualmode
wasthewaytogo.Inthis,Isettheengine,
gearboxandexhausttomaximumresponse,
thesteeringtoSportandthedampersto
Comfort.Andfinally–formeatleast–I
foundabalancethatfeltjustright:crisp