Ateca and Leon with ethnic grill. The Cupra started out as a “painted” Seat.

The tribal-styled Ateca first hit the road after the Volkswagen Group decided to separate the Cupra as a separate brand from Seat. Visually, it stands out thanks to a range of colors, brass rims and details such as dual exhaust tips. However, while the range of Seat Ateca engines ends at 150-horsepower units, in the case of the Cupra Ateca it only starts with them. The most powerful ones can have up to 300 HP under the hood.

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The first model designed specifically for Cupra was the Formentor – still the brand’s bestseller. Cupra is one of the “experimental” cars that was well received in the market.

So much so that one of the statements of the head of the Volkswagen concern was seen as an announcement of the beginning of the end of Kiti. This company would be released by Cupra for the role of supplier of electric motorcycles and small city cars. Cupra quickly denied this, saying that there is room in the market for it and Seat. Cupra fills a niche between Volkswagen, Skoda and Audi.

I got my hands on a Cupra Ateca with a 2.0 TSI four-cylinder engine with 300 HP and 400 Nm of torque, with four-wheel drive. Acceleration from zero to “hundreds” is 4.9 seconds, and the maximum speed is more than 240 km / h. Despite this, the Cupra Ateca did not arouse any desire for sports in me. It’s still a boxy SUV at over 4.4 m long and 1.6 m tall, not a hot hatch.

It was different from the Cupra Leon VZ Cup. With the same engine unit (also 2.0 TSI, 300 HP, 400 Nm), the shape hatchback had a big “claw” from the beginning. Even in the acoustic range – a pleasant purring from under the hood and a characteristic bark from the exhaust reached the driver’s seat significantly. Especially after switching to the “Cupra” driving mode, when the sounds are further enhanced by an electronic synthesizer. Not everyone will like the ending.

The Cupra Leon encouraged me to press the gas pedal more often. The maximum speed is 250 km / h, and the sprint to 100 km / h takes 5 seconds more than the Ateca. However, it is not about speed, although VZ refers to it. Quickly it’s spanish in a hurry.

The Cupra Leon convinced us to choose many winding roads, not just straight ones. Although from the outside it is still a good Seat Leon, refined in the same way as the Ateca, it offers real driving pleasure and a solid alternative to the sporty feeling, and you sit down in it. At the same time, it does not give the impression that you want to get out of the harness.

You can also drive this car every day, it doesn’t tire you (or the driver) even in city traffic. The default driving mode is Comfort, you can forget about Eco. In Sport mode, the response to the gas pedal is quick and the steering becomes stiff. The Cupra goes even further, choosing emotion over comfort.

In terms of fuel consumption, the Cupra Leon leaves much to be desired. In the city, fuel consumption is around 10 l/100 km, but on country roads, when we do not drive very fast (90 km / h is enough), the on-board computer quickly reduces this result to 6 l/100 km. . When driving on the highway or freeway, as the speed increases, we will approach 9-10 l/100 km.

As for the Cupra Ateca in the city, it’s the same. A quiet trip in traffic jams is around 10 l/100 km, but during rush hours it can be up to 13 l/100 km. Outside the city, real results range from 6.9 l/100 km to 10 l/100 km on the highway. The Cupra Ateca is an SUV, so it’s inherently more comfortable because you sit higher above the road. It also has Offroad and snow driving tracks. Although the extra centimeters of ground clearance allow a little more, they still don’t encourage off-road driving. Sorry about those brass rims.

The list price of the Cupra Ateca starts at PLN 164,000. 800 PLN. Not counting the electric Birth, this is the most expensive model of this brand. Ateca in Kit price list starts… PLN 98,000. PLN 800, although in the higher FR version and with more powerful engines it may cost more at first.

However, the Cupra price list quickly departs from its Kit sister when we turn our attention to the “VZ” variants with 300-horsepower engines. Here the configuration starts from 231,000. PLN 600, and in the version of the VZ Tribal Edition it is even PLN 282,000. PLN 500 for “good morning”.

It’s the same in the case of the Cupra Leon. For this example, the price list starts from PLN 130,000. back,. And here, it must be admitted, the difference between the Cupra and the “normal” Seat is not very impressive. The basic Leon seat was valued at PLN 106,000. PLN 500, and the highest version FR – from PLN 119,000. PLN 300. However, the Cupra Leon VZ Cup costs at least PLN 208,000. PLN 300 at the catalog price.