At first that may seem faintly ridiculous, but when you look at the Venn diagram of price, proportions and performance, the Ateca lives in a little world of its own. To get vaguely comparable speed and power from any other medium-sized SUV, you’re looking at spending around £50k+ on a Porsche Macan S or an Audi SQ5. But although it may be marooned in its own micro-sector, that doesn’t mean it has a free pass. A £40,000-ish Seat – sorry, Cupra – has a lot to prove, starting with how it drives
Pros Hot hatch performance with SUV styling and practicality
Cons £40k for a Seat with somewhat unconvincing branding
The Cupra Ateca SUV is a brilliant family car that’s fast and great to drive, but you’ll have to accept its gloomy interior and boy racer exterior complete with tuner-esque branding.
Pros Surprisingly nimble Fizzing performance Still practical
Cons Boy racer looks Dark, gloomy interior A VW Golf R costs less
The C5 Aircross is Citroen's (late) leap onto the family-crossover bandwagon.
Pros Very comfortable in all sorts of ways. Looks different. No sporty pretence
Cons No sporty actuality. Ride not as consistent as billed. Occasionally irritating screen system
The Citroen C5 Aircross packs plenty of space and lots of tech into a stylish and comfortable package, but the infotainment systems in alternatives are easier to use.
Pros Eye-catching looks Big boot Comfortable to drive
Cons Some low-rent interior bits Awkward infotainment system No four-wheel-drive option
