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 Q2 is pleasingly bold on the surface, but plays with a very safe bat beneath it
Pros Bold styling (for Audi), should be a doddle to live with
Cons Not especially fun to drive, few real benefits over an A3
Pros Huge scope for personalisation Stylish, high-quality interior Great range of engines
Cons Many rivals are cheaper Limited kit on entry-level model Large wheels affect ride comfort
Pros Spacious interior Impressive safety kit Good build quality
Cons High price Firm ride on larger wheels Best features are optional
It can rumble with hot hatches, but does Audi's youth-focussed compact SUV warrant its $50K-plus price tag?
Pros Performance aplenty Nice road manners... ... and adroit handling Silky smooth dual-clutch auto
Cons Asks for Q3 money Misses key safety tech Second row not the last word in comfort
