Cupra New Zealand's new Terramar mid-sized SUV will offer something the sister Volkswagen Tiguan currently doesn't: a range of hybrid powertrains.
Terramar is essentially a replacement for the previous Seat/Cupra Ateca, and like that model it's closely related to the VW Tiguan underneath.
Terramar, named after a racing circuit in Spain, is being launched in the coming weeks in V and VZ specifications. While the base 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine of the V is the same as the mainstream VW Tiguan and makes the same 110kW/250Nm, it gains mild-hybrid technology (not currently offered for the VW in NZ) and a big improvement in fuel economy: the official 5.8l/100km is well down on the Tiguan's claimed 8.5l/100km.
The high-performance Terramar VZ is conventional ICE, with the same 195kW/400Nm 2.0-litre powerplant as the Tiguan R Line AWD. It does 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds.
Cupra traditionally sits above VW as a sportier option and that's the case with Terramar. The entry-level Terramar V's $70,500 price starts clear of where the mainstream Tiguan finishes ($63,990 for the R-Line 2WD), while the $91,990 VZ is $10k more than the Tiguan R-Line AWD.
There's more to come in the second quarter. A non-hybrid 150kW 2.0-litre V 4Drive will join the range at $81,990, but there will also be one with a plug: the $87,900 V e-Hybrid combines a 150kW version of the 1.4-litre with a big 20kWh plug-in battery pack. Cupra NZ is yet to confirm a local 3P-WLTP range figure, but European media reports suggest around 100km zero-emissions driving.
The V e-Hybrid sticks with a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox (other Terramars are 7-speed) and it's front-drive. So that makes a quartet of models, two in FWD (V and V e-Hybrid) and two in AWD (V 4Drive and VZ).
Other new models to come from Cupra NZ this year include facelifted Formentor and Leon ST, as well as the new Tavascan EV towards the end of 2025.