Cupra Terramar 1.5 eTSI Review

Extending the shelf lives of pure combustion-powered models already seems an effortful task for car manufacturers that have declared full pivots to electrification. In true rebel fashion, however, Cupra has taken things one step further: By introducing a brand new face to the lineup, now in 2025.

The Cupra Terramar, a mid-sized crossover, derives its name from a Spanish coastal town near the racetrack where the brand was born, amidst the sound of roaring engines and the smell of burnt rubber. But here's where another plot twist emerges; you probably wouldn't find this Singapore-specced Terramar out there doing hot laps, since one of its headlining (and perhaps eyebrow-raising) qualities here is its more subdued 1.5-litre mild hybrid engine. Rather than sonorous mania, this unit feels geared more towards sensibility.

The Terramar is doubly surprising: It's not just an all-new model by Cupra, but is also combustion powered

Looking backwards - and in a confounding manner - rarely works as a good look for any brand. Still, the Terramar feels like exactly the sort of crowd-pleasing product that could unlock new horizons for Cupra: By landing amongst customers not yet attuned to the joys of full electrification, yet tantalised by its bold design vision and sportier outlook.

The Terramar wears the same 'shark nose' front end that we first saw on the Tavascan

New name, (sort of) familiar face

Preceded by the Tavascan here in Singapore, the Terramar's styling actually feels familiar, but is no less outstanding in a crowded sea of high-riding competitors today. The brand's promise is once more brought to bear faithfully: If you're tired of crossovers that play it safe on the design front, this not-so-little one will thrill you.

The Terramar's scowling front end, described to be inspired by a shark's nose, is unmistakably Cupra-like with its massive grille. Triangular-shaped daytime running lights glare out onto traffic ahead, while triangles are also layered generously within the tail lamps flanking the rear light bar and illuminated badge. Alongside them, the car's lower roofline and wide stance accentuate its air of aggression.

These 19-inch rims are probably an orgamist's fantasy with their creases and folds; the Terramar's triangular obsession also continues at the rear with its tail light bar 

This package is tied up neatly by the 19-inch wheels that the Terramar rides on, whose angular rims contain creases and folds that would probably make the most expert origamists swoon. If Hasbro were still in the business of making Transformers films, the Terramar would be perfectly cast as a Decepticon. 

Practicality and quality cloaked in standout style

On the inside, the Terramar stays resolutely within its own lane too with a brooding cabin that's consistent with what we've come to love from Cupra.

There are eye-catching lashings of copper all over, for instance, while ambient lighting is done in a manner cohesive to the car's aggressive whimsy, with arrow-shaped perforations in the door cards rather than run-of-the-mill light strips. Cupra's sustainable intentions are even easy to appreciate with those Dinamica fabric sports seats, which offer excellent lumbar support.

Ambient lighting is done to perfection in the Terramar, especially with those arrow-shaped perforations on the door cards

The Terrarmar's Dinamica sports seats look fantastic, and offer both the driver and front passenger excellent lumbar support

What the eye-catching elements may obscure initially, however, is how solidly-built this interior feels, deferring neither to hard plastics nor to black gloss. With its plethora of physical controls, navigating the Terrama's dashboard takes minimal effort too. This may be our favourite Cupra steering wheel in recent memory, dotted with sensibly labelled buttons, and set against a generously-sized 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with configurable, driver-focused layouts. (The latter feels undeniably superior to the small panels found on the Born and Tavascan).

The Terramar should serve families well with its roomy rear bench and 508-litre boot

The Terramar is also a stellar family car.

Its boot is a substantial 508 litres, and though it opts for a lower profile, headroom is still acceptable on the rear bench across all three seats. Legroom is fairly generous too, given its 2,680mm wheelbase, although the presence of a central transmission tunnel does ultimately mean that two will be far more comfortable here than three.

Sensible heart: The 1.5-litre turbocharged engine here (with mild hybrid assistance) puts out 148bhp and 250Nm

A different sort of heart

As mentioned, pop open the Terramar's sculpted hood, and what lies beneath might be surprising for a brand once associated with riotous combustion power: Not a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, but a 1.5-litre unit with mild hybrid assistance.

Expectedly, performance from this relatively pint-sized heart isn't the sort that would set a drag strip ablaze.

Different experience: Slightly jarring to see the Cupra button but not Cupra drive mode

On first glance, it doesn't help that ostensible reminders of the Terramar's potential to handle more power are dotted everywhere. The evergreen CUPRA mode button is here, for instance, but CUPRA mode itself isn't (you only get 'Comfort', 'Performance' and 'Individual'). It's a plain admission of the amount of power (or lack thereof) on offer: Praiseworthy for its honesty, though still a bit jarring.

That lovely instrument cluster is also arguably at its most magnetic when configured to display just a central speedo, flanked by torque and power readings on the left, and a g-force meter on the right. Again, however, these features feel quite mismatched to power output figures to the tune of 148bhp and 250Nm.

This is arguably the coolest configuration to leave the Terramar's instrument cluster in

Leave those older-school preconceptions of the Cupra brand behind, however, and the Terramar instantly becomes more magnetic.

It's worth noting that the very engine it utilises here has the specific benefit of existing within the confines of Singapore's built-up traffic and lower speed limits. The Terramar consequently doesn't feel slow by most measures; it gathers speed quite willingly, and its seven-speed DCT is delightfully snappy, yet not too unobtrusive as to bury the car's sportier leanings entirely. At higher speeds, the occasional hesitation to downshift does mean that overtakes need to be measured out a bit more carefully – but the presence of paddle shifters helps greatly on this front anyway.

Paddle shifters are welcome here on the Terramar

The Terramar is also decked out with a generous suite of assistance systems

Furthermore, the Terramar's handling is remarkably tidy for its height. Its physical dimensions don't saddle it with too much heft, its steering rack is accurate, and its suspension tends to the stiffer side of things, yet settles quickly after fighting undulations and bumps; at higher speeds it's nice and stable too. With all of the above considered, the Cupra promise of machines with the ability to excite remains true.

The Terramar may be the least rebellious member of the family - but its crowd-pleasing nature also gives it strong appeal

Less rebellion, more appeal?

How one ultimately judges the Terramar, then, probably comes back to how exactly they perceive of Cupra

Since it was spun off as an independent marque from Seat, the brand seems to have gone through a number of expansionary stages. The Cupra way was pure, smoky, combustion performance at first. Then it was electric. In recent times, things appear to have shifted slightly again, now emphasising standout exterior and interior design.

One's appreciation of the Terramar will likely depend on their expectations of the Cupra brand

Admittedly, those who insist that every model wearing its copper badge must meet a baseline level of power may indeed be disappointed at the performance ceiling here. Here, unconventional aesthetics and modest performance shake hands firmly, resulting in some restraint and balance that you quite frankly would not have expected from Cupras of time past. In fact, the Terramar is such an all-rounder that… one could almost argue that it's the least rebellious member of the family today.

But look at Cupra more as a brand that puts out head-turning machines with sportier leanings rather than bonafide sports cars, and the Terramar immediately becomes more appealing.

This is a mild hybrid mid-sized crossover that won't turn away the (many) folks who still don't want an electric car, yet is still wrapped up in a trendy package, serves up the perfect amount of space for those with a family, and also offers decent punch out on the road. At the centre of its appeal? Strategic, crowd-pleasing positioning. The only pity is that at basically $250,000 at current COE prices, it's asking for quite a pretty penny for its combination of qualities.

Still, amidst the virtually innumerable competitors in its segment, the Terramar's tight balance between conforming to market norms yet standing out in a distinctly Cupra-like manner give it genuine magnetism. Brand new as it may be, this is a name that Singaporean drivers could gradually grow more familiar with.

Here are a few other cars worth considering! 

The new Volkswagen Tiguan may be less powerful than before, but now comes with a wide suite of features alongside an impressive level of polish

The Mazda CX-30 is a stylishly designed and well-appointed crossover that delivers plenty of quality and refinement

The updated Corolla Cross continues to shine with its fuel-efficiency, ergonomic excellence, and balanced drive, but now faces far stiffer competition