MODEL ON TEST: VZ2 1.5 e-HYBRID DSG AUTOMATIC – MILEAGE – 3,097

A few days ago, the Cupra travelled past the milestone for having driven the equivalent of the Nürburgring 24 hours. This might sound impressive as a reflection of my autosport recall, but the truth is I wasn’t aware – the car told me so, the 2,500-mile rite of passage being part of the playful way that the Terramar communicates with the driver

Anyway, my point is that colour matters more than some enthusiasts might like to admit. Volvo’s colour palette is disappointingly greige, and I know at least two people who have walked away from the dealership as a result. Equally, I wouldn’t mind betting Mazda’s paint jobs have attracted quite a few customers who might otherwise have bought a Ford or a Volkswagen. I wonder what updates will follow?

I’ve sneaked past Sri Chinmoy’s Self- Transcendance Marathon (3,100 miles) with zero acknowledgement of this feat, though the world record for migratory bird flight, which, if you’re asking, might pop up on the touchscreen at 59,650 miles in reverence to the remarkable efforts of the Arctic Tern, may, (if the Ed forgets to prise me from the car), be reachable?

Thankfully, the Terramar doesn’t do sarcasm or it would maybe chime “Is that it?” on recent days when I confine excursions to school runs or the odd trip to Lidl. But beyond the glossy magazine spreads, these are surely the everyday things we actually do with our cars – so in that spirit, my driving notes for this month are largely confined to this reality.

First up, the Terramar has shrunk. I began driving it with a feeling that its girth and length were too expansive for the heavily urbanised countryside of the Cotswolds, but verdant lanes, tight parking spaces and double cab drivers who think they own the road are not, with regular use, an issue.

Neither is ride quality: initially, the car felt as it if was struggling to settle down on bumpy and potholed roads, but I can now report it is doing much better, largely thanks to Gloucestershire Highways for finally filling in the worst cavities in and around our postcode. Show the Terramar some blacktop that’s not war-torn and it really is a decent ride.The best illustration of this came in the one exceptionally long journey carried out this month, all the way to Truro, which is accessed by the notorious A30 but which now, thanks to the splendid improvements to that route which make it comparable to the typical velvet found on a French autoroute, is actually no tough place to reach.

On the way back from that footballing daytrip, my four passengers were soon all asleep, which either means that the Cupra’s ride ticks the box when it is unmolested, or my music choices are incredibly dull. I prefer to think the former.

On other less glamorous days I find myself using the laptop to write news from the driving seat while waiting for my son to come back out of the gym.The ability of a car to double up as an office is important to me and the Terramar, with two phone sockets up front and power adjustment to shift the seat back an epic distance, leaves me with no excuse but to crack on with writing copy.

The key takeaway from this month though, is that the Cupra’s killer card is delivering around 68 miles (on warmer days) of electric motoring, which means you’re usually immune to those terrifying forecourt prices. On longer days though, you’re of course not – in which case motorway treks emerge at a so-so low 40mpg return. So pending sudden peace deals, no Nürburgring excursions are planned just for now.

SIMON HACKER

WHAT’S HOT: Relative rarity: we observe an increasing cornucopia of Cupras out there, but the Terramar is an unusual spot – and we all like driving something different.

WHAT’S NOT: The push-click cover on the charge port doesn’t always secure in one easy motion. It’s the road-going equivalent of driving off with your flies undone.

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL OF OUR LONG-TERM REPORTS ON THE CUPRA TERRAMAR

FACTS & FIGURES

ARRIVED: 10th February 2025

PRICE WHEN NEW: £50,150

PRICE AS TESTED: £51,145

ECONOMY: 156.9mpg (official WLTP) 40.5mpg (on test)

COSTS: None

FAULTS: None