The model that started it all for the Cupra brand will soon be retired in Australia, according to the Spanish automaker’s local product boss.
Jeff Shafer, head of product for Cupra Australia, told CarExpert that stocks of the Ateca mid-size SUV will be run out during the second half of 2025, following the launch of the newer and slightly larger Terramar SUV last month.
“Ateca has been a strong pioneer for the Cupra brand. For Australia, we’re looking at running that car out over the next six months or so,” said Mr Shafer.
“It’s in the latter stages of its lifecycle. It’s been a great car. We’ll see how quickly [remaining stocks] last for us.”
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The Ateca launched the Cupra brand in 2018, based on the Seat Ateca that first went into production back in 2016 – a close relative of the Skoda Karoq and previous-generation Volkswagen Tiguan.
Before this, Cupra was a performance trim level for Seat models, much like Volkswagen has its R performance models. The Formentor would then become the Cupra brand’s first standalone model that wasn’t a rebadged Seat, followed by the Born electric hatch – which, ironically, was first shown in concept form as a Seat.
In 2020, the Cupra Ateca (and its Seat sibling) received a mid-life facelift, and this updated model formed part of the Australian launch range in 2022 alongside the Leon hatchback and Formentor crossover.
Unlike the Leon and Formentor, which are based on the same MQB evo platform as the Mk8 Volkswagen Golf, the Ateca rides on the older MQB platform like the Mk7 Golf and Skoda Karoq. In fact, the Ateca is so closely related to the Karoq that it’s made in the same factory in Kvasiny, Czechia, and even shares the Skoda’s roof panel and doors.
The Cupra Ateca originally launched with a 221kW 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, a version of the same EA888 motor used in a variety of VW Group performance models like the Audi S3, VW Golf R and more.
As the Seat brand lost traction in Europe, Cupra started expanding its range to cross over into more mainstream segments while retaining sportier tuning in its products compared to Seat equivalents. As such, the Ateca was then bolstered with 110kW 1.5 TSI and 140kW 2.0 TSI versions, the latter of which was recently launched in Australia.
With the less powerful drivetrain, the Ateca V dropped the price of entry by $10,000 in Australia, and gave the Spanish SUV a much stronger value proposition against the related Skoda Karoq locally, which in equivalent Sportline 4×4 spec is significantly more expensive and requires options to match the Ateca’s specification.
Still, the Ateca has failed to gain traction in the Australian market, where it was regularly outsold by the smaller Formentor by a ratio of around five-to-one, and is also well behind the Karoq.
The Ateca has somewhat been superseded by the all-new Terramar, despite both being in production at the same time.
But the Terramar moves to the newer MQB evo platform and also offers mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid engines, where the Ateca does not.
Pricing for the Terramar starts from $58,490 drive-away in Australia, a little up on the Ateca V’s current $51,990 plus on-roads starting price. Cupra initially launched the 140kW Ateca from $49,888 drive-away.
At the time of writing, just 65 Ateca vehicles remain in Cupra Australia’s stock inventory. Of these, 42 are the base V and 23 are the flagship VZx – which is priced from $63,990 drive-away.
MORE: Explore the Cupra Ateca showroom
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