Currently reading: Facelifted 2020 Cupra Ateca arrives with improved dynamics

Performance crossover gets new-look front end, improved infotainment and tweaks to the chassis set-up

The Cupra Ateca has been updated inside and out for 2021, mirroring the facelift given to the standard Seat version earlier this month.

As with Seat’s non-performance version, Cupra’s hot Ateca has been subtly redesigned, most obviously at the front. It receives new LED headlight and foglight designs, a reshaped front bumper with an aluminium diffuser and Seat’s angular new grille – as seen on the Tarraco large SUV and new Leon – which is framed by a dark chrome surround to differentiate the Cupra variant.

Additional styling changes include an aluminium finish for the side mouldings, mirror caps and roof rails, as well as new puddle lights that project the Cupra logo onto the floor, dynamic rear indicators and larger, optional 19in alloy wheels that can be specified in Cupra’s trademark copper finish. New bumper designs at each end make the Ateca 10mm longer overall than before.

As with the current car, a set of prominent quad exhaust pipes mark Cupra's Ateca out as the performance variant. 

The Ateca retains its EA888 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, but a new electrohydraulic multi-disc traction system in front of the rear differential monitors and analyses the road ahead, as well as the driver’s actions, to vary power delivery across the four wheels according to grip levels. That helps bring the 0-62mph time down from 5.2sec to 4.9sec. Top speed remains at 153mph.

1 Cupra ateca interior

Dynamic enhancements come courtesy of tweaks to the calibration of the steering set-up and throttle bheaviour, said to bring 'maximum agility' and enhanced driver feedback, while Cupra's Adaptive Chassis Control system can change the suspension and damper settings 'within milliseconds' according to different driving conditions. A set of 18in ventilated Brembo brake discs can be specified as an optional extra, improving stopping performance. 

Interior upgrades come in the form of standard-fit Alcantara sports seats, illuminated treadplates and USB ports, a new ‘microsuede’ steering wheel with an engine start button and aluminium pedals. The infotainment touchscreen has also been enlarged from 8.0in to 9.2in. A 10.25in digital cockpit has been introduced as standard. A new voice control function can be used to navigate the infotainment menus, too.

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The car’s safety credentials have been bolstered with new driver aids such as pre-crash assist, predictive adaptive cruise control, emergency assist and exit assist, which detects oncoming obstacles when leaving a parking space.

Cupra’s Ateca now accounts for 15% of all Ateca sales. This has helped the fledgling stand-alone brand to achieve year-on-year growth of 72%.

The Cupra Ateca’s facelift precedes the market launch of the new Cupra Leon hot hatch and the brand’s bespoke Formentor performance SUV.

The updated Cupra Ateca will arrive in the UK alongside the standard Seat model in the third quarter of 2020, with a slight price rise expected.

READ MORE

Cupra Leon eHybrid plug-in hot hatch launched with 242bhp 

New 2020 Cupra Formentor is brand's first bespoke model

Seat Ateca gets redesign, new tech and revised engines for 2020

Felix Page

Felix Page
Title: Deputy editor

Felix is Autocar's deputy editor, responsible for leading the brand's agenda-shaping coverage across all facets of the global automotive industry - both in print and online.

He has interviewed the most powerful and widely respected people in motoring, covered the reveals and launches of today's most important cars, and broken some of the biggest automotive stories of the last few years. 

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Just Saying 22 June 2020

Yes, Manicm you are!

But that's OK.
manicm 22 June 2020

I'm in a minority but I still

I'm in a minority but I still love this thing.

bol 22 June 2020

Revolting logo

One of these drove up behind me Audi style in my village last week. Apart from the anxiety that the berk that was driving would run my MX5 over, the first thing that went through by mind was that the logo looked like the sort of thing that was fashionable for women to get tattooed on their lower backs in the 1990s. Colloquially and not very kindly dubbed "slag antlers" if I recall.