Alfa Romeo Stelvio vs Cupra Ateca

What's the difference?

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce is the car you get when you want a sports car but happen to have a kid or two. Its ride comfort is on the lower end but it has heaps of power and enough features that it manages to slide into its price tag without feeling too cheeky. The back seat’s size will limit this to smaller families, though. And I would prefer to see better tech at this grade level, so this gets a 7.1/10 from me.

My son didn’t spend much time in this one but he liked the red paintwork. My mum, however, loved the power and sexy packaging. She gives it an 8/10.

It's a racetrack taste test rather than a comprehensive road drive, but there's plenty to like about the Cupra Ateca, which fulfils its brief of injecting a little driving fun into the SUV space. The only question is whether its sportiness will be too sporty for your day-to-day, but for that, you'll have to wait and see.

CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

While the Veloce has had a facelift, the changes are so minor I would dare to ask, why bother?

The daytime running light signature has been tweaked but only die-hard Stelvio fans will notice it. I do like the larger 12.3-inch digital instrument display but surprisingly the multimedia screen remains on the smaller side at 8.8 inches.

Otherwise, there’s no denying the Veloce looks like an Alfa Romeo, staying true to its Italian heritage. It’s solid, with a 1903mm wide stance, but so robust that it moves away from words like 'sleek' or 'sexy'.

The black grille, 20-inch alloy wheels and red brake calipers make it look sports car mean and hint at what's under the bonnet.

The interior looks well made and it's got a bat cave element with the black headliner and panoramic sunroof. There's a plethora of soft touchpoints throughout and the circular air-vents found in both rows add some flair.

Overall, though, the interior is understated and if you’re looking for something as flashy as the exterior, you may be disappointed.

Cupra talks about its born-in-Barcelona design inspiration, but you can still see plenty of VW in the Ateca's side profile. But that's no bad thing, with the Cupra managing to look both polished and performance focused, but without looking like it's trying too hard.

The big change is in the front-end treatment, with a smaller centre grille that houses the Cupra badge (which looks a bit like a fox, and a bit like the Decepticon badge from Transformers, but which was actually "modelled on the attitude of tribal civilisations.")

The cool DRL designs, the two-tonne bronzed alloys and the quad exhaust tips all point a pretty strong picture of performance here, and for mine, the Ateca cuts a handsome figure.

Inside, though, it definitely feels a little less premium than modern VW products, with a greater use of hard plastics, and last-gen air-con and media controls, which – if you've driven the new Golf, for example – feel a little old-school by comparison.

The front row benefits the most in terms of space and features. I have stacks of headroom and legroom in the front seat and didn’t feel like I was too close to my passenger this week.

I like the comfortable electric seats and the fact you can adjust the side bolsters and under-thigh support.

Individual storage options are on the slim side throughout the car and it was something my mum and I found annoying on our road trip because there aren’t a lot of spots to put your little items up front. Think snacks, sunglasses, lip balm etc.

The two cupholders are really drink bottle holders because they’re too large to fit a small takeaway cup without popping the lid off but I like the large storage bins in each front door.

It's a tight squeeze in the back seat for my 168cm (5'6") height and that’s behind my driving position! It could feel a tad cramped back there for those with longer legs.

It’s also a bit awkward getting in and out of the back seat because of the large wheel arches.

The storage bins in the doors are too small to hold a drink bottle but the middle armrest has two cupholders and a phone holder.

Charging options are fantastic up front with two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, a 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad to choose from. You even get an 'aux' jack, too.

The amenities in the back seat are okay and you get a couple of net map pockets, reading lights, a USB-A and C port, as well as directional air vents.

This Alfa has a no-nonsense approach with the other tech, though. I usually don’t mind that but the touchscreen multimedia system is a little too no-nonsense for this spec-level.

I found it to be laggy and too small. It also regularly turned itself off and rebooted. This happened a few times while needing satellite navigation directions, which was annoying.

Also on the sat nav, you can’t search for a general name of something, like a business, you have to input an address which meant using my iPhone anyway. It’s great that you get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though.

The digital instrument panel looks upmarket but isn’t properly customisable and I was disappointed the ambient lighting package only meant that there are lights in the footwells and a tiny overhead light. Adding some extra lighting would have transformed the night-time driving experience.

The boot is the highlight for me because you get a decent capacity at 499L. The load space is level and I like the back row's 40/20/40 split-fold. We had plenty of room on our road trip for luggage and shopping.

You get a temporary spare tyre and a retractable cargo blind. The latter is stiff enough to double as a shelf which is handy and a handsfree powered tailgate comes standard, as well.

The Ateca measures 4386mm in length, 1599mm in height and 1841mm in width, and there is some 485 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place, and a substantial 1579 litres with the back pews folded flat.

It's a strong back-seat story here, too, with ample leg and headroom, individual device charging ports, and a pull-down seat divider that houses two cupholders.

There are two more upfront, as well as storage in every door, along with the ISOFIX attachment points in each window seat in the back.

Now it must be said that our test was conducted on a racetrack, with limited laps, no on-road driving, and no chance to fill the vehicle with passengers or baggage, so for a full practicality play-by-play, you'll have to wait until we get the Ateca through the CarsGuide office for a more comprehensive test.

Cupra describes itself as an "unconventional challenger brand", and it essentially sits below the mainstream VW line-up, with cheaper pricing and a focus on fun over finery.

So the Ateca – which is about the same size and offers similar outputs to the Tiguan R – lists at $60,990, or $65,990 drive-away, which is significantly cheaper than the VW product, which lists at $68,990 before on-road costs, or – according to Volkswagen's website – $77,279 drive-away for a NSW shopper.

Interestingly, Cupra has launched an agency model in Australia, which means you buy the vehicles from the brand itself, with the transition occurring online and for a fixed price with no negotiation, rather than from a dealer.

The Ateca might not deliver quite the same grunt as VW's R product, but that's a significant saving. Oh, and metallic paint is free, too – as is servicing for the first three years – which means more savings.

So what do you get? The Ateca arrives in a single VZx trim level, and outside you'll find 19-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting front and rear, roof rails, a powered boot, quad exhaust exits, auto headlights and keyless entry and start.

Inside, there's three-zone climate, blue leather-wrapped sports seats that are heated in the front, wireless charging for your devices and ambient interior lighting.

You're well served for tech, too, with the VW Group's 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit, a 9.2-inch centre screen with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that works wirelessly as well as when you plug in, a nine-speaker (plus sub) Beats sound system, as well as Dynamic Chassis Control and custom driving modes - including full-attack Cupra mode.

The Veloce has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that gives a maximum power output of 206kW and 400Nm of torque. It’s an all-wheel drive and has an eight-speed auto transmission which is very smooth. 

Checking out the specs I didn’t think this would be as powerful as it is. But it’s really fun when you need to put your foot down! I mean, it can go from 0-100km/h in just 5.7 seconds.

Right, so the Ateca's 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine produces 221kW and 400Nm, which is slightly less than the 235kW and 400Nm generated by the new Tiguan R.

But the Cupra is faster, knocking off the sprint to 100km/h in 4.9secs compared to the VW's  5.1secs – and it feels plenty quick from the driver's seat with your foot pinned to the floor.

That power is fed through a seven-speed DSG, with AWD standard fit on the Ateca.  

The official combined cycle fuel economy figure is 7.0L/100km and my real-world usage came to 8.4L/100km.

I drove our test model hard but did A LOT of open road driving - 2051km to be exact - so I was happy with the average but I would expect it to be higher in the city.

Based on the official combined cycle number and 64L fuel tank, you theoretically should be able to get a driving range of around 914km but my real-world tests see that figure come in closer to 700km.

Alfa Romeo recommends a minimum 95 RON petrol be used for the Stelvio.

Cupra is yet to reveal official fuel figures for the Ateca in Australia, but international guides claim an 8.9-9.5L/100km figure on the WLTP cycle.

That's not a small number, and it's one that will no doubt be made worse if you drive it the way you're almost certainly going to drive it, but such is the price of performance.

The Ateca will also demand 98RON fuel, which will sting at the bowser, too.

The Veloce is downright fun to drive because of how damn responsive it is. There is plenty of power, so much so, that you’ll look forward to hitting the open road. 

The sporty steering makes for sharp handling and the car moves decisively. I have felt confident all week that it would do what I wanted it to do. It's wide stance also makes it hug the road like an old friend.

However, the suspension is also sporty, aka firm! The padded seats help soften the impact when you hit a bump but you’ll still know it when you hit one. There's also a resonating 'ker-thump' in the cabin, in case you didn't feel it.

The big thing that marred the driving experience for me, at least for a longer trip, is how loud road and wind noise are at higher speeds. It’s loud enough that you need to raise your voice to talk, which I didn’t enjoy.

The Veloce earns back points with how easy it is to park and it handles those stupidly small hotel car parks extremely well.

I don't rate the reversing camera, though. The quality of the image is terrible for this grade-level.

Choosing to launch your new SUV on one of Australia's fastest racetracks shows either supreme confidence or bewildering foolhardiness, but in this instance, it was also a necessity.

See, Cupra is mere months away from official launch now, with orders for launch editions to open in May, and the only vehicles the brand could secure for its media preview were brought in from New Zealand, and unable to be driven on public roads.

And so Sydney Motorsport Park would play host to our first experience behind the wheel of the Ateca, and after only a handful of flying laps it was beginning to feel like a masterstroke.

This is not your average family SUV, and any vehicle in which you can drop the kids at school before clipping 200km/h-plus down the main straight of your closest race track is something to be celebrated.

The downside is that it's next to impossible to tell you what the Ateca is going to be like on your local streets, or whether the sporty suspension is going to be firm enough to shake the hairs loose from your head should encounter some questionable road surfaces.

But I can safely report that the power is prodigious, the steering smooth and confidence inspiring, and the AWD grip impressive in both tight and high-speed bends.

But perhaps the most surprising thing about the Ateca is its ability to feel both planted and agile in dynamic driving situations, with the SUV feeling altogether more stable than the smaller Cupra Leon, and hanging onto the tarmac in corners with more tenacity than the 140kW Cupra Formentor.

On first blush, engagement and enthusiasm are standard fit here, and that's likely no bad thing no matter what your daily commute looks like.

The Cupra Ateca arrives with a swag bag of advanced safety kit – helped, no doubt, by only launching with one top-tier model – as well as the expected stuff like airbags (there are seven), and the traction and braking aids.

Expect active cruise control, AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, side and exit assist systems, front and rear parking sensors and a 360-degree parking camera.

On the road, functions like Lane Assist will help keep you between the lines, Travel Assist provides freeway autonomy, while a fatigue monitor will tell you if you're getting tired behind the wheel.

The Cupra Ateca is yet to be ANCAP crash tested.

The ongoing costs aren’t too shabby on the Stelvio because it comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and you also get five years roadside assistance.

It’s a 24/7 complimentary service that covers a host of items but check out the terms and conditions for more information.

There’s capped priced servicing for five years or up to 75,000km, whichever occurs first.

Services cost an average of $573, which is competitive for the class and servicing intervals are good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

Cupra are trying to minimise the stress here, so the Ateca wears a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, with three years of complementary servicing built into the purchase price, with five-year packs also available to purchase.