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What's the difference?
Meet the new Cupra Ateca. Actually, scratch that. Meet the new Cupra, the VW Group's Spanish performance brand that will be launching in Australia around the middle of this year.
Picture a pyramid, and then put VW at the top of it. Bottom left you've got Skoda, a brand that prides itself on practicality and clever features. Bottom right you've got Cupra, which promises to be the fun, sporty and energetic cousin, and to focus on performance, electrified or otherwise. But both are fed from Volkswagen.
Make sense?
The Ateca, then, is a nearly Tiguan-sized SUV that will launch in one hi-po trim level, and a significantly lower starting price than its better-known, R-badged relative.
It also promises to marry family duties with a fun-to-drive attitude. So how does it measure up?
It’s a brave new world, AMG’s V8s are on the way out, and models like the C63 and GLC63 are going plug-in hybrid with a four-cylinder turbo engine.
But this, the Mercedes-AMG GLC43 SUV and its SUV Coupe sibling, are also powered by turbocharged four-cylinder engines, the same as the brutally capable AMG A45S hot hatch, no less.
In the A45, it’s highly regarded, but what about in the GLC where the options used to be six or eight cylinders? Is it going to be enough?
The GLC43 is an important variant for AMG, so we attended the Australian launch to find out.
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.
The GLC43 will inevitably remain one of AMG's more popular models, given Australian apetites for performance cars and the popularity of the mid-size SUV segment.
While the GLC doesn’t move the game forward massively aside from its new engine - which is a huge plus for the SUV - BMW has a new generation of X3 on the way, which will undoubtedly feature a performance variant.
And keen drivers should keep in mind that Porsche’s impressive Macan SUV is available in sharp-driving variants like the GTS for not much more, or even an S for notably less. And chances are, they’ll be more satisfied on a winding or twisty road. However stock of the ICE Macan will run out soon.
But the AMG offers a balance between convenience, comfort, and performance that will suit plenty of customers, rather than excelling in one particular area.
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 AMG GLC43, as you’d expect, has a few immediate give-aways that it’s no regular GLC300.
The vertical grille slats, the lower part of the apron featuring covered-up intake-style designs, and a different set of 20-inch AMG wheels are the easiest things to spot.
But the aforementioned Night pack, which adds black trim to the performance SUV, as well as the quad-exit exhaust tips instead of dual-exit on the GLC300 might be the most quantifiable way to explain the differences to the uninitiated.
In terms of dimensions, the GLC43 is now 67mm longer for the SUV, or 43mm longer in Coupe form. Both have an 11mm wider wheel track, and a 15mm longer wheelbase.
Inside, it’s quite similar to the 300, save for the AMG steering wheel and elements like the contrast stitching in the leather upholstery.
While other - especially more luxury-focused - Mercedes models have moved to a new interior design language with features like the Superscreen or Hyperscreen spanning the dash, the GLC’s interior still looks and feels suitably premium, and hasn’t dated much since being introduced.
The same can be said for its exterior, following relatively small changes over the still good-looking previous generation.
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.
The GLC’s interior feels more spacious than in its predecessor, and its ergonomics have been improved a little with the removal of elements like the touchpad control for the multimedia.
The software itself is quite easy to use on the touchscreen itself, removing the need for a physical control, and it’s rather customisable.
Users are able to even adjust what order the drive modes appear in, and change what the two AMG Dynamic Select control dials on the steering wheel display or change.
The wheel itself is comfortable to hold, but its two-tier rows of controls and the lack of distinct physical buttons is a downside.
There is however plenty of storage, the central cubby and glovebox have space for all your assorted bits and pieces, and the door cards are able to accommodate even the biggest of bottles.
In terms of seats and comfort, the GLC’s cabin doesn’t feel cramped at all, with the seat itself supportive and adjustable to an impressive extent.
Space in the second row is comfortable rather than massively generous, but feels more spacious thanks to plenty of light via the sunroof.
The Coupe’s rear seat also does a decent job of accommodating average-heighted adults.
Behind that, 620L of boot space in the SUV and 545L in the Coupe are 40 and 45 litres more than the previous models, respectively.
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.
Kicking off from $136,400 before on-roads for the SUV or $146,900 for the SUV Coupe, the AMG GLC’s pricing puts it roughly against the likes of the BMW X3 M40i or the Porsche Macan GTS, formidable rivals for sure.
To bring more than just its AMG bite and bark, the GLC43 comes with a reasonable list of kit, mostly borrowed from the GLC300 - the original launch variant of the mid-size Mercedes SUV.
That means it comes with a reasonable list of features like an 11.9-inch multimedia touchscreen with the brand’s MBUX software, a head-up display over the 12.3-inch driver display, a large sunroof, wireless phone charging, heated electrically adjustable front seats, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a Burmester 3D sound system.
In terms of design and materials the GLC43 features a leather interior upholstery with an AMG Performance steering wheel in Nappa leather, but it’s mostly the exterior where the design departs from the GLC300.
An AMG exterior styling pack and the Night Package are both standard - for the first time on the SUV in Australia - and mean black trim highlights, a set of 20-inch AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels and the Urban Guard Vehicle Protection Plus package are standard.
The optional $6900 Performance Ergonomic Pack adds AMG Performance front seats, which hold front occupants in place a little more snugly, and add a Nappa leather/Microcut microfibre wrap to the steering wheel.
Aside from the different body style, the main difference between the wagon SUV and Coupe is that the aluminium roof rails are absent for the latter.
Another first for the GLC is the inclusion of rear-wheel steering, which enables the rear wheels to turn 4.5 degrees opposite to the fronts at low speeds for extra manoeuvrability, or 0.7 degrees in the same direction when travelling above 100km/h for extra stability - I’ll come back to this later.
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.
This is where the AMG version of the GLC really outshines the ‘standard’ GLC300, and starts to justify the extra ask over its $103,370 sticker price.
Like the GLC300, the AMG GLC43 has a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission sending drive to all four wheels.
But unlike the 300, the AMG GLC43 borrows its engine from the likes of the AMG A45S, the M139 engine which puts out 310kW and 500Nm thanks to some seriously impressive engineering - and a lot of turbo pressure.
AMG’s one builder, one engine policy (they call it “One Man, One Engine”) means each engine in a GLC43 has been built by a sole expert engineer who has been certified to a high degree.
A 48-volt ‘mild-hybrid’ system is also present in the GLC43, which helps keep the turbocharger spinning (at up to 175,000rpm) to be more responsive, eliminating turbo lag.
The nine-speed auto is also slightly higher-tech than the GLC300’s, a wet start-off clutch replaces the traditional torque converter, which AMG says is lighter and more responsive - also featuring a double de-clutch function for faster shifts.
The AMG Performance version of the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system permanently diverts power to all four wheels with a 31 to 69 per cent front-rear distribution.
Mercedes-AMG claims the GLC43 is able to hit 100km/h from stand-still in just 4.8 seconds.
For reference, the old GLC43 (with a turbocharged inline six) made 287kW/520Nm and was a 4.9sec to 100km/h car.
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.
Mercedes-Benz says the AMG GLC43 consumes 9.7 litres for every 100km travelled in an SUV, or 9.9L/100km in the Coupe version, We were unable to properly test both of these figures on the launch.
Both have the same 62-litre fuel tank, and require premium RON 98 fuel.
CO2 emissions are rated at 219g/km for the SUV and 223g/km for the Coupe.
On test, after an hour of driving the GLC43 quite dynamically, the fuel consumption displayed on the trip computer sat around 15L/100km, so regular driving is sure to return a figure closer to Mercedes’ claim.
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.
A long drive loop that consisted of limited sections of tight twisty roads meant getting to know the GLC in an intimately dynamic sense proved tricky, but what stands out about the mid-size SUV from Affalterbach is how much its ability in cornering belies its size.
The rear-wheel steering makes a big difference for the otherwise sizeable SUV, and even though the it weighs 1976kg (53kg more than before; the Coupe is 94kg heavier than before at 1998kg), the 4MATIC all-wheel drive keeps the GLC’s purchase on the road in check.
Suspension is relatively stiff for a family SUV even in Comfort, though adjustable, as one of the many aspects able to be customised through the multimedia screen menu or even steering wheel dials.
Steering itself can be adjusted, though is probably fine to leave in Comfort depending on personal preference.
But the hero of this - and any - AMG is the engine, and the M139 works surprisingly well in the big GLC.
Where it turns the A-Class hatchback into a proper supercar fighter, it makes the GLC a relatively muscular yet responsive family hauler.
The 310kW and 500Nm outputs are probably the sweet spot in terms of the GLC43 not feeling like there’s too much for anyone to handle, while still being quick enough to keep a keen driver happy.
On calmer roads, highways and gentle winding country roads, the GLC is comfortable enough with everything set up in the appropriate drive mode, though don’t expect to feel immensely refreshed after hours behind the wheel - it’s still set up for relatively dynamic driving.
Noise and road surface imperfections make their way into the cabin to some extent, though it’s not egregious, while one of the cars on test had a small creaking sound present in the dash, set off by road bumps and corners.
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.
It has 10 airbags, plus a fairly standard (for its class) suite of safety tech including active features like pedestrian warnings, active lane-keep assist, driver attention reminders, parking sensors and cameras for surround-view monitoring, and collision warnings and mitigation.
Of course, the standard features like ABS, stability control, brake assist, auto emergency braking and lane departure warning all feature.
The rear seats feature ISOFIX and a 40/20/60 split fold.
The current GLC has been awarded five stars by ANCAP and scored well in both adult and child occupant protection.
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.
Mercedes-Benz Australia’s warranty is a relatively standard five-year/unlimited kilometre offering, level with rivals like BMW.
Servicing intervals are every 25,000km or 12 months, whichever comes first.
Mercedes’ servicing costs can be covered in packs and for the first three services of a GLC43 SUV it will cost $3445, four for $4552 or five for $6935. These prices are as listed in December 2023, and are subject to change.