We’ve been living with two sporty SUVs, but which one is best? 

Global content director Iain Reid has been living with a Volkswagen Tiguan for a few months now, and it’s the 2.0-litre petrol version with 265hp and four-wheel drive. On paper, this model doesn’t make a huge amount of sense.

Sure, it’s just as fast to 60mph as a Golf GTI, but if you’re looking for a sporty SUV the Tiguan isn’t the first car which springs to mind. Something like a Cupra Terramar would be higher up the list.

Well, wouldn’t you know it, our head of social media Will Davis has been running a Terramar as his daily driver since late 2025, and it has exactly the same engine as Iain’s Tiguan. We got the two cars together to test them back-to-back and find out which is the better buy.

Cupra Terramar vs Volkswagen Tiguan: Which looks the best?

Both of these are handsome-looking cars, but for different reasons. Let’s start with the Volkswagen.

The Tiguan has a classy and refined look to it, but this R Line version does have a few sporty trinkets such as the more aggressive-looking front bumper, black trim around the windows and the 20-inch alloy wheels.

Iain also likes the bright red paintwork on his car. It stands out compared to the dark grey Terramar, but the Cupra does look more aggressive overall.

It’s less restrained than the VW, and Will especially likes the triangular light design and copper accents. You can tell that the Terramar was designed to look aggressive from the start.

Cupra Terramar vs Volkswagen Tiguan: Engines, performance and driving

Both of these cars use the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 265hp and four-wheel drive, and both will do 0-60mph in an impressive 5.9 seconds. Choosing between them is therefore going to come down to how they drive.

Iain has done a fair few road trips in his Tiguan, including a trip from Surrey to Wales and back, and it’s a really comfortable cruiser. With the adaptive suspension in its softest setting it glides over bumps, and on the motorway it’s quiet and refined.

The Tiguan also goes around corners pretty well, with accurate steering and minimal bodyroll, but it’s still not what you’d call fun. It feels safe, secure and comfy.

Will’s Terramar is more agile and fun to drive when the road gets twisty. You get a bit more feedback through the wheel and it corners nice and flat, but the trade-off is that it’s a bit more firm over bumps. It’s not uncomfortable, but it’s not as relaxing as the Tiguan.

Cupra Terramar vs Volkswagen Tiguan: Which is better inside?

The Cupra’s interior looks just as cool as the exterior. Will’s car has dark red leather which is complimented by blue and copper accents, and the swooping centre console makes you feel cocooned.

However, it doesn’t feel quite as premium as the Tiguan. There are a few hard plastics around the place, and Will doesn’t like the fact there’s no felt lining in the door pockets because it means things rattle around.

The Tiguan’s interior feels a bit posher by comparison. The materials feel nicer, and everything is really solid. Iain commented on the ambient lighting as well, which looks really cool across the dashboard.

However, it is a bit more dour in the Volkswagen than it is in the Cupra, and both cars suffer with a lack of buttons inside which makes controlling things like the temperature and fan speed a faff.

Cupra Terramar vs Volkswagen Tiguan: our final verdict

So which of these cars is best? Well it’s not quite as simple as picking a winner.

If you want your family SUV to be comfortable over anything else, and you don’t care about sporty driving characteristics, you should buy the Volkswagen Tiguan with a more sensible engine than ours. You could spec one exactly the same as our car, but with the more economical 150hp petrol or diesel engines, for around £10,000 less than Iain’s.

However, if you actually want something quick and fun to drive, the Terramar is the right choice. The aggressive styling and sharper handling make it better suited to the more powerful engine, and it’s a few thousand pounds cheaper than our Tiguan as well.

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