Verdict There may be a lot of factors we don’t know yet, chief among them being price. One thing is for sure, though, the Terramar looks to be an intriguing and anything but dull mid-size SUV alternative for up-sizers or family buyers who love to drive. While it might not be one of the more affordable options, it certainly makes the argument for a semi-premium alternative. Seems like Cupra’s last combustion car is certainly one worth waiting for. Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided. Verdict Weird, wild, unnecessary, arguably horrific to look at, or at least challenging, too fast, too silly, the Cybertruck is many things, but all of the bad things are obvious from a distance while you only realise just how impressive, clever and intense it is once you take it for a drive. The drive-by-wire steering alone is a revolutionary bit of tech that will surely bleed into the wider world. Overall I thought I would hate it, but I walked away, head still shaking, with grudging respect approaching admiration for the Tesla Cybertruck. Design The Terramar looks sharp. In the metal it’s clear this is a departure from its platform-mates, the Tiguan and Skoda Kodiaq. In fact, with its rounded nose, sleek light fittings, and light-bar emblazoned and spoiler-fitted rear, the Terramar is looking, if anything, a bit Porsche in its silhouette. Up front, the aggressive grille design is in part meant to evoke the fangs of a big cat, while down the side the ‘wave’ line in the bodywork of the doors is meant to not only look sporty but bring a unique highlight to the Terramar’s side profile. Around the rear, the roofline culminates in a tidy spoiler piece, while the big rear diffuser references quad exhausts at the edges without actually featuring them. The brand is also moving away from the standard gloss colour gamut, and onto something a bit unusual leading the charge with matt colour options and aggressive blacked-out wheel designs. I, for one, love it. In a segment with so many derivative designs, the Terramar wears overt aggression, but at the same time measures it with an air of finesse and confidence. A design like this is hard to come by. Inside, expect the usual Cupra highlights, and by that I mean expect the unexpected. Like its Formentor and Tavascan siblings, the Terramar’s interior is full of unusual textures, colours and materials. Aside from the tidy steering wheel the brand has moved away from leathers, replacing soft-touch surfaces with a kind of Neoprene. It feels good and avoids feeling nasty through clever use of texture and colour. The usual Volkswagen Group switchgear is here, new-generation big screens, with thankfully refreshed software which is both faster and easier to navigate than before. The digital dash elements, as usual, are the best on the market both in terms of design and customisation. Even the seats have interesting shapes in a bucket-like design clad in a mix of neoprene and recycled ‘Seaqual’ fibres. Across the dash you can see highlight pieces not in chrome or gloss but in a kind of matt silver with a three-dimensional lizard-scale look. Perhaps the best part of all of this is how evident it is that clear design thought has been given to every single piece of this car. It’s the opposite of the (supposedly) grand old days, where sticking another badge on a Tiguan would have done, and we’re all better for designs like this being in the market. Design Is there anything interesting about a Narwhal, or a rhinoceros? It’s hard to know whether to give the Tesla Cybertruck 10 out of 10 for how interesting its design is, or zero for how offensive it is, but it would certainly get a solid 20 out of 10 for uniqueness. Sure, in pictures it looks pretty out there, but when you stand before it in all its shiny steel it makes you laugh out loud, to the point where it has taken your breath away. And then you start to notice all the fingerprints on it. Every time you - or any of its many admirers - touches it, you get nasty, oily stains and keeping it clean would make looking after a car painted in a matte finish look as easy as sleeping. So, stainless steel as a choice for constructing a car? Perhaps there’s a reason no one else has ever followed the DeLorean’s lead here, but there’s no denying it grabs your eye, and provides a certain solidity to the whole structure. Much like a Frank Gehry building, you’re either going to love the Cybertruck and think it a work of modern art, or dismiss it as a childish man’s fantasy made real (essentially that was the design brief for this vehicle, “make Elon a toy”, and it has nailed that brief), but either way you’ll definitely have strong feelings about it. A car, or even a pick-up truck, with no round surfaces, nor subtlety of any kind, can’t really be described as beautiful in any way. But interesting? Definitely. Practicality Up front the presence of big blocky seats, easy-access touchscreens, and a bit more space available on this 'MQB Evo' platform adds up for a solid practicality offering for those in the front seats. Storage comes courtesy of big bottle holders in the doors, two more with variable edges in the centre console with a small tray next to it good for keys or wallets, a wireless phone charging bay in front and an armrest console box behind. It doesn’t have the insane modularity of its Skoda Kodiaq cousin, but the intent of the Terramar is to be much more driver-focused and it feels it. Similarly, the back seat doesn’t feel as lavish as it does in many rivals. It’s still sufficient, at least in the outboard positions, for an adult my size. At 182cm tall, I have a bit of airspace for my knees and plenty of arm-flailing room with soft-touch materials in the doors, but the bucket seats up front and dark headliner trim close in the space compared to other cars on this platform. This second row is also on rails, but moving it forward even a little bit will eat significantly into the space you have. Amenity-wise there are pockets on the back of each front seat, bottle holders in each door, adjustable air vents on the back of the centre console with a third climate zone back there, as well as dual USB-C outlets for powering devices. The armrest console offers two more cupholders. Expect a pretty solid boot space, internationally measured at 508 litres which would position it up there in terms of mid-size SUVs despite its more coupe-style roof when compared with its contemporaries. Practicality While the front and rear seats feel plenty spacious, that odd peaked baseball cap roof is a bit challenging in terms of headroom, and I smashed my noggin into it a few times trying to reach into the back seat for more Oreos and Mountain Dew. You can pop up the bench seat in the back to create even more space for storage, or to provide a flat floor to sleep on. You can also lie an American sized pizza box on the vast swathe of dash between you and the wildly angled windscreen, there’s plenty more storage on the floor between you and the passenger and then more storage bins at your hip, as well. A wireless phone charger sits twinned with the spot where you park your Tesla card key. It’s a practical, semi-rugged feeling space, but with the usual kind of Tesla less is more feeling, except when it comes to the screen, which is stupidly large and requires far too much input when you’re driving to be safe. And there’s still no speedometer where you need one, in front of your eyes, and no head-up display, despite Tesla’s love of other jet-fighter tech, like drive-by-wire steering. Price and features Sorry, we don’t have local pricing and specs. We don’t even know what variants it will be sold in. What we can tell you is this won’t be your grandma’s Tiguan. The Terramar is set to sell its Cupra credentials, arriving in Australia with at least the 195kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged engine which also powers the Volkswagen Golf GTI. The Australian division is also hoping it will be able to get at least one variant into this market “starting with a five” (the late $50,000 region) although it is unclear whether that will be for a punchy version or a potentially-planned entry-level 1.5-litre MHEV number. From there it’s safe to assume that it will reach well into the mid-$60K region for the 195TSI version we tested for this review, and beyond especially for the plug-in hybrid version, which the local division is also keen to get its hands on. Regardless, you can expect standard kit like LED headlights, big alloy wheels, some variation of the Volkswagen Group central touchscreen (the car we drove had a 12.9-inch unit similar to new Skoda and VW products), and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. Expect wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, built-in navigation and wireless charging. The car we drove also had Cupra’s signature blend of non-leather and sustainable material choices to clad the seats and soft-touch surfaces. The front seats had power adjust in the high-spec pre-production example we drove, while the rear row is on rails, allowing you to maximise either boot space or rear passenger space. Rivals? Well this is the interesting part, in this semi-premium part of the market there aren’t many, at least not directly. In fact, the closest rival when the Terramar arrives will be its Volkswagen Tiguan platform mate, as entry-level Terramars will be priced similarly to very high-grade versions of mainstream options like the Nissan X-Trail, Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. Those in a similar semi-premium price-bracket include the Mazda CX-60 or Peugeot 3008/408, while you can even get into some appealing premium options like the Lexus NX in the early-$60K bracket, a part of the market also complicated by some very good EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Tune back in closer to the Terramar’s Australian launch window, which we understand is late 2025, for all the local details when it comes to pricing and specification. Price and features How does one define value when it comes to the vehicular equivalent of a cockroach, one that seems capable of surviving the apocalypse with it indestructible (but possibly slightly rusty in appearance) stainless-steel exterior, HEPA filters (will protect you from pollution, pollen and “industrial fallout”) and (almost, kind of) bowling-ball proof super-strong windows (it can allegedly survive the impact of a baseball at 112km/h - handy if someone is trying to kill you with a baseball)? And what price can you put on the kind of attention driving a Cybertruck gets you? Perhaps only a Bugatti or a Pagani could match the level of wide-eyed, slack-jawed excitement you see from other people when you drive this thing around. Then there’s the fact that it accelerates like an actual rocket, is allegedly so cosseted in the cabin that it’s “as quiet as outer space” (this is a comparison test I am up for, if Elon’s Space X would like to arrange it), and can tow “an average African elephant”, or 4,990kg, and has a 1134kg capacity in that vast rear tray, covered by a standard, automatic tonneau cover that’s so tough you can stand on it. In that rear tray you’ll find a bottle opener, and some storage tubs with drainage holes to keep your beer cold or your fish frozen. You could sleep in there, on the composite bed, which is tough you don’t need a liner, but why would you when you can sleep in the truck - the dash is so large you could comfortably lie under the windscreen to sun yourself - using 'Sleep Mode', which runs the air con all night from its giant battery to keep it at your set temperature. Speaking of your battery, you can also charge things with it using the integrated power outlets, and that includes the ability to charge another Tesla, or to re-zap your Tesla Powerwall at home and run your house during a blackout. Or the Apocalypse. Tesla has put a price on all this, of course, and in America it ranges from US$81,895 to US$101,985. Frankly, that seems like quite good value when you add it all up, or at least it would if the Cybertruck really could tow five tonnes further than the end of the street, and if range - surely something of an issue for an outdoorsy vehicle like this - really could be guaranteed at 547km. If and when it gets to Australia, of course, its value will need to be reassessed on what is sure to be a much, much larger number. Under the bonnet Two powertrains have been revealed for the Terramar, including a 2.0-litre four-cylinder (195TSI) all-wheel drive version, which produces 195kW/400Nm, as well as a 1.5-litre four-cylinder plug-in hybrid which can put down a combined 200kW/400Nm. Both have been confirmed for Australia, although we understand a 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid (MHEV) version is also likely for production, producing 110kW/250Nm driving the front wheels alone. Check back closer to the Terramar’s Australian arrival - scheduled for late 2025 - for local powertrain details. For the purposes of this review, the pre-production version we drove was a 2.0-litre, 195kW, all-wheel drive version. Under the bonnet Yes, I’m giving it 10. Because how could you want for more than a torque figure of 13959Nm, and a Ferrari-humbling 630kW of power to boot? The Cybertruck is the perfect example of Elon Musk’s approach to what we’ll call science, or Twitter, or X. If it can be done, just do it, don’t ask whether it’s a good idea, or batshit insane. So because he could fit a vast 123kWh battery and two crazy powerful motors to this pick up monster, and that could provide enough grunt to send three tonnes of mass to 100km/h in 2.8 seconds, they did. Is it wise? Probably not. Is it wild and almost, somehow, strangely admirable? Yep. Efficiency The 195TSI version tested here has a combined fuel consumption number of 8.8L/100km in its international spec sheet and it requires mid-shelf 95RON unleaded fuel. If that’s a bit high for you, the plug-in hybrid version uses a new-generation PHEV set-up from VW Group, with claimed fuel consumption as low as 0.5L/100km. It's equipped with a relatively large 25kWh battery pack allowing a WLTP-certified driving range of 112km in electric-only mode. It is capable of charging up on an AC unit at a rate of 11kW for a charge time of 2.5 hours, while on a fast DC charger (rare for a PHEV) it can top up in just 26 minutes. Efficiency Tesla claims a range of 547km between charges and that even when towing something of “reasonable size” (a smaller Tesla perhaps) it will still get 400km. I, for one, very much doubt that. Tesla also claims you can recover up to 235km of range with just 15 minutes of Tesla Supercharging, while a charge from 10 to 80 per cent on that same Supercharger would take 44 minutes. On a 110V American plug it would take 110 hours, or 4.5 days, to fully charge from zero to 100 per cent. Driving The eyebrow-raising factor about Cupra building a mid-size SUV is that it seems to be the antithesis of the brand’s aggressive and sporty philosophy. Sure, it gets away with the Formentor, but only because the crossover proved to be quite distinct from something like its VW T-Roc platform-mate. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised to find the brand has done it again. As soon as you sit in the Terramar it’s clear this SUV isn’t your average family hauler. The bucket-style seats immediately hug you, the dash is set nice and low giving you a clear view of the road ahead, and the steering wheel, which the Terramar shares with every other Cupra model, feels suddenly smaller, but just-right under hand. As soon as you set off, things improve. The 195TSI engine is a belter, and works very nicely with the dual-clutch auto to provide a solid basis for hard acceleration. While DCT transmissions in the past have been notable for laggy engagement, this latest version (common to other new VW Group products, like the incoming third-generation Tiguan) has been smoothed out, making it feel almost like a traditional automatic from a standstill. The steering is superb. Not only does the wheel feel ergonomic under hand, but the steering itself is ultra-sharp, making even an SUV this size respond with a feline reactivity. Wide (255 aspect) tyres reinforce the Terramar’s confidence in the corners, and accelerating out is met by the dual-clutch allowing you to properly ride out the gears, paired with an agreeable engine note. Standard adaptive dampers feature, giving the Terramar more of a sophisticated feel of the road than many of its platform-mates, although with large wheels and a sportier Cupra-specific damper set, there is a concern that it may ride hard on Australian roads. On the quality European tarmac we tested it on, however, it was comfortable enough. Sound insulation in the cabin seemed up to the task as well, with the Terramar providing a nice ambiance for countryside driving thanks to low levels of tyre roar and wind noise. Factors against it? The rear window aperture is a bit small making visibility directly rearward a bit limited, and the lack of physical control dials for core climate and multimedia functions can be distracting when you’re trying to alter them on-the-go. Other than these small detractors, though, the Terramar is an impressive mid-size SUV. It’s comfortable and quiet, but has attitude in spades and attacks the road with a certain level of confidence well outside the realm of most family haulers in this size-bracket. It might not be the most affordable option in this category when it arrives, but a keen driver whose budget doesn’t quite stretch to a Porsche Macan will appreciate what the Terramar has to offer. Driving It’s fair to say the Tesla Cybertruck is an intimidating prospect in the metal. It towers over you and seems to stretch into forever, because it does, at 5.68m long (too long to fit in a standard Australian parking space). It’s also a full 2.0m wide, 1.8m tall and weighs 3.1 tonnes, but along with its size comes the fact that it just doesn’t look… right. There’s not a round surface on it but there are plenty you could cut yourself with, or lose a finger in. It’s no less weird inside, as the giant A-pillars, vast dash, crazy yoke steering device and graphically lovely screen confront you, making it feel like you might be on the Starship Troopers ride at Universal Studios rather than in an LA car park. Then, while you’re getting used to this and having a good laugh at the Easter egg on the touch screen (smash the windows on the graphic of the car with your finger and you hear the sound of Elon freaking out at the infamous failure demonstration of its unbreakable glass), you’re warned that it is going to be almost as weird to drive as it looks. This is, in part, due to the Cybertruck’s unique drive-by-wire steering - a technology previously popular only with jet fighters and other planes - which allows it to have a yoke instead of a steering wheel without being annoying, because your hands will never cross over and be left grasping air. Yes, the Infiniti Q50 debuted with 'steer-by-wire' a decade ago, but featured a full mechanical system as a fail-safe back-up. No mechanical safety net here. The Cybertruck has less than one full turn lock-to-lock, and it has not just passive but aggressive rear wheel steering, allowing the back wheels to turn the opposite direction to the front ones at parking speeds, quite radically, which, once you’re used to it, makes it much easier to park than seems possible. It also makes this Tesla incredibly sharp and direct and means that, for the first few minutes of driving it you will turn the wheel, sorry, yoke, far more than necessary. Once you get used to it, however, it is fabulous, as long as you don’t think about what would happen if the software that’s the only thing connecting you to the wheels - rather than actual moving parts - failed. The steering makes the Cybertruck shrink around you to the point where you forget, at times, just how big it is. Combined with the low centre of gravity and the bank vault solidity of the chassis, it also makes it turn-in and handle like a much smaller sports car (and it has a turning circle that defies belief, one that’s sharper than some sedans). Speaking of sports cars, most of them won’t keep up with the Cybertruck if there’s someone brave in its driving seat. Indeed, you’d need a proper hypercar to match its constant, surging torque (no, I don’t believe it can really have 13,000-plus Newtons, but it’s a lot), and its purely outrageous, surging speed. Tesla has a habit of calculating torque at the wheels, not the motor(s) and gearing reductions increase torque markedly. Yes, I do believe it would do 0 to 100km/h in three seconds, maybe slightly less, but I’m also equally sure it’s not a great idea to try (I'm also very grateful I didn't experience the problems with the throttle sticking open on some examples that recently saw every Cybertruck recalled). The problem is that 3.0-tonne weight figure, and all that mass. It feels beyond weird to move something this big, that fast, and it quickly makes you pause for a chilling thought about whether it’s all going to be able to stop again. It does, or it did for me, but boy, it puts the wind up you every time you try. Overall, though, it’s hard to overstate just how surprisingly good, and yes, at times even fun, the Cybertruck is to drive. Oh, and for the trainspotters out there, claimed efficiency is 22.4kWh per 100km, but we actually saw 27kWh during our two days of test drives. Our second Cybertruck was also making some distinctly weird metallic clanking noises from underneath, particularly when we switched between forward and reverse. It might be worth waiting for the second generation of this thing before buying one, but that won’t be an issue for Australian fans, anyway. As far as its off-road abilities, we managed to find a bit of beach in a car park and pointed the Cybertruck at it. After an initial fearful moment of being sure we were going to sink, we just put the foot down and let all that torque power us out of trouble. It felt effortless. Safety Don’t expect the Terramar to fall short on the safety front with active standard items including freeway-speed auto emergency braking, lane keep assist with departure warning, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and exit assist, as well as adaptive cruise control, traffic sign assist and more. It also scores the standard array of six airbags with an additional centre (interaction) airbag, however the Terramar is yet to be rated by Euro NCAP or ANCAP so check back closer to its local arrival to see how it performs. Safety Some unkind experts have referred to the Cybertruck as a “death machine” and a “guideless missile”, pointing out that putting a stainless steel body on top of a big old battery is inherently problematic. As is the lack of crumple zones. Making all this very pointy metal move as fast as a McLaren supercar has also raised some questions about sanity. Then there was the recent recall of every Cybertruck built so far: "Cybertruck owners reported that their vehicles were at risk of getting stuck driving at full speed due to a loose accelerator pedal. Video showed the pedal itself falling off and the piece beneath wedging itself into the car’s interior, which would force the vehicle into maximum acceleration. One driver was able to save himself from a crash by holding down the brake pedal." Elon Musk, has claimed, however, that the Cybertruck, is “much safer per mile” than its competitors. Australia has different pedestrian safety regulations to the US and while some have posited that the Cybertruck will pass, pointing to the fact that you can buy an even bigger Ram truck here, others are not so sure. The Tesla Cybertruck does have six airbags, and a suite of active safety features as part of its 'Autopilot' system, but it does not yet have 'Full Self Driving'. Interested in a Cupra Terramar? Insurance Quote