Should you buy one?

That depends on what you need from your family SUV. If you just want something that’s affordable and comfortable, you’d probably be better served by the Kia Sportage or Hyundai Tucson. The cheapest Sportage costs less than £30,000, while the most basic Tucson will only set you back £32,000 – and you’re not really sacrificing much other than the driving experience, which I think isn’t all that important in a family SUV anyway.

If you desperately want an SUV that’s fun to drive, your options in the sub-£40,000 bracket include the Ford Kuga, the SEAT Ateca and the Cupra Terramar. The Kuga is arguably a little more engaging than the Terramar, but it has a smaller boot and its interior is looking rather dated – even after Ford has facelifted it. And the Ateca, although good, is positively ancient now. So, the Terramar is probably the best bet for that specific set of requirements.

That’s not to say it’s the best car overall, though. I’d sooner steer you towards the Skoda Kodiaq. The entry-level model costs around £1,000 less than the cheapest Terramar, but it’s more spacious inside for passengers, more comfortable and it has a much bigger boot.

As a tool for hauling around your family and all their belongings, the Kodiaq makes far better sense for the money. It isn’t what you’d call bad to drive, either. It just isn’t ‘sporty’ in the same way.

What we like

The Terramar is something a little different. It has quirky styling, an interesting interior (although not as interesting as the Tavascan’s), a reasonably sporty driving experience and a broad range of engines that includes a pair of PHEVs with long electric ranges. Plus, it has plenty of space in the back and a generous amount of boot space.

What we don’t like

I’m disappointed Cupra didn’t adopt Volkswagen’s excellent menu design for the touchscreen and, despite its efforts, the Terramar isn’t as engaging to drive as a BMW X3 or even a Ford Kuga – and the 265hp model doesn’t feel as fast as Cupra claims. It also isn’t as practical or as comfortable as a Kodiaq, but it costs more money.