The Cupra Terramar consumes surprisingly little fuel

When you get behind the wheel of the Cupra Terramar VZ, a four-and-a-half-meter sporty SUV, you don't expect the approved fuel consumption to be 0.5 liters per 100 kilometers. But confirming that figure was our goal during the 2025 Ecomotion Tour, organized by Ayvens.

Consumption and regularity rallies are two motorsport events that don't stand out among the various disciplines, mainly because they reward "boring" behavior in a world where risk and speed reign. Interestingly, these are the two events the rental company decided to host for this event.

In short, in a regularity competition, the winner is the one who comes closest to a given time on the various sections between two points. This is usually achieved by maintaining a constant speed between them. In a fuel consumption competition, the winner is the one who uses the least fuel.

There were three different categories on the course: electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid. It was in the latter that I participated alongside Álvaro Barrera, the brand's Fleet Sales Manager, at the wheel of the 272-horsepower Cupra Terramar VZ with a Zero label.

Since different vehicles are being compared, the organization must verify fuel consumption between them based on those approved by the brand and taking into account penalty criteria, such as arriving late to the destination. After some calculations, the fuel consumption of the electric and gasoline engines can be standardized to compare them with their competitors.

Although the stakes aren't as high as in other motorsports disciplines, regularity rallies aren't easy. They require a special mindset to maintain a constant speed, anticipate gradients to maintain momentum during downhill runs, and, in the case of hybrids, avoid using the combustion engine as much as possible.

Furthermore, if you're driving a black car in early June, with temperatures of 32 degrees, turning off the air conditioning might save a few tenths of a liter per 100 kilometers, but it might make the journey much harder. Needless to say, we didn't win our category, and how a combined fuel consumption of 0.5 liters per 100 kilometers was approved is a mystery.

The problem with plug-in hybrids is that once their battery is depleted, it becomes a burden on the engine. But the Terramar has a function where, with careful pedal control, the engine can be powered solely by electric power—the battery always has a small amount of power left—and this can replace the thermal energy.

However, you have to be gentle with your foot to prevent it from starting, and on a steep uphill slope, this is practically impossible to avoid. Even so, the Terramar, which was nominated for the 2025 ABC Car of the Year, is a fantastic place to try to lower its factory-approved fuel consumption.