IT'S one of the fastest hot hatches on the road today and yet few people looking at the brand's copper-coloured symbol on the bonnet will recognise it.

Take a walk around to the tailgate where the large lettering shouts CUPRA at you and you may well still be in doubt.

For the Cupra brand is new. Until recently Cupra was the sporting section of SEAT but now it's being marketed as a standalone brand in the same way that DS became a standalone brand having formally been part of Citroen.

Practical perhaps but a little confusing for the motorist.

What's not confusing, however, is just what a tour-de-force the new Cupra Ateca is.

With a 2.0-litre engine producing 300bhp it‘s not for the faint hearted and is capable of whisking you from rest to 62 miles per hour in just 4.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 152 mph.

If performance is not your forte you can still buy more modest SEAT Ateca models - told you it was confusing - but the Cupra version is the stand alone flagship.

In fact the manufacturer boasts that this Ateca has the highest performance of any SUV other than those of up-market premium brands.

And with its quad exhaust pipes, 19 inch alloy wheels, a distinctive honeycomb grille and muscular stance the Cupra Ateca looks every inch the dynamic package it is.

Step inside and the dynamic theme continues with leather and Alcantara sports seats, a flat bottom multi-function leather steering wheel and aluminium pedals.

In front of the driver the digital cockpit allows you to view exactly what you want via the crystal clear high resolution display and there's a centrally mounted eight-inch touch screen for the satellite navigation as well as numerous on-board functions.

The Cupra comes with keyless entry and push button start and is very well equipped, with features like voice control, a reversing camera showing what‘s immediately behind you as well as a 360 degree view from above and a self parking function.

A dial near the gearshift allows you to select between six driving modes on this four-wheel-drive rocket with a choice of Normal, Sport, Cupra, Individual, Snow and Off-Road.

And while it comes with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox there are also paddles behind the steering wheel for when you want to liven things up even more.

Opt for Sport or Cupra mode and the car shows its full potential with the sort of acceleration that literally throw you back in your seat.

Speed and throttle responses become sharper and the car hangs onto every gear for longer as the rev counter continually heads for the red zone.

At the same time the Dynamic Chassis Control ensures there is a sportier edge to the car's handling.

The ride and road holding are both top notch and the all-wheel-drive system ensures plenty of grip whatever the weather.

The Cupra Ateca is one of those cars which superbly blends all the needs of a family SUV with the benefits GTI driving so you can have fun on the road while still being practical.