At long last, I’ve driven a Cupra that makes sense. To me, at least. The Formentor was Cupra’s first stand-alone model, not shared with Seat, from which the Cupra brand sprang having once been Seat’s high-performance model badge (Cupra was to Seat as R is to VW).
Launched in 2020, the Formentor shared its structure and engines with plenty of other VW Group metal. The MQB chassis underneath is also the basis of a Golf and a Skoda Kodiaq and everything (everything that’s not electric-only) in between. It was, and is, a sort of low-slung SUV, with a bit of extra ride height but without the overly bulky body.
For 2025, Cupra has updated the Formentor, and the first thing it has changed is the styling at the front - the last thing it should have changed. The original Formentor had a very handsome combo of shield-like grille and slim, almond-shaped lights. The new one has a blunt visage, with a slit for an air intake and slim lights, which looks a little lizard-like but not as good as the original. Shame.
The updates inside have been rather more successful. The new 12.9-inch touchscreen is, as with so many such systems, far too big and far too fiddly and far too distracting (using your phone behind the wheel is a crime, but stabbing at one of these is okay, somehow?) but at least it’s easier than before. Overall cabin quality is good, and the front high-backed bucket seats are excellently supportive and squishy at the same time.
Space in the back isn’t so good, but if that’s the trade-off for having a lower, less chunky body, I’ll buy it. This being the plug-in hybrid model, you do lose some boot space, reducing the volume to a mere 345 litres, which is pretty stingy, but the Formentor just about gets away with it. It’s hard to believe that a smaller Toyota Yaris Cross has a much bigger boot, though.
Moving back to the front, the Formentor gets a cool-looking steering wheel that has, in the spirit of an AMG Mercedes, or a Porsche 911, or even an Alfa Romeo Giulia, a pair of round buttons dangling off the horizontal spokes. One is the engine stop-start button, which adds some much needed sports-car theatre to getting into the Formentor and firing it up, while the other simply wears Cupra’s two-pronged badge, and adjusts the driving modes. This, as we shall see, becomes crucial.
As mentioned, this is the plug-in hybrid version of the Formentor, and if you’re sensitive to the cost of motor tax, or if you’re a company car buyer, it’s the only Formentor that makes sense thanks to its tiny 10g/km CO2 emissions figure. That’s thanks to a large 20kWh battery, which in theory gives the Formentor an electric range on a full charge of 118km. Combined with the 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, you’ve got 272hp and 400Nm of combined torque to play with – which are at least within shouting distance of the top-spec 333hp four-wheel drive Formentor, and which are a big improvement on the old 50km-EV-ranged Formentor plug-in.
Speaking of plugging in, this Formentor is one of a new breed of plug-in hybrids – an increasingly popular breed in Ireland, with sales up significantly so far this year – which can fast-charge at up to 50kW from a public DC charger. This is not only a boon to people such as myself, who can’t charge at home, but it also means you can stretch your electric range and improve your fuel economy on long journeys. You’ll also have every Nissan Leaf driver in a 100km radius reaching for the pitchfork and torches, but hey – public infrastructure is public infrastructure and it’s there to be used.
However, things aren’t quite as rosy as that makes it seem. For a start, on a full charge, we struggled to break 80km of electric range, which is certainly useful, but not quite as good as you’d hope. Any hopes that the bigger battery and more flexible EV system might also translate into better long-range fuel economy were quickly dashed – in spite of its compact nature, the Formentor struggles to do much better than 8.0-litres per 100km on a motorway run, which is pretty poor.
However, as I said at the top, this is the Cupra that makes the most sense for me, because I think I’ve finally cracked the code of its appeal. For a start, you’ve got to stop thinking of it as a posh Seat. For a second, you’ve got to press that Cupra badge button on the steering wheel, and call up the car’s sportiest driving mode.
Now, thanks to the miracle of synthesised engine noise, the 1.5 shifts from humming to growling, the throttle response sharpens, the adaptive suspension (part of a €1,134 option pack that also includes Matrix LED headlights) stiffens and the Formentor goes from being a touch pointless to being good fun to drive. It’s quick – the 7.2 second 0-100km/h time feels, initially, pessimistic as the Formentor leaps forward on its electric torque, but that puff does run out quite quickly if you find a stretch of road where it’s safe and legal to keep your foot down hard for long enough to reach 100km/h in one go.
It’s also mostly sure-footed, although it’s not perfect in the dynamic department. Electric torque means it’s alarmingly easy to spin up the front wheels on a less than dry road (four-wheel drive would be a welcome option) while the long-travel suspension can become a little springy and bouncy when pressed too hard.
However, it’s precisely that long-travel suspension that’s the key to the Formentor’s appeal. With that performance and that ride height, I finally twigged what it’s trying to be – it’s not a Seat with attitude, it’s an affordable alternative to a Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato, or a Porsche 911 Dakar. No, seriously – stumpy performance, sweet steering, a sense of fun and adventure, and the ground clearance so you don’t worry about snagging expensive bodywork on the odd stalagmite.
That said, the word “affordable” is debatable. The Formentor range kicks off at a not-outrageous €39,885, but in basic form this plug-in hybrid version would cost you a robust €59,135. Wait for it, though, because someone has added €10,000 worth of optional extras to this one, bringing the price tag to an eye-watering €69,698. That’s a price so painful that it will leave a welt on your wallet.
However, you can strip out some of the less useful bits. I could live without the matt-brown “Century Bronze” paint (€2,626), the panoramic glass roof (€1,287), and the upgraded 19-inch alloys (€1,641 – just stick with the standard 19-inch items). I’d keep the excellent Sennheiser stereo (a bargain at €704) and the adaptive suspension (€1,134) but it’s a bit much, in these safety-conscious days that Cupra wants an extra €2,017 for the upgraded safety systems package.
Excise the unnecessary from that list and you’re still left with a car that’s way too expensive. Then again, a Porsche 911 Dakar is still more than four times the price. The good news is that not only is the Formentor fun to drive, it’s also a Cupra that doesn’t give you brain-ache in trying to work out what it’s supposed to be.
Lowdown: Cupra Formentor VZ 1.5 TSI e-Hybrid
Power: 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 85kW motor and 20kWh lithium-ion battery producing 272hp and 400Nm of torque and powering the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
CO2 emissions (annual motor tax): 10g/km (€140)
Fuel consumption: 0.4l/100km (WLTP)
0-100km/h: 7.2 secs
Price: €69,698 as tested; Formentor starts from €39,135
Our rating: 3/5
Verdict: Fun, rugged, and kinda cool but searingly expensive and the old version was better looking.
