CUPRA

Formentor

The Formentor is the first stand-alone model from the CUPRA manufacturer. It’s a dynamically-styled coupe-SUV that’s packed with technology and offers great all-round handling. A range of engines and trim levels should cater for all budgets and requirements.

The good

Dynamic styling and great handling

The bad

Lots of hard plastic inside entry-level model

Tech Specs

Price from

£27,395

Combined Fuel up to

44.8mpg

0-62 from

7.1 seconds

max speed up to

137mph

co2 from

143g/km

Test Drive

CUPRA Formentor V1 150PS DSG (2021)

CUPRA – the performance arm of SEAT has launched its first standalone model. It’s called the Formentor and it is guaranteed to grab attention wherever it passes.

There was previously the CUPRA Ateca, but that was more of a rebadging exercise, whereas Formentor is a completely bespoke model for the Spanish manufacturer

It’s an eye-catching, five-door, coupe-styled SUV that gets everything great from SEAT and VW but adds a dramatic, aerodynamic design to the mix with muscular haunches, sharp lines, a distinctive black grille housing the Cupra badge, LED headlights and taillights with dynamic indicators, tinted rear window and 18-inch Performance machined sport black and silver alloy wheels to give the vehicle a very real road presence.

Move inside and it’s a sporty theme throughout with a clutter-free, simplistic layout. The black sports seats are part PVC, part cloth and have neat copper stitching. They also have full adjustment to quickly find the perfect driving position, as does the sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel, which also has lots of copper-coloured trim that contrasts nicely with the copper surrounds on the air vents.

On the infotainment front, there is a 12-inch touchscreen system in the centre of the dashboard that is the main focal point and this is where you access the likes of the wireless Apple CarPlay, navigation system and numerous car settings. In addition, there is a clear 10.25-inch digital cockpit behind the steering wheel that can be personalised to taste.

Our Formentor, in entry-level V1 trim, cost £28,825 (increasing to £29,705 with special metallic paint) and was powered by a punchy 1.5-litre 150PS petrol engine delivering 250Nm of torque, mated to a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox.

It could sprint to 62mph from a standing start in 8.9 seconds, maxes out at 126mph and, according to official figures under WLTP testing, can deliver a combined 39.2-42.2mpg with carbon emissions of 151g/km.

Although the 0-62mph dash isn’t the quickest, the all-round performance package of the Formentor does impress and it’s worth remembering that we were driving the entry-level model, so if extra power and performance are the deciding factors, there are options.

Out on the open country lanes, the Formentor feels balanced and confident into bends with lots of grip and next-to-no sign of body movement. The steering is perfectly weighted too with plenty of driver feedback. The auto gearbox is well timed and there are steering wheel paddles if you fancy some real fun shifting through the gears manually.

The Formentor is well insulated against road surface and engine sounds, but you will hear some wind noise when travelling at faster speeds, but it is a car that cruises at 70mph on motorways with ease.

The suspension system does a great job of ironing out minor bumps and dips along the way and the driver has excellent forwards and sideways vision. However, the dynamic design of the vehicle with its tapering roofline means the rear window is fairly narrow.

The vehicle also gets CUPRA Connect which adds 10-year private emergency call, breakdown call and service scheduling. There is remote access with 12 months driving data, parking position, remote lock and unlock, anti-theft and speed alert, along with a 12-month map update with online traffic information, parking updates and petrol station locations.

Comfort levels within the car are high and there is ample room for a couple of adults in the back, provided the front seats are not pushed too far back. And storage options impress too with a boot that can swallow 450 litres of luggage – a limit that increases with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. Elsewhere there are deep door bins, a glovebox, front seatback pockets, front and rear cup holders, a cubby box and some trays.

The CUPRA Formentor scores highly when it comes to safety and was awarded the maximum five stars when was tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating with a 93 per cent score for adult occupant safety. Standard equipment includes forward collision warning with automatic braking, high beam assist, dynamic road sign display, lane keep assist, tyre pressure monitoring, dynamic traction support, along with a full suite of airbags.

All in all, CUPRA may be another brand under the VW umbrella, but it has proven its own individuality with the arrival of the Formentor. And with prices and models to suit all budgets and requirements, it is definitely one to watch in the ever-evolving coupe-SUV market.

Visit CUPRA for more details.