Cupra Formentor review
Distinctive crossover blurs the lines between sports and utility

At a glance |
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New price | £29,880 - £45,855 |
Lease from new | From £320 p/m View lease deals |
Used price | £22,120 - £42,130 |
Used monthly cost | From £552 per month |
Fuel Economy | 31.4 - 235.4 mpg |
Road tax cost | £155 - £520 |
Insurance group | 19 - 33 How much is it to insure? |
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PROS
- Drives well for a tall hatch
- Choice of powerful petrols and frugal hybrids
- Remains practical for passengers and their luggage
CONS
- Firm ride in sportiest Cupra mode, no diesel option
- infotainment system remains tricky to operate
- Is it a little too niche for most buyers?
Cupra Formentor SUV rivals
Is the Cupra Formentor any good?
Cupra is known for fitting high-performance engines and strapping go-faster bodykits onto SEATs, but the firm plans to change all this with the launch of the Formentor – a fashionable crossover model that exclusively wears this badge without a SEAT equivalent.
The Formentor is a family crossover, whose rivals include the Volvo XC40 and Audi Q3 as well as its more sporting sister car the Audi Q3 Sportback. The Cupra is a little longer than its Ateca stablemate but notably the roof sits some 100mm lower. That makes it look like a high-riding estate car, on big wheels (18-inch standard, 19s optional) pushed out to the corners of the vehicle.
It’s a handsome-looking car that trades maximum practicality for a dose of sporting desirability.
Read the Cupra Formentor verdict
What’s it like inside?
The Formentor is certainly a distinctive-looking thing on the outside, but the inside is much more conventional.
The dash looks familiar to anyone who’s been inside the Leon, with the exterior’s use of copper accent colours continued around the cabin. There are a few desirable upgrades over the smaller hatch, such as the larger 12.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and digital dials as standard. Higher spec models also come with buttons for Cupra drive modes and engine start-stop on the steering wheel, which remain an option on the Leon hatch.
Predictably, you sit a little higher than you would in the Leon, but lower than the Ateca, with generous space for rear seat passengers.
Read more about the Cupra Formentor interior
What’s it like to drive?
The Cupra Formentor rides on the oily bits you’ll find in the Golf, which explains why the engine choices mirror those elsewhere in the Volkswagen group. That means a choice of four petrol engines and two plug-in hybrids, which promise an electric range of up to 37 miles on silent e-power.
There’s also the option of all-wheel drive on some variants, but note there are no diesels sold in the UK.
Performance fans may look forward to the recently announced VZ5 model, which packs a mighty 390hp punch from its 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine; it promises to be supercar-fast, with 0-62mph dispatched in just 4.2 seconds, but it will be left-hand drive only when it arrives in the UK in limited numbers in late 2021.
Read more about how the Cupra Formentor drives
What models and trims are available?
The Cupra Formentor range consists of V1, V2, VZ1, VZ2 and VZ3, with the former two reserved for lower-powered engines.
All models come well equipped with keyless entry alloy wheels, interior ambient lighting, LED headlights, sports seats and three-zone climate control.
- Read more: The Parkers guide to SUVs
- Read more: Cupra Leon full details