• Plug-in hybrid offers best fuel economy
• 310hp petrol is thirsty but entertaining
• No diesel options for UK buyers

What are the running costs?

UK Cupra Formentor buyers can choose from four petrol engines and two plug-in hybrid powertrains. The cheapest non-electrically assisted engine is a 150hp 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit, which Cupra says will return 41.5 and 44.8mpg on the WLTP cycle, with CO2 emissions as low as 143g/km.

If you opt for the manual, your Benefit-in-Kind tax rating will sit at 32%. However, this figure climbs by two percentage points if you splash out on the optional seven-speed automatic, as that increases the car’s CO2 emissions to 151g/km of CO2. Either way, this isn’t the engine to go for if you’re a company car buyer.

The 190hp 2.0-litre unit is even less economical, returning between 35.3 and 37.7mpg under official test conditions – but these lower figures can be partly attributed to its standard four-wheel drive system. Emissions also climb to 171g/km of CO2, which puts its Benefit-in-Kind tax rating at 37%.

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If you’re a real glutton for financial punishment, opt for the 310hp petrol. Cupra says it can return between 31.4 and 33.2mpg, but those figures are only ever possible if you tickle the throttle – and you’re unlikely to do that because it’s great fun to drive hard. The best we saw during our weekend with the car was around 28mpg.

Cupra’s 1.4-litre plug-in hybrid powertrains promise to be the cheapest to run. The brand says its least powerful 204hp model can return between 201.8 and 235.4mpg on the WLTP cycle, while the more potent 245hp option manages between 176.6 and 188.3mpg.

However, it’s worth bearing in mind that these figures expect to you to make the most of the cars’ pure-electric ranges. Let the battery pack go flat and your fuel economy will take a dive, as the engine needs to work harder to haul around the dead weight of the electric motor and battery pack.

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The Formentor’s electric range figures also depend entirely on the weather. We tested the more powerful PHEV during the winter and only managed to extract 21 miles of range from the battery before running it flat – although you should get more than that in the summer months. With the help of the battery, the Formentor returned 52.2mpg over our rural test route.

The biggest bonus of the hybrid models is their devastatingly low CO2 emissions. They start from just 27g/km and top out at 33g/km, which means both electrified Formentors falls into the 11% Benefit-in-Kind tax category.

Also, remember that 94% of UK journeys are less than 25 miles, so if you can charge up at home every night, you’ll rarely need to fill up the Formentor e-Hybrid with petrol. If you motor around on petrol more than electric power, you’ll likely end up making more trips to the pump, as both PHEVs have smaller 40-litre fuel tanks.

Servicing and warranty

Cupra sells the Formentor with a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard, although you can choose to extend this by one, two or three years for an additional fee. That’s not bad, but it can’t match the seven-year warranty offered with the Kia Sportage or the 10-year warranty provided with the Toyota RAV4 and Lexus NX.

Cupra also offers a range of service plans that are designed to help you spread out the cost of maintenance. There are three levels of cover, each with their own prices. The cheapest option starts from £15 per month (payable over 24 months) and covers the cost of the car’s first two services and one new pollen filter.

The company’s Level 2 package starts from £30 per month and adds extras like new wiper blades, new brake pads and a 15% discount on the firm’s merchandise. The most expensive Level 3 package covers your first three services, your first MOT, a brake fluid change and a new set of spark plugs. It costs £34 per month over a 36-month period.

Reliability

• Should echo SEAT’s good reputation
• Based on proven mechanicals
• Two recalls since launch

SEAT has a good reputation in the reliability stakes, largely because its cars are built using tried-and-tested mechanicals from the Volkswagen Group. Cupra is no different. The Formentor looks wild and innovative on the surface, but it’s based on the same underpinnings as the latest Volkswagen Golf and SEAT Leon – neither of which have a reputation for breaking down.

Cupra has issued a couple of recalls, though. The first was in 2020 and related to the sensors for the front assist safety system not being configured correctly. It only affected 55 vehicles, but it’s worth checking with your dealer that the remedial work has been done if you’re buying used. The second recall was issued in 2021 in relation to the front seat belt anchor points. That affected 346 cars.