- Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 8/10
- Is there anything interesting about its design? 10/10
- How practical is the space inside? 8/10
- What are the key stats for the engine and transmission? 9/10
- How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
- What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating? 9/10
- What does it cost to own? What warranty is offered? 9/10
- What’s it like to drive? 8/10
What we like
Style in spades Surprisingly practical Supportive sports seats
What we don’t
Multimedia system is finnicky Spotty wireless Android Auto connection Aesthetics won’t suit conservative tastes
What we like
Style in spades Surprisingly practical Supportive sports seats
What we don’t
Multimedia system is finnicky Spotty wireless Android Auto connection Aesthetics won’t suit conservative tastes
It must be tough launching a new car brand in Australia – just ask Infiniti or Opel.
With so much competition from all corners of the world, you’ll have to hit the ground running and continue that momentum to have any hope of sustaining your presence.
Cupra’s plan is to launch with three models – the Leon, Ateca and Formentor – with updates and new models already in the pipeline to keep the Volkswagen Group brand from Spain on the upswing.
But a new brand needs an exciting flagship that will rally customers, and for Cupra, that comes in the form of the, well, Formentor.
As the only Cupra model not based on an existing Volkswagen Group product, the Formentor straddles the line between an SUV and hatchback, but is it good enough to draw new customers to the box-fresh brand?
Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 8/10
Cupra’s Formentor comes to Australia in four variants, the V, VZ, VZe and VZx, mirroring the Leon small hatchback line-up.
But while the Formentor and Leon share similar powertrains and specifications, they don’t share the same price.
Kicking off at $50,690 before on-road costs for the V, the base Formentor is $6700 pricier than the Leon – partly because of the larger body style, but also because the entry-level Formentor features all-wheel drive versus the Leon’s front-drive set-up.
Standard equipment includes 18-inch wheels, drive-mode selector, paddle shifters, sports suspension, push-button start, rear privacy glass, heated and power side mirrors, LED head- and tail-lights, cloth interior, front sports seats, a heated steering wheel, tri-zone climate control, and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster.
For multimedia, all Formentors are fitted with a 12.0-inch touchscreen, with features including wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless smartphone charger and satellite navigation.
Moving up to the VZ and VZe raises prices to $53,790 and $60,990 respectively, which is closer to the Leon counterparts, but these grades are also exclusively front-wheel drive.
Equipment upgrades include 19-inch wheels, a front differential lock (VZ only) and aluminium pedal trims.
The top-spec VZx meanwhile, costs $61,990 (up $500 from the MY22 version) and scores a leather interior, copper-accented 19-inch wheels, quad exhaust tips, a powered tailgate and heated front seats as standard.
While the prices might seem high, the standard equipment list on every Formentor is enviable from mainstream rivals, let alone some premium players that are planning to roll-out ongoing subscription fees for some features.
Is there anything interesting about its design? 10/10
Is it a hatchback? Is it an SUV? In reality, the Cupra Formentor is a mix of both!
From the front, Cupra’s head-turning design language sits proudly with a sharknose front, angular headlights and the copper-coloured brand emblem that looks more like a tribal tattoo than the insignia of a multi-million dollar company.
The side profile also shows off the Formentor’s athletic stance thanks to a strong shoulder line, while its premium ambitions are evident with wheelarch cladding finished in a gloss grey rather than a dull black plastic.
And from the rear, the aggressively stylish treatment continues with a roof-mounted rear spoiler, connected tail-lights and – depending on grade – either faux exhaust tips or massive outlets.
The chiselled physique of the Formentor is unlike anything else on the road, and we’re certainly glad there is a model out there that’s willing to break away from the familiar moulds of hatchback and SUV.
Step inside, and the Formentor also wears its out-there styling with swagger.
Front and centre of the cabin is the multimedia system, which goes completely button- and dial-less, and incorporates all the controls either on the touchscreen or onto touch-operated slider bars.
Combine this with the shift paddle (instead of a shift lever), and the Formentor’s interior feels clean, modern and even minimalist.
That isn’t to say there isn’t anything interesting about the design, because the faux-carbon-fibre touches and copper-coloured elements do the heavy lifting to elevate the cabin.
Sure, the design of the Formentor might be love it or hate it, but in our book Cupra has nailed the brief in delivering an edgy, head-turning look for its flagship model.
How practical is the space inside? 8/10
Measuring 4450mm long, 1839mm wide, 1511mm tall and with a 2680mm wheelbase, the Formentor is actually shorter in overall length and wheelbase than something like a Mazda3.
But the figures actually hide what is, in reality, a capacious and practical crossover.
The front seats afford plenty of space for drivers and front passengers, and it’s great to see even the base Formentor has adjustability in the steering column to get into the right position.
Storage options include a door pocket able to swallow a bottle, plus cupholders and a wireless smartphone charging tray that will also accommodate a small wallet – enough to empty your pockets when you get in.
While the Formentor looks a bit like a coupe-SUV on the outside, and the smaller-than-expected dimensions might imply, space in the second row is excellent.
My 183cm frame fits behind the driver’s seat in my position without any trouble, with enough head, shoulder and legroom to be plenty comfortable over long journeys.
Take note, though, the all-touch multimedia system might look clean, crisp and modern, but functionally, it can get tricky to use – especially while on the move.
In the dark, the touch bar underneath the multimedia screen also doesn’t light up, meaning you are poking in the dark and often mis-hitting commands.
The wireless Android Auto also dropped out more than a few times in our time with the car, leading to moments of panic as the navigation information disappeared from the screen briefly.
We’ve also tested a Formentor with a baby seat, so those families that might consider this Cupra flagship as a run-about needn’t worry about practicality.
Second-row passengers also have access to a bottle holder in the door, fold-down armrest (when the middle seat is not in use) and air vents with climate controls.
Opening the boot reveals a cavity that will swallow up to 450 litres (in the front-drive VZ) – big enough for groceries, luggage and even a full-sized pram.
AWD variants (V and VZx) get a downgraded 420L boot, while the VZe has the smallest space at 345L due to electric components.
Regardless, in all grades, the second-row seats will fold down to fit larger items.
What are the key stats for the engine and transmission? 9/10
Cupra’s Formentor line-up is available in four flavours, each with its own level of potency.
At the bottom end, the Formentor V makes use of a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that sends 140kW/320Nm to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
This allows the base Formentor to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 7.1 seconds.
Stepping up to the VZ and VZx grades, the mid-tier and flagship Formentor still use a 2.0-litre engine, but tuned to 180kW/370Nm and 228kW/400Nm respectively.
While both the VZ and VZx are also paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch auto, the VZ is a strictly front-drive proposition, while the VZx features all-wheel grip.
As a result, the VZ will accelerate to 100km/h in 6.8, while the VZx blitzes the run in just 4.9s.
Finally, the VZe pairs a 1.8-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver a combined output of 180kW/400Nm, and needs 7.0s for the landmark triple-digit run.
There is something for everyone in the Formentor line-up, whether you want to be frugal with the plug-in or go all-out with a hot hatch-destroying flagship – we only wish we could get our hands on the 2.5-litre turbo-petrol five-cylinder version available overseas.
How much fuel does it consume? 7/10
Out of the three 2.0-litre petrol-powered Formentor’s, the V might be the least powerful, but because of it’s all-wheel drive configuration, it is actually thirstier at the bowser than the front-drive VZ.
The V returns an official fuel consumption figure of 7.0 litres per 100km, just 0.1L/100km more than that VZ’s 6.9L/100km figure.
The VZx meanwhile, is the thirstiest and wears a 7.7L/100km figure as the most potent of Formentor launch range.
As for the VZe, the plug-in hybrid features a 12.8kWh battery that enables an all-electric driving range of around 50km.
The VZe does not feature DC fast-charging capabilities, and will need four-to-five hours of AC charging to top up.
As a result, the fuel economy figure in the VZe is 1.9L/100km.
What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating? 9/10
Cupra’s Formentor is yet to be assessed by ANCAP, but was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2021 and scored a maximum five-star rating.
The overseas Formentors tested were in left-hand drive configuration, so it remains unclear how applicable the rating will be for Australian-delivered models.
However, the Formentor scored particularly high in the adult and child occupant protection tests (93 per cent and 88 per cent, respectively), while also offering a wide-range of standard safety equipment.
This equipment list is also reflected in local cars, with each Formentor fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, driver attention alert, blind-spot monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring and a reversing camera.
Worth noting MY23 Formentor VZx vehicles are also fitted with a surround-view monitor.
What does it cost to own? What warranty is offered? 9/10
All new Cupras sold in Australia come with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which matches the industry standard also offered by Toyota, Mazda, Ford and others.
However, the Cupra assurance falls shy of the industry-leading 10-year period available to Mitsubishi customers, as well as the seven-year warranty afforded to Kia buyers.
Counteracting this somewhat is the fact that all new Cupra vehicles, including the Formentor, come with three years of free scheduled servicing, which occurs every 12 months or 15,000km.
What’s it like to drive? 8/10
It can be hard to know exactly what to expect from a car like the Formentor. After all, it has many familiar ingredients found across other Volkswagen Group products.
Built on the ‘EQB Evo’ platform as seen underneath the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf, new Skoda Octavia, and Audi A3 hatch and sedan, the Formentor stands out as the only high-riding model in the bunch – at least for now.
And while the aforementioned MQB Evo trio are confident, hunkered-down and predicable in their driving dynamics, does the increased height of the Formentor ruin the formula?
The short answer is no, and the longer answer is… heck, no!
The Formentor feels markedly different from its MQB peers – and not in a bad way.
Maybe it’s the sure-footedness of the entry grade’s all-wheel drive system? Or maybe it’s the fact that Cupra has tuned the Formentor to feel different from its peers? Maybe even it’s the wonderfully supportive front seats?
In truth, it’s a combination of all these things that make Cupra’s flagship model feel as confidence-inducing as a hot hatch, even though its practicality factor would rival most mid-size SUVs.
Even in its base V form, with ‘just’ 140kW/320Nm, the Formentor is potent enough to be exciting – though, only just.
Of course, move up the rungs and the Formentor becomes even more fun, with the VZ and VZx offering up enough performance to rival the vaunted Golf GTI and Golf R, respectively.
And for those that prefer sporty looks and dynamics, but also value a small bill at the petrol bowser, there’s the VZe plug-in hybrid that – if the Leon version we drove is anything to go by – can hang with its petrol-powered siblings around the corners without breaking a sweat.
We’ll reserve judgment on some of the higher-grade Formentors until we have more time behind the wheel of each, but even in its most affordable form, Cupra’s own stand-alone model serves up plenty of thrills to back up its panache.
Verdict
More style than substance? Don’t bet on it, the Cupra Formentor serves up a fun-to-drive, sporty experience wrapped in an attention-grabbing package.
The all-touch multimedia and climate controls are difficult to navigate while on the move and the aesthetics might not be to everyone’s tastes, but Cupra’s flagship model delivers on its ambition to be a sporty and practical model to shake-up a well-established segment.
Keyword: Cupra Formentor 2023 review