There’s a phrase in the armed forces that goes roughly: “he who proposes, disposes”. In other words, you can’t just come up with a preposterous scheme and then disappear to a new posting before it implodes in someone else’s lap. Which, in the first part, is exactly what Luca de Meo, Seat’s former chief executive did before his brainchild, a spanking-new, high-performance, luxury-SUV brand called Cupra, had to face the tough questions in front of the spot lamp.
De Meo swanned off to head up Renault, a company not without its share of problems, while Cupra, my ears and whiskers, has reached its third year as a stand-alone marque, launched its third vehicle and reached the final seven in this year’s Car of the Year award. In a world where everyone and their dog wants to launch an all-new luxury brand, who could have predicted that?
So, this is the second Cupra model, the Formentor VZ2, a plug-in hybrid model, which sits in the brochure alongside the first model, the 4×4 Formentor 310 and the very limited edition VZ5 model, which will use the 2.5-litre engine from Audi’s 385bhp/354lb ft RS Q3.
Of course, Cupras are all parts-bin specials, utilizing the buying power of Volkswagen’s central purchasing department and a bit of a nod and a wink from the board, along with Seat’s on-form chassis-development guys and gals, and its terrific design department.
So, while there’s a hint of desperation in the current range of VW adverts: “the exciting new Tiguan,” Cupra’s promise to be genuinely exciting, both to look and to drive, rings with a bit more veracity.
Under the skin is of this catchily-titled, Formentor e-Hybrid VZ2 245PS DSG, is a 148bhp/184lb ft turbocharged, 1.4-litre petrol engine mated to six-speed, dual-clutch automatic gearbox driving the front wheels. There’s also a 114bhp/243lb ft AC electric-drive motor and a 12.8kWh lithium-ion battery. All of that gives this 1.7-tonne five-door, four-seater a total power output of 241bhp with peak torque of 295lb ft, which isn’t to be sniffed at.
It takes 3.5 hours to charge up the battery on a 3.6kW supply, which is the only option, and then the Cupra will have the capability of travelling up to 34 miles on its power without starting the engine. Start the engine, though, and the performance is brisk, with a top speed of 130mph and 0-62mph in 7sec, with stunning in-gear acceleration when the motor and the engine combine.
Fuel consumption figures for these plug-in vehicles are meaningless since if you never charge up, it’s a heavy car with two engines and if you never travel before further than the electric range, you’ll never use any fuel. Cupra claims a top figure of 176mpg with CO2 emissions of 33g/km. With zero-rated VED for the first year and benefit-in-kind tax of just 10 per cent, however, this car might be an attractive prospect for a company-car user.
A lower-powered version with just 201bhp will arrive this year, but for the moment this is it, all £40,260’s worth (which attracts a £325 luxury car tax for five years). Strangely, that price is £430 more than that of the more-powerful 4×4 Formentor 310.
Cupra’s striking dark-blue “dark camouflage” coachwork suits the body’s creases, swages and bulges, and, with the many intake grilles and copper highlights, there’s an intriguing rather than overly aggressive look. In fact, it looks (and feels) more like a station wagon with a slightly raised ride height than an SUV.
The cabin is finished in dark leather upholstery with those copper highlights, brushed-satin trim panels and quite lovely supportive and comfy sports seats. Again, its cosy and welcoming rather than a brooding bat cave.
Sadly, Cupra wasn’t able to avoid the dreadful VW Group touch screen and touch-slider bars, which handle the radio volume and some of the heater controls. Frustrating and resistant to hand-sanitizer ravaged fingers, it forces you to stab at the screen in a vain attempt simply to turn the radio down. Nor is it a particularly great sat-nav system, with so-so graphics and a strange propensity to get you lost.
Cabin space is generous, with plush rear seats that have plenty of leg and head room for six-foot adults and a 345-litre boot. Behind the motorised tailgate, the rear seats fold 60/40 per cent on to their bases and the load space is almost flat. There’s no spare wheel well and so the charging cable just flops around in the back annoyingly getting in the way and tying up the dog.
Push the starter and the artificially generated engine noise fills the cabin, which changes in note according to which of the drive modes you’ve selected. Actually, for an ersatz engine racket, it’s pretty pleasant sounding.
The dual-clutch gearbox engages smoothly, but even at low speeds, it’s fairly obvious that the electric motor is smoothing out the torque delivery to the wheels. At the other end of things, however, life is pretty riotous, with the steering wheel tugging about in your hands under the onslaught of torque as if the Eighties hot hatchbacks had never gone away. Modern torque vectoring and individual wheel braking systems mean this doesn’t need to happen, so clearly, Cupra’s chassis set up team have deliberately left this in as a feature. It’s a lot of unruly fun, but if you cut too free-and-easy with the accelerator from low speeds, you’ll be facing some big tyre bills.
It's easy to forgive, however, because the rest of the chassis set up is so adroit. The ride, for example, copes magnificently with broken UK road surfaces, being firm but never harsh and even the sharpest-edged bumps fail to disturb its composure. The handling feels fun and positive, with direct-feeling steering and first-rate brakes, which combine regen and friction stopping in one progressive pedal with a confidence inspiring grab at the top of the stroke.
Somehow, the drivetrain’s well-controlled thuggishness is addictive, especially in a world where the PHEV competition feels like a very grown-up, fiscally-sound choice and quite boring as a result, Cupra springs out like a surprise party with much-loved old friends all dressed in copper hued onesies. This car is too expensive (of course), but in a world of sensible-shoes plug ins, it’s a very welcome addition.
Cupra Formentor e-Hybrid VZ2 245PS DSG
Price: from £40,260 on sale now
Engine: 1.4-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and a six-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission, an AC electric motor and 12.8kWh lithium-ion battery. Front-wheel drive
Power/torque
Engine: 148bhp/184lb ft
Motor: 114bhp/243lb ft
Total system output: 241bhp/295lb ft
0-62mph: 7sec
Top speed: 130mph
Fuel economy: WLTP 176mpg
CO2 emissions: 33g/km
VED Band: £0 for the first year, then £140, with £325 luxury tax for the first five standard years
Keyword: First drive: Cupra Formentor e-Hybrid