E-hybrids are becoming an acceptable alternative for motorists reluctant to go fully electric. But with an increasing number of options in a competitive market, are car buyers ready for the Cupra Formentor, asks James McNamara.
What exactly is a Cupra Formentor? It’s a perfectly reasonable question.
The sleek, low-slung e-hybrid, with stunning 19in copper-trimmed black alloy wheels, appears to be a refreshing compact crossover. Squint slightly however and things start to look vaguely familiar.
The average motoring enthusiast will quickly unravel the mystery. The shape of the front headlamps betrays its cover story - the Cupra is a Seat Ateca in stealth mode. And that means this double agent is also a Volkswagen.
What’s on offer here couldn’t be further removed from its mechanical forebears. With a logo resembling two intersecting ninja blades mounted on a dazzling grille, you might think the creators of Knight Rider and Marvel were involved in the design process.
Although brooding, the Cupra Formentor VZ isn’t remotely menacing. In fact, it is highly attractive and the reason why other drivers peer down from prestige MPVs at traffic lights to see what all the fuss is about. Word travels fast in the cabin and pretty soon a family of four are all asking the same question: 'What is that?’
The Cupra is also causing a stir in the neighbourhood. Multiple admirers stop to investigate, including the Tesco delivery man who stares wide-eyed while I unload my shopping from plastic crates. As I grab the last packet of kitchen roll I’m tempted to ask his opinion. I don’t need to.
The Cupra is unapologetically different. Its arching roof lined with discreet roof rack rails elegantly swoops to a boot limited to an underwhelming 345 litres in order to accommodate the car's battery. Hunkered to the ground, this car effortlessly pulls off its coupe SUV credentials. But at 4.5m long and 1.5m high, it feels more like a high-rise family hatchback than elevated compact crossover.
Despite its good looks, this four-wheeled enigma is reluctant to fully reveal its true identity. You won’t find its surname displayed anywhere, inside or out. It’s a bit of a mouthful anyway.
You’ll just have to take my word for it that ‘Formentor’ comes from the Cap de Formentor, the name of a 20-kilometre peninsula, northeast of the port of Pollença in Majorca. Its geographical namesake is rocky, remote and mysterious. Is it all making sense now?
Once enveloped in the Cupra’s luxuriant leather bucket sport seats with a chunky air vent punched out of the headrest, the view gets better and better.
The flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shift gears nestled behind is great to grip. Thankfully, the main digital dials don’t have endlessly confusing display options and the carefully chosen configurations are both clean and functional.
It is also worth pausing to congratulate Seat, ahem Cupra, on delivering an infotainment system worth talking about. The 12.3in touch screen provides a generous surface area for prodding/swiping and fully integrates a smartphone without a charging cable.
A complaint. I’m not a fan of fiddling with touchscreen air conditioning panels while the windscreen fogs up. The Cupra’s digital temperature console might look slick, but it's a bit of a faff when driving at speed. Give me old-fashioned switches any day.
The stitched leather effect dashboard with copper trim air vents adds a bit of class to the interior, while the customisable ambient lighting has the appearance of a laser beam curving around the cockpit. Things are just as cosy at the rear, where passengers are comfortably accommodated and shielded with privacy glass.
Don’t look down too far below the fascia - this is where materials get a bit plasticky, although the overall vibe is still an executive one.
Look back up and out and a ridged bonnet elegantly stretches out in front, evoking the spirit of a classic sports car. This is where the Cupra comes into its own, proving it is possible to exude style and substance in equal measure.
There are some pupil-dilating driving options to summon all of the Cupra’s 245bhp. Select Sport in ‘Cupra’ mode and things get very nippy with acceleration from 0-80kph in 5.3 seconds. Meanwhile, an unexpected digitally augmented engine sound roars like artificial fan noise at a deserted football stadium.
What’s particularly enjoyable is to watch the Cupra make intuitive real time decisions about where it draws its power. Sometimes it will exclusively channel the car’s 180kW battery, or it will combine electric and petrol using its 1395cc engine to deliver maximum performance.
There are of course limited opportunities to fully unleash the Cupra, but even when driving conservatively it’s reassuring to have a bit of poke to quickly overtake or steer clear of trouble.
If your knuckles have had enough for the day, the car’s normal ‘Drive’ mode is also perfectly acceptable. It handles very well around town and loves the motorway. (I did fully intend to try ‘Comfort’ but was enjoying myself too much.)
Even when you climb out the Cupra it keeps showing off, beaming its distinctive insignia onto the pathway at dusk before a full width red LED light at the rear zooms to its centre and vanishes.
Once stationary and plugged into the mains, the car can be fully charged in three and a half hours, offering up to 60km of fully electric driving. It also claims to be highly economical with impressive fuel consumption of up to 1.6l/100km. However, this is unlikely to pass muster with anyone who bought this car to put it through its paces. My consumption was closer to 5.1l/100km.
The Cupra is a genuinely delightful car, but the price of this model, with all the trimmings, will hit you like a gust of wind on a Spanish coastal walk.
And this begs the question, what part of a very competitive market is this car aimed at? At €58,457, an active middle-aged person, mildly concerned about the environment, and with plenty of disposable income, is my best guess.
As previously mentioned, the Cupra Formentor is based on the more sensible Seat Ateca. While the Ateca is duller in design and doesn't come in an e-hybrid version, its superior boot capacity of 510 litres makes it a more practical compact SUV than the Cupra.
The Cupra's low seating also won't be to everyone's taste, while the Ateca offers better entry and egress. The fact the Ateca also starts at a much more agreeable €32,545 will also give consumers pause for thought.
In essence, buying a Cupra is investing in a sharper image with limitations, although the Formentor is still around a fifth cheaper than a Porsche Macan S. It's also worth considering you could pick up a Toyota Rav4 Plug-in Hybrid Sport for around €8,000 less, which comes with a lot more height and space.
But if price isn’t a clincher, and you are prepared to drive conservatively on the daily commute, then don’t be put off. The Cupra Formentor is a delightful car, so expect to see plenty of them at traffic lights near you very soon.
