WELL, THE REFRESHED CUPRA FORMENTOR CERTAINLY ISN’T MESSING AROUND
The new Cupra Formentor hath been revealed, and goodness does it make the pre-facelift car look like a geography teacher in a self-knitted cardigan.
That is to say it’s… quite menacing. Cupra says it’s applied a ‘shark-nose’ design to the front end and it basically hasn’t stopped with the predator theme, sharpening up the styling cues and introducing triangular matrix LEDs and an illuminated logo that’s been integrated into the rear light bar. Much like, er, your average great white.
Meanwhile the inside has been overhauled as well, with a bigger 12.9in touchscreen the focal point of a redesigned dashboard. Interestingly Cupra points to the ‘retro’ touch-slider for the temperature and volume control, which we can only assume is a mistranslation from a much ruder, less repeatable word that more accurately describes what they’re like to use. Ahem.
Anyway, there’s CarPlay and Android Auto (of course), plus a 425-watt, 12-speaker audio system co-developed with Sennheiser and much in the way of copper accents.
And almost by way of apology for the sheer aggressiveness of the design, Cupra says it has used more recycled materials in the cabin, pointing to the bucket seats that are finished in precisely 73 per cent recycled microfibre. Again, same can be said for a basking shark. Probably.
All of this is window dressing though. What you really want is substance. And there’s plenty of that with several engines to choose from, including not one but two plug-in hybrids.
We’ll get to those. Your starter for 10 (well, 110… kilowatts) is a nice, simple 1.5-litre petrol producing 147bhp. You can also have a mild-hybrid with the 1.5, which adds a 48-volt starter-generator and lithium-ion battery for improved efficiency. The former gets a six-speed manual, the latter a seven-speed DSG.
Next up is a 2.0-litre - also an auto job - with 201bhp at its command, while FWD transforms into all-wheel drive. Then you’re into VZ territory, with 261bhp and 329bhp options also in play.
The latter (available in VZ3 guise) is where Cupra adds (375mm) Akebono brakes and torque splitter tech into the mix. Serious stuff. Fitted to the rear axle, the electro-hydraulic system permits independent torque control on each rear wheel and means full power can be applied to either. And this, friends, means engineers have been able to deploy a Drift mode for what the company diplomatically calls ‘greater dexterity’. Didn’t Ford say something similar about the Focus RS?
Anyway, back to the powertrains. Your final options are a pair of 1.5-litre PHEVs, each fitted with a 19.7kWh battery for up to 62 miles of e-range and providing either 201 or 268bhp accordingly. Give the latter the VZ treatment and Cupra will throw in Brembo calipers and brakes. Charging is up to 50kW DC and 11kW AC. Wheels are either 18s or 19s.
As before the Formentor is built upon VW Group’s MQB Evo platform, incorporating MacPherson struts up front and multilink suspension at the rear. Cupra claims to have got the spring and damper rates refined down to a tee, with ‘perfected’ weight distribution. Anyone sitting in the back seats will be grateful for this, we’re quite sure.
“Cupra’s record-breaking results are built on the success of the Formentor Crossover SUV, a vehicle that has helped take the brand to new heights,” said CEO Wayne Griffiths. “The new Cupra Formentor is pure design obsession.
“Something that makes Cupra unique and stand out from the crowd. The provocative design of our cars has made Cupra a success and the new Formentor is the ultimate example of this.”
The updated Cupra Formentor goes on sale in the third quarter of 2024. Could a family SUV be any more menacing?