Cupra has revealed its first-ever machine that it has designed from the ground up; which is to say, it's not a Cupra-ified version of an existing SEAT, like the performance arm's opening-salvo Ateca. It's the Formentor and yes, it's another 'CUV', or crossover utility vehicle, this one said to have a coupe-like styling bent. To be fair, it's a nice-enough-looking thing, with its full-width light bar at the back and 19-inch alloys in front of big 18-inch Brembo brakes, although as Cupra and SEAT are supposed to be separate brands, you might wonder why the Formentor (named after a cape on the island of Mallorca) looks quite a lot like a slightly enlarged version of the incoming Leon Mk4. But never mind that - let's focus on the interior. The Formentor measures 4,450mm long, 1,839mm wide and 1,511mm tall, with a 2,680mm wheelbase. That makes it a bit longer, narrower and lower than a Cupra Ateca, while a 450-litre boot aims to bring the practicality. Up front is a 12-inch panoramic floating touchscreen for the infotainment and a digital instrument cluster (swish), while full-LED wraparound ambient lighting aims to bring the mood chills in the evening. One thing we did know about the Formentor in the build-up to its launch was that it would be a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and that has been confirmed: the same 1.4-litre 150hp TSI four-cylinder turbo petrol with an 85kW (115hp) electric motor and 13kWh lithium-ion battery pack, leading to maximum outputs of 245hp and 400Nm, as announced for the forthcoming Volkswagen Golf GTE and the Skoda Octavia vRS iV is used here, and you can enjoy a 31-mile all-electric range as a result. What's perhaps more interesting news is that the EA888 seems to live on in 'pure' form too, as there's a 310hp/400Nm 2.0-litre TSI Formentor, presumably using the engine that found a home in the Cupra R iteration of the Leon Mk3 near the end of its life. Either way, buyers will have a dual-clutch DSG transmission and, for the 310hp model at least, the traction advantages of 4Drive all-wheel drive. Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adjustable dampers and progressive steering will be fitted, and deliveries of the Cupra Formentor should begin in the last quarter of this year.
Matt Robinson - 3 Mar 2020