In a nutshell:
- Ranging topping models boast 310 PS engine and 0-62mph acceleration of just 4.9 seconds.
- Other smaller engines - as well as plug-in hybrid version - will be made available in the spring of 2021.
- Base ‘V1’ models very well specced, with adaptive cruise control, lane assist, and LED headlights as standard.
- Available to order now, deliveries end of this year.
New kids on the block CUPRA have pulled the sheets off the flagship performance version of its new Formentor SUV.
And with 310 PS to play with combined with all-wheel-drive, it’s a worthy rival to the likes of the BMW X2 M35i and Volkswagen T-Roc R.
In case you were wondering, CUPRA is the performance arm of SEAT and has been a separate entity since the beginning of 2018.
We’ve already enjoyed the well-received CUPRA Ateca small SUV, which started being delivered to customers earlier this year.
And now CUPRA has revealed the full specs and pricing for the larger and more expensive Formentor - the first car designed and developed specifically for CUPRA - with the most powerful models priced from £39,830 on the road.
Altogether there are six trims available - V1, V2, VZ1, VZ2, VZ3 and VZ Edition.
Lower down the range there will be a choice of engines sourced from CUPRA’s parent Volkswagen Group, which includes a 1.5 litre TSI petrol with 150 PS, as well as a 2.0 litre TSI with 190 PS.
By the spring of next year, there will also be plug-in hybrid Formentor, which utilises a 1.4 litre petrol engine married to a 85 kW electric motor and 13kWh battery, which can be tuned to either 204PS or 245PS.
The eHybrid also has a predicted electric-only range of 31miles.
But for now the Formentor is available in performance format only - which leads us on to the all-wheel drive VZ2, VZ3, and VZ Edition models.
They come with a 2.0-litre TSI under the bonnet, which is bolted to a DSG-auto box, and which generates 310PS of peak power and 400Nm of torque.
That translates as a 0-62mph time of just 4.9 seconds and according to CUPRA, the Formentor should handle well, too.
A spokesperson for the Spanish firm says: “Formentor has been designed and engineered to deliver a performance-orientated drive, delivered, in part, by the front MacPherson struts and multi-link rear suspension set-up to enable the intuitive dynamic response required during enthusiastic driving.”
Fuel economy for the performance models should be around 32 miles to the gallon while CO2 emissions are 193 g/km.
So what else do you get for your money, when you consider that it’s considerably more expensive than the similarly-sized Volvo XC40, which starts from around £25,420?
The base V1 models - expected to cost from £27,300, minus tax - come loaded with 18 inch alloys, tinted rear windows, LED headlights and taillights, 12 inch infotainment screen, rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter and forward collision warning with automatic braking.
That’s not too shabby at all for a bog-standard vehicle.
Meanwhile the very pinnacle Formentor - the VZ Edition - has everything from a panoramic sunroof to heated leather seats and sports suspension.
And then there’s the way the Formentor looks.
It won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but there’s no denying the appeal of those aggressive, angular lines, and it’s an off-beat alternative to the usual SUVs you see on the road.
The Formentor is available to order now, with deliveries beginning at the tail end of this year.
To check out lease deals for the existing CUPRA Ateca, head here.
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