2022 Cupra Formentor V review

Cupra’s Formentor is the thing to buy when you really can’t decide what you want; do you desire an SUV, a wagon or a hatch? The Formentor manages to meld all three concepts into a commendable package. 

We’d buy the Formentor for its sharp looks and the way it drives. Even the entry level V does the business. Sure it’s not as fast as the VZ but it’s not as pricey either and is still a looker (well, with the optional 19s as fitted here).  

This might be the front driver with the meekest motor but it does not disappoint as the Formentor’s playful, dynamic character remains intact. While this lacks adaptive damping gizmos, it is fitted with well tuned, compliant shockers. Paired with sporty rubber, this stays the course in the bends while rolling with the usual mix of bumps and dips along the way. The turn-in is crisp and the roll control well sorted. You really don’t notice the additional ride height over a comparable hatch. It locks on to your cornering line obediently, and the electric chassis minders don’t stifle the fun. 

In the Sport drive mode you can work the front tyres hard while the rear end feels agile, helping you get a good flow through the turns without incurring the wrath of the ESP. The steering is well assisted, the weighting just right in the bends. The brake performance is sound also. Its engine beavers away fiercely, the seven-speed twin-clutch helpful when wringing its neck. But there’s also enough midrange urge to get by on without the need to whip it mercilessly. And with reduced speed limits about the place, this is about as much as you’ll need, most of the time. It’s really an enjoyable thing and for that other 99 per cent of the time, in your day-to-day running, it works rather well too. 

While it’s a smaller-sized type of SUV, you can still fit a few young kids in the back. The boot is useful if not commodious (rated at 345L), even when you move the boot floor to its lower position. Split fold the seats, and you have to raise the floor up again in order to get a flat load area. And with that racy roofline, the abbreviated tailgate impinges on its ultimate load carrying. Still, you’ll be able to fit your average kitchen appliance in the back when time comes to take it to the doctor to be fixed, or thrown out. 

That inbetween ride height makes this easier to slip into than a low slung hatch as well. The driving position is sound, the swell seats are manually manipulated (no biggie, nor the fact they are trimmed in a mix of textile and fake leather), while the wheel has a good range of adjustment. 

The buttonless interior looks the part, but it means nearly every function is relegated to the touchscreen. And so most operations take two or three taps to execute. It’s not the most intuitive thing but the system is quick acting, the touchscreen responsive. You can bemoan such contraptions, but they allow for the depth of features and functions. Switching drive modes takes one too many taps but, generally speaking, you can leave it in the default Comfort. And when you need a bit more action, grab on the gear selector to access the Sport mode for the trans. 

It’s reasonably economical, averaging in the high sevens for commuting, peaking into the 10s during ‘the test phase’, while you’ll see sixes on the highway/motorway. You get used to its constant coasting (it selects neutral when you’re off the gas on the flat to conserve fuel) and the idle/stop which is rather proactive but it also restarts quickly. Occasionally you might find it all a bit laggy off the mark (usually when the idle/stop system doesn’t start as smartly as it should), but otherwise there’s useful low-end torque for city driving. The quick and light steering is traffic friendly, as is the active cruise. When said traffic is grinding, it’ll take care of the flow automatically. 

There’s just a regular reversing camera but this also has parking sensors front and rear as part of the optional $2500 Agile Pack that also adds a phone charger, heated seats and wheel and those 19s. 

There are a few tech features including self parking, a full digital dash with variable views, sat nav and smartphone integration. The quality of the finishing and fixtures gets a pass, although there are a few hard plastics on the console and lower parts of the interior but you also gain things like ambient lighting (used as part of the safety kit to alert of impending collisions and cars in your blindspot). 

It could do with more storage, the cup holders being small, but otherwise this is definitely one of the more likeable base models. It’s $48,990, Cupra now adopting the agency model here in NZ, meaning that’s the price you pay, on road, no matter where you purchase it. If you like the Formentor look but don’t need all the performance of the $20k more expensive VZ, or the AWD of the $6k pricier V 4Drive, then the entry-level model won’t disappoint.