Cupra Formentor - Engines, performance and drive

What is the Cupra Formentor like to drive?

In town

Whichever Cupra Formentor model you choose you’ll find it pretty straightforward to drive in and around town. If urban routes are where most of your driving takes place, then it’d probably make most sense to opt for the 148bhp petrol, or the lower-powered E-Hybrid - simply based on cost and overall efficiency. 

The e-Hybrid models are a bit underwhelming when driven with any vigour; neither can shrug off the weight penalty of a heavy battery pack, making these versions feel slightly less agile in the corners, plus the suspension has had to be stiffened to compensate for the extra weight, so these versions don’t ride as well. Nor do they sound particularly inspiring when pushed, so a more sedate driving style in town making the most of its all-electric range suits this version best.

On A- and B-roads

Fortunately, the 328bhp 2.0-litre TSI petrol version helps to redeem the Formentor range. The Comfort, Performance, Cupra and Individual driving modes all provide a genuinely different experience through the chassis, steering wheel weight and drivetrain response. We tested the previous 306bhp version to its firmest and fastest settings, but we soon found that the Cupra mode is best left at the track, because it’s far too firm for British roads. The steering also gets heavier but doesn’t have any more feel, so it actually becomes slightly less enjoyable to drive.

It’s best to keep it in the less hardcore driving modes, where the more comfort-orientated settings of the adaptive suspension fitted to VZ1 trims and above allow the Formentor to ride very well on the road. The Cupra mode feels like it’s trying a little too hard, but the Normal mode is just right. There’s very little body roll and lots of grip, so you’ll feel confident in carrying some speed down a twisty country road. The quickest Formentor gets all-wheel drive as standard, which doesn’t turn it into an off-road champion, but does add a feeling of security with its additional traction in wintry driving conditions.

On the motorway

In Comfort mode, you’ll find the Formentor is a perfectly pleasant car to rack up motorway miles. Road noise and wind noise are audible, although the crossover’s naturally longer suspension travel (compared with a Leon) is happy to absorb bumps and ruts in the road – even on the larger 19-inch wheels the V2, V3 and First Edition models come with. (The basic V1 sits on 18-inch wheels). 

0-62mph acceleration and top speed

The Formentor has some of the more powerful engines from the SEAT line-up, so there’s not a particularly slow version in the range. A 1.5-litre petrol with 148bhp kicks off proceedings, and it should have plenty of performance for most buyers. However, we think its 0-62mph time of 9.0 seconds doesn’t sit quite right with the Cupra brand’s athletic ethos. Luckily, there are punchier options – if you can afford them.

Performance fans will be pleased to find that the facelifted Formentor range now includes a 328bhp 2.0-litre petrol model. Thanks to standard-fit four-wheel drive and 420Nm of torque, the 0-62mph dash is dispatched in just 4.8 seconds, with a top speed of 155mph. Cupra has also introduced (as of November 2024) a 261bhp 2.0-litre petrol version