Cupra Formentor long-term test

The car Cupra Formentor 2.0 TSI VZ1 333PS 4Drive DSG | Run by Darren Moss, deputy digital editor

Why it’s here To prove that plug-in hybrid technology can lead to driving fun, as well as efficiency

Needs to Be frugal, comfortable for long trips, practical for children and able to function as a mobile office

Mileage 3700 List price £46,385 Target Price £46,385 Price as tested £46,670 Test economy 32.5mpg Official economy 32.0mpg Private price now £31,951 Dealer price now £35,944 Running costs (excl. depreciation) Fuel £335.94, tyre repair £25

25 March 2025 – A tale of two Cupras

“If you can’t be with the one you love,” sang Stephen Stills “love the one you’re with.” Well, I’ve taken those words to heart, because while the Cupra Formentor which I’d intended to run as my company car had to limp to the sidelines part-way into its tenure on the What Car? long-term fleet, I’ve been enjoying its replacement immensely.

To rewind a little, I took delivery of our original Formentor, a 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid in high-end VZ First Edition trim, expecting the fun we’d come to expect from this sporty SUV, but with the added benefit of low running costs. 

And for a time, all was bliss. I enjoyed commuting partly on electric power, with the Formentor’s 25.8kWh battery offering an official 72-mile range before the petrol engine needed to fire up. And even though that figure was more likely to be 45 miles in real-world conditions, it was enough for my commute. 

To maximise the benefit to my wallet, I sought out public charging solutions wherever I could, and it helped to keep my running costs sensible despite lengthy trips up and down the motorway network to see my girlfriend in Stoke-on-trent.

My car felt surefooted and agile, with the kind of excellent body control which inspires you to press on on a winding country road. And although I missed the throaty warble of a petrol engine at times, I enjoyed the instant shove from the Formentor’s electric motor when accelerating to motorway speeds.

The Formentor fulfilled the utility part of the SUV brief, too, ferrying four people and all of our luggage to the Norfolk coast for a British seaside holiday.

And then it all went downhill. You see, while the results of our annual Reliability Survey appeared to show that Cupra was recovering from a spate of electrical glitches which affected the brand’s earlier cars. And yet, my car showed an error related to the gearbox which prevented it from starting. The result was that my car was towed away on a trailer like a hospital patient heading for surgery, and it was replaced by a second Formentor – and this time, it was powered solely by petrol.

In fact, this new Formentor was the range-topping version, with a 328bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine and the ability to reach motorway speeds in less time than it’s taken you to read this sentence. 

So what were the differences between my two Formentors? Well, as you might imagine, petrol version sounded a lot sportier. I enjoyed the extra exhaust burble which came from putting it into its sportiest driving modes, although it wasn’t on par with the grunt you get from other sports SUVs. If I were to have my time with that version again, I’d choose the optional Akrapovic exhaust system, so anyone I was visiting could hear me a mile away and put the kettle on.

Then there was the reduction in running costs. I’d never managed to get close to the plug-in hybrid’s official figure of 585mpg, but my 58.5mpg wasn’t too bad considering I was relying on the sporadic public charging network. That figure fell to 32.5mpg in the petrol-engined Formentor, which is actually better than the official figure of 32.0mpg. And that’s despite my right foot making full use of the accelerator pedal at any given moment.

Practicality gained a welcome boost, with the 345-litre boot of the plug-in hybrid Formentor growing to 420 litres in the petrol-engined version. And that meant further family holidays could be undertaken with no packing restrictions.

Of course, some things between the two cars stayed the same. There was the same infotainment system, which I grew to get along with despite it being mostly touch-controlled. If that became too frustrating I could speak to my car instead by saying ‘Hola, Hola!’, but this was hit-and-miss at best and made me feel like a plonker at worst.

There was the same comfortable and practical interior, too, which provided plenty of space for my odds and ends when I was travelling, and seats which despite the best efforts of two young children didn’t succumb to scuffs or marks.

So, which version would I have again? It’d be the petrol, without a doubt. It was cheaper to buy, still relatively cheap to run, more enjoyable to drive and, for someone who can’t charge at home, more practical to live with. It may not be the Formentor we began with, but the petrol version is the one I grew to love after all.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Read more about our long-term Cupra Formentor >>

Read about more long-term test cars >>

Buy a new car with What Car?

Like the sound of the Cupra Formentor?

If so, check out our New Car Deals pages to see how much you could save on a Cupra Formentor.

We’ve got the biggest selection of discounted new cars available in the UK.