Cupra Formentor long-term test

The car Cupra Formentor VZ First Edition 1.5 e-Hybrid DSG 272PS | 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 1060 List price £51,790 Target Price £47,790 Price as tested £53,825 Test economy 55.6mpg Official economy 585mpg Options Matte paint £2035

18 October 2024 – to boldly go

Typing ‘the best of both worlds’ into Google reveals lots of information about the Miley Cyrus song of the same name, and a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode where, apparently, Captain Picard becomes part of the Borg Collective. And that’s not right, because I think a picture of my new Cupra Formentor should be included as well.

You see, having previously run a fuel-guzzling Genesis GV70, which left my bank account in peril, and a Lexus LBX, which allowed me to save money thanks to its hybrid setup but wasn’t massively spacious, I went hunting for a larger car which could still be frugal. Enter the Cupra Formentor – a plug-in hybrid family SUV which, on paper, could provide the best of petrol and electric motoring.

While you can get the Formentor with a range of purely petrol engines, some of which have fuel-saving mild hybrid technology, I’ve gone for one of the plug-in hybrids instead. There are two options, and I’ve gone for the most powerful setup, which combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to produce 268bhp total. And that’s enough to haul my Formentor to motorway speeds in 7.2sec – faster than most family SUV rivals.

Then there’s the official 72-mile electric range. Granted, I’m seeing closer to 45 miles in real-world conditions, but that’s still enough to tackle most of my commutes to and from the What Car? office without using a drop of fuel.

In time, that frugality should prove to be good news for my bank balance, because I’m shortly to move to a new flat which – thanks to a conveniently-placed balcony overlooking my allocated parking space – I’ll be able to charge the Formentor’s 25.8kWh battery. 

Until then, I’m at the mercy of the local public charging infrastructure, which varies wildly in terms of both reliability and price. It pays to keep the Formentor charged up, though, because even though I’ll not get close to the official fuel economy figure of 565mpg, I am noticing big differences between when the battery can help out, and when it can’t.

The prospect of saving on my running costs meant I didn’t feel bad about splurging out on the most expensive Formentor trim level, VZ First Edition, which comes with just about everything I could want. From 19in alloy wheels finished with machined copper to LED headlights and taillights, and from extended interior lighting which can warn me if there’s a car in my blind spot to a panoramic sunroof, my car has it all.

Still, I have added one item from the options list, and that’s the matte paintwork my car is finished in. This is the first time I’ve gone for such a paint finish, but I think it makes my car look stealthy and muscular, like a Borg warrior waiting in the shadows to strike.

Early impressions have been positive, with my car proving pleasantly comfortable on the 160-mile trip I do weekly to go and see my partner in Stoke-on-Trent. Choosing VZ1 trim or above on the Formentor gets you adaptive suspension, meaning you can stiffen or soften the ride at the touch of a button, and left in its most comfortable setting the ride is firm but well controlled. Certainly, it’s been better than the plug-in hybrid Volvo XC40 I ran previously. 

Meanwhile, around town, I’ve enjoyed threading the Formentor around urban traffic, with its light steering allowing for record-breaking times in the What Car? Multi-storey car park slalom. Plus, using the Formentor’s instant electric power rather than waiting for the engine means I can get the jump on traffic light stragglers.

My Formentor is here to show that plug-in hybrid power can make for a fun driving experience even within the confines of a frugal family SUV. And when it’s not being used for motorway trips or commuting, it’ll face a succession of country day trips and family holidays. Indeed, its first major hurdle is just a few weeks away, when it’ll be used on a last-minute holiday to the seaside with four passengers and enough luggage to fill a starship.

If the Formentor can handle all that I have in store and leave me smiling, perhaps it’ll appear in Google search results for ‘remarkable SUV’.

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