2023 Cupra Formentor V review

“It’s a Spanish Volkswagen.”

Get used to saying those words because you’ll be asked, ‘Cupra, what is it?’. A lot.

Cupra, the slightly upmarket performance arm of Spanish car giant Seat (pronounced ‘say-it’, not ‘seat’ as in car seat), has launched in Australia with a range of vehicles that slot right into the upper end of the mainstream.

Seat isn’t new to Australia, having last tried to conquer our lands in the mid-1990s selling cars like the Ibiza, Leon and Toledo before bowing out in 1999.

Now the Volkswagen-owned Spaniard is back but there’s not a Seat badge in sight.

Instead, the Cupra sub-brand is hoping to take sales in the lucrative mild-to-warm-and-occasionally-hot performance segment where it will, somewhat ironically, go up against its Volkswagen and Skoda stablemates.

One of the first Cupras to grace our shores is the Formentor medium SUV. It enters the fray in Australia's hottest new car segment with stylish design and established mechanical credentials from the Volkswagen workshop.

It’s a bold move, bringing a new brand with a pedigree largely unknown to Australians, to a market that is already overflowing with choice for buyers. It’s a bolder move still introducing a new brand that has the potential to cannibalise sales from already established brands within your own group, such as Volkswagen and Skoda.

We’ve already spent time in the Formentor VZx, the range-topping performance SUV that can complete the sprint from 0–100km/h in just 4.9 seconds, thanks to its powerful 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine making 228kW and 400Nm, the same engine shared with hot hatches Golf R and Audi S3.

On test here, though, we have the milder entry-level Formentor V that takes a more leisurely approach to the benchmark 100km/h dash with a claimed 7.1 seconds. But despite the entry-level tag, there’s nothing cut-priced about the 2023 Cupra Formentor V.

There are four Formentor variants in the range (V, VZ, VZx and VZe) priced from $54,990 up to $66,490 drive-away.

It’s worth noting here that pricing for the Cupra Formentor, and for every Cupra model for that matter, is fixed and non-negotiable. What you see on the sticker is what you pay. Cupra’s sales model in Australia includes around a dozen showrooms nationally as well as an online portal.

On test here we have the baby of the range, the 2023 Cupra Formentor V. It’s priced at $54,990 drive-away and brings with it plenty of standard equipment.

Standard features on the entry-level model include LED headlights and tail-lights, a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen, wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, tri-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, cloth seats, and a full suite of active safety features.

Other standard equipment highlights include 18-inch alloy wheels, a heated leather steering wheel with paddle-shifters, keyless entry and push-button start, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, heated power-folding door mirrors, and black roof rails.

Additionally, buyers can option the Leather and Power Package that brings, as the name suggests, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power driver's seat with memory, power tailgate, a Beats sound system and memory mirrors. It adds $2750 to the bottom line.

A panoramic glass sunroof is also optional across the range priced at $2100, while premium metallic paint adds an extra $475.

Our test car carried no options, even its Asphalt Blue coat of paint, a no-cost metallic hue.

Rivals include the Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI (from $54,490 plus on-road costs), Peugeot 3008 GT (from $53,414 plus on-roads) and all the Toyota RAV4 money can buy, the $52,700 (plus on-roads) Edge Hybrid.

There’s a lot to like about the Formentor’s avant garde and edgy cabin design. European styling greets occupants with some nice design touches, such as the sculpted dash top and the well supported cloth-trimmed seats with leather bolsters.

Materials are decent and the copper accents make a pleasant change from the proliferation of faux aluminium and piano gloss so prevalent in today’s automotive interiors.

Cupra is the Latin name for the element copper (the metal, not the Highway Patrol), and there’s a lot of it splashed about the cabin, and to good effect.

The steering wheel, wrapped in leather, armed with paddle-shifters, and flat-bottomed feels nice in hand, chunky and solid. Reassuring.

Storage amenities include a pair of cupholders and two small and shallow cubbies that are surprisingly usable. The cubby closest to the driver is perfectly sized to accept the Formentor’s key.

There's a wireless charging pad fore of the stubby gear selector, which is a bit flippant in our opinion. Give us some heft. Selecting drive with just your thumb and index finger feels a bit, well, twee.

The second row is good in terms of space, although with plenty of dark materials inside it can be a bit overwhelming back there. Claustrophobes beware.

Second-row amenities include climate controls and a pair of USB-C plugs. A fold-down armrest houses cupholders, while the door pockets can take bottles.

The outboard seats are equipped with ISOFOX child seat mounts.

Access to the boot is via a manual tailgate. Boot capacity is modest for the segment at 420L with the second row in use. Folding those seats away in 60:40-split fashion liberates more space but Cupra doesn’t quote a figure.

A couple of small cubbies in the cargo area are handy for smaller items. Don’t look for a spare wheel and tyre package. There isn’t one. Instead, an inflation kit is provided to get you out of a flat jam.

A 12-inch touchscreen hosts the Cupra’s infotainment system. It’s equipped with almost everything buyers expect from a modern vehicle including wireless (and wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, satellite navigation, AM/FM (but no digital) radio, and Bluetooth connectivity. It’s a modern-looking screen, slim and with sharp graphics.

Apple CarPlay paired easily, although at least one Drive reviewer noted that Android Auto connectivity proved glitchy and frustrating.

Sound clarity from the standard-fit six-speaker stereo system isn’t the last word in high fidelity, but it’s serviceable enough.

We like the sharp responses of the screen which, like in the broader VW Group, senses approaching fingers and highlights and enlarges the virtual button on the screen, making them, in theory, easier to select.

Interacting with the infotainment system can also be done via voice commands (hit and miss) or by buttons on the steering wheel, the latter the easiest.

A wireless charging pad is augmented by four USB-C points (two in the front and two in the second row), so keeping your devices topped up should be a cinch.

We like less the Cupra’s climate controls. There are two ways to integrate with climate controls. The first is via the touchscreen, and while we decry screen-based climate controls, it’s simple enough to use.

The second option is via digital haptic sliders that live immediately under the screen. In daylight, they work well enough in adjusting the temperature, but suffer for not being illuminated at night. Yes, we tend to set and forget climate controls, but simplicity of use should be front and centre. In this case, it’s not.

The 10.25-inch digital driver display can be configured to suit, and displays a wealth of information according to your own needs and wants. It’s essentially a reskin of the similar technology found in other Volkswagen Group vehicles. This is no bad thing, the Group long at the forefront of digital driver display tech. It’s a good ’un.

Euro NCAP awarded the Cupra Formentor range a five-star safety rating in 2021. That score carries over to Australia’s safety body, ANCAP, which uses the same methodology and testing to arrive at safety scores.

Euro NCAP’s testing scored the Cupra Formentor range 93 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection, 80 per cent for safety assist systems, and a 68 per cent rating for vulnerable road user (pedestrian and cyclist) protection.

A comprehensive suite of advanced safety technologies are bundled into the Formentor range – autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, traffic-jam assist, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-zone warning, rain-sensing wipers, dusk-sensing headlights, door exit warning, a rear-view camera, and front and rear parking sensors.

Eight airbags cover both rows of occupants, including a centre airbag that mitigates head-clashes between occupants in the event of an accident.

Cupra covers the Formentor with its five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. Service intervals are spaced at 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

As a challenger brand, Cupra is offering three years or 45,000km (whichever comes first) of free servicing for cars ordered before 31 December, 2022.

Extending scheduled maintenance out to five years will cost buyers an additional $1200.

A comprehensive insurance quote from one of Australia’s leading underwriters came in at $1295.35 per annum based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Cupra claims the Formentor V will use 7.0L/100km of premium 95-octane unleaded on the combined cycle.

Our week with the Formentor, skewed heavily urban, saw a return of 10.6L/100km. Cupra claims an urban-only consumption figure of 8.9L/100km.

The fuel tank measures in at 55L.

The Formentor V might not have the performance chops of its VZx stablemate, but it’s still a fun and lively car to drive.

Powering the Formentor V is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. It’s good for 140kW and 320Nm and a 0–100km/h sprint time of 7.1 seconds. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sends drive to all four wheels.

Those aren’t breathtaking numbers, but it’s more than enough for most uses.

Around town, the Formentor proved a willing, if not exactly thrilling, participant in day-to-day driving. Acceleration from standstill is lively without being manic, the mid-size SUV getting up to speed quickly.

The seven-speed dual-clutch is nicely calibrated, and that means there’s little sign of the hesitation or lagginess such transmissions are known for. Instead, the transition between gears is smooth and effortless.

Highway speeds are similarly achieved with minimal fuss, with decent sound insulation from the outside world and a willingness for the Formentor to get up to speed quickly. Settle into a 110km/h rhythm and there’s little to fluster the SUV.

The suspension tune errs on the side of firm, even with the adaptive dampers in their most comfortable setting, but not enough to leave you complaining. Minor bumps and lumps are dispatched easily, while larger obstacles such as speed humps see the mid-sizer settle back quickly on its haunches with minimal wallowing.

Adding some firmness to the dampers changes the ride noticeably, but it’s still within the parameters of acceptable, the trade-off a more connected feeling to the road should you take your Formentor for a bit of a blast on some twisties.

The steering feels meaty, although not overly heavy, and offers a precision that makes for easy parking and navigating tight city streets.

The Spanish Volkswagen has landed in Australia and with an Iberian flair. In the Formentor, the Cupra brand has firmly established itself as an alternative to the Teutonic minimalism of Volkswagen and the quirky cleverness of Skoda.

From its dare-to-be-different styling outside to its copper-laced interior, the Cupra Formentor is a refreshing take on the medium SUV segment.

The added lure of three years’ complimentary servicing (on cars ordered before 31 December) makes this new entrant into the competitive medium SUV segment a real threat. Yes, there are more affordable vehicles from other brands in the segment, but few ply their trade with as much panache and style as the Formentor. That it drives, in this V trim level, almost as good as it looks is just icing on the cake.