Cupra Formentor Review: 'You might be able to stop looking, but I couldn't'
That paint job, in Century Bronze Matt, is spectacular in any light, looking rich and velvety in bright sunshine, feline and vaguely predatory when the clouds close in.
It's so tactile, you actually find your hand running along the side of the car before you open the door. Cupra Formentor. Pic: Cupra
In a country that loves grey cars, and once enjoyed a lengthy flirtation with silver, bronze actually is the real deal, coolly understated and wearing its luxury with unshowy confidence.
The only issue is that it is a €2,626 optional extra on top of the €59,135 base price of this plug-in hybrid Formentor (the standard petrol-only model costs €39,885, so it's not so much a price walk as a fairly lengthy trot).
Nor was it the only extra on my test car, because it also came with 19-inch Hailstorm copper machined alloy wheels (€1,641), an Immersive by Sennheiser 12-speaker system with subwoofer and amplifier (€704), Pure Performance pack with matrix LED Ultra lights and dynamic chassis control (€1,134), Progressive Design with leather seats, power front seats with driver memory (€1,154), Intelligent Drive DQ with side and exit assist, pre-crash assist, intelligent park assist, lane-keeping system plus, satnav, traffic jam assist and top view camera (€2,017), and Skyline pack with panoramic sunroof (€1,287).
That's an options list that comes to a pretty hefty €10,563. Yikes! Nevertheless, if you had the money, a few things on there are worth it.
The wheels, for starters, are the perfect accessories for the paint job, like a really well-coordinated shirt and tie. The sound system, because it's pretty spectacular, with lovely deep bass and elegant treble. The sunroof because, well, Ireland. Cupra Formentor. Pic: Cupra
The leather seats, which admittedly do look a little sullen, are livened up a bit by the bronze stitching. The cabin feels nice and roomy, even for the rear seat passengers, and there's a feed-through panel in the middle rear seat for items too long to fit in the 345-litre boot. The 12.9-inch infotainment screen is crystal clear, and there are physical sliders to adjust the three-zone cabin temperature, for which much thanks.
Standard equipment includes heated bucket seats up front (really, really comfortable), heated steering wheel, hands-free tailgate, 10.25-inch digital cockpit, wraparound interior lighting, rearview camera, front full LEDs, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and lots more.
The battery in this plug-in hybrid is 20 kWh, and will take two hours and 30 minutes to get from 0-100 per cent on a home wallbox, and 26 minutes from 10-80 per cent on a 50 kw public charger.
I've only ever charged plug-in hybrids at home, to be honest, because I know that when I'm driving an EV and need to charge it on the road, there's nothing more infuriating than finding a PHEV hogging one of the units when the driver could get home on petrol, and probably for a lot cheaper.
Cupra cites WLTP electric-only range of 118km, which I suppose might be possible, but at 100 per cent charge, my test car was projecting 83km, though after mostly motorway driving. Cupra Formentor. Pic: Cupra
As for performance, the electric motor and combustion engine combine to produce 272 hp, and that means a 0-100kph sprint of 7.2 seconds. The VZ in the name is 'veloz', the Spanish for speedy, and while that's a decent clip, it's not eyewateringly quick off the blocks.
To be honest, the best thing about the Formentor is driving it at a steady speed on the motorway, where it sits very nicely, delivers a decent flick of acceleration when needed, and smoothly utilises the six-speed DSG automatic box.
The suspension is very well calibrated for Irish roads, absorbing a lot of lumps and bumps without ever feeling unduly soft, so country roads present no problems of note.
This is a mid-life facelift that has refined the original design of the first standalone model from CUPRA after it became a boutique brand under the SEAT umbrella, and it has just the right amount of Catalan flair to mark it out as something rather special.
The lines and proportions are delightful, and the redesigned grille is attractive. Above all, though, the addition of the bronze paint job is what makes it exceptional, and a reminder that while many spend their lives going for gold, you don't have to seek glister when muted reflection is so much tastier.
CUPRA FORMENTOR VZ 1.5 TSI E-HYBRID PRICE €59,135; Model driven, €69,698 ENGINE 1.5-litre petrol BATTERY CAPACITY 20kWh ELECTRIC RANGE 118km POWER 272hp TRANSMISSION Six-speed DSG automatic 0-100KPH 7.2 seconds FUEL CONSUMPTION 4.8-5.4 l/100km
EMISSIONS 10g/km, €140 tax DIMENSIONS (MM) 4451 (L), 1839 (W, excl mirrors), 1537 (H)
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Irish Examiner
14-07-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cupra Terramar VZ review: A sleek hybrid SUV ready to rival the Tiguan and RAV4
Here at Examiner Motoring in the last while we have been banging on extensively about Cupra. 'Cup what?' is the response from most people, and, to be honest, it's been a pain in the ass to answer the most commonly asked question that comes our way: 'What are you driving this week?' Especially when the answer is: 'A Cupra.' Despite the fact the nameplate has been around for some time now (Cupra has been with us since 2018 as a standalone brand and they've sold over 650,000 of them across Europe), Irish people seem to be distinctly unaware of anything about it and, frankly, it's beginning to feel like I'm a one-man marketing campaign. To be fair, the company's arm here in Ireland – Cupra is a sub-brand of SEAT and owned by Volkswagen – they seem to have put a bit of a push on lately to get some attention and that's why we've tested so many of them this year alone. We're doing our best to help. This week we test the Cupra Terramar VZ PHEV, the company's latest entry into the mid-sized SUV market and which is based on the same VW Group platform as the VW Tiguan and Cupra's own Formentor. In a fiercely competitive market segment, this is a car aimed at propelling Cupra sales to new and unprecedented heights, but here in Ireland, the distributors are going to have to start throwing some serious gelt into a marketing campaign to broadcast the news that a), it actually exists; and b) it's a rather good product and not at all the niche thing people might think it to be. Cupra has actually laid a lot of store on its EV products – the Born and the Tavascan, as well as the forthcoming Raval – but it does make cars across a variety of drivetrains including MHEV, petrol and PHEV. The Terramar is offered with all three. Essentially, while the company does view EVs as its future, like most other companies, it has come to the broad realisation that many people are not yet ready – or willing – to become adopters. Consequently, the Terramar is supposed to be one of those transitional cars which will ease the public towards an electric future. It will eventually replace one of those cars which as a joint Cupra and SEAT identity – the Ateca; to that end it has some pretty heavy lifting to do, taking on such big sellers here such as the Toyota RAV4 and the Hyundai Tuscon, not to mention its near sibling, the VW Tiguan. New Cupra Terramar The Cupra adventure has been something of a novelty, but if there was one broad criticism to be thrown at the company, it is that there has been a bit of over-egging the pudding by producing a somewhat confusing model line-up filled largely with similar-sized SUVs. There is the Arona, the Tavascan, the Formentor and now the Terramar. 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Six-piston Akebono brakes are an advised option and work really well in tandem with two-valve shocks to give an assured feeling when you're kicking ass. This hybrid is heavy, though, and that becomes more noticeable the more you press on as the steering is ever so slightly vague. Compared to, say, the Tavascan, the Terramar's interior is slightly old-school (no swooping centre console struts here), but it is very well put together, and the overall vibe is classy. The infotainment system is excellent, and the optional Sennheiser sound system is fantastic. Like many cars in the segment, rear legroom is a little tight, and the boot space (400-490 litres) is compromised a bit by all the hybrid baggage you have to carry around. All told, then the Terramar is possibly the least exciting of all the Cupra models we've recently tried. Given that the company's stated intent is to offer a product which is both different and infused with what might be called Cupra's 'enthusiastic DNA,' this seems a touch off-message. Oddly, however, that might make it appeal to a broader audience than some of its fellows, particularly so for the excellent ride and handling, extensive technology and its frugality. Even though so many folk profess to know nothing about Cupra, the brand is slowly but surely gaining traction. Its very distinctive styling and premium build quality are very evident here as with other models, but just not as much in your face. That it is competitively priced and not thrown in among the premium sharks will further enhance its potential popularity. But the basic advice here is that if you've not heard of the brand, then the Terramar is a really good place to start looking. You will be very pleasantly surprised. Read More 41662784[#embed10]
Irish Times
11-06-2025
- Irish Times
Cupra's Terramar two-engined hybrid leaves us in two minds
Generally speaking, after a week spent testing a car, we can come to a conclusion. That is, after all, the job. Take new car, assess new car, rate new car, rinse and repeat. When it comes to the new Cupra Terramar, however, we're still very much in two minds... It starts with a continuing difficulty for the Cupra brand. It is, by lineage, a sportier Seat , which is fine, but in the seven years since Cupra was spun off from Seat as a separate, stand-alone brand, it has become distinctly expensive and yet is still a brand without a solid, graspable identity. Clearly, it's meant to fulfil the late Ferdinand Piech's desire for the VW Group to have a sporty, desirable, 'Spanish Alfa Romeo ' within its ranks, but while Alfa has more than a century of glories and glorious failures behind it, Cupra just has some quick Seats in the back catalogue. Then again, the brand is a success. Across Europe, Cupra is doing well, taking the same basic mechanical bits and pieces that would once have been sold as a sharply-priced Seat, but which can now be repackaged into a quasi-premium machine that can be sold with a higher purchase price and therefore a chunkier profit margin. READ MORE Then again, that higher price brings with it its own problems, as we shall see ... This new Cupra Terramar is the brand's latest model, and it's effectively the replacement for the ageing Cupra Ateca. Based on the Seat Ateca, the Cupra model only ever came in 300hp turbo petrol four-wheel drive form and, to be honest, it wasn't a bundle of fun. Quick, yes, but actually, seriously good to drive? Not really. The Terramar follows the Ateca's basic recipe by being based on the same mechanical package as a contemporary Volkswagen Tiguan, but this time there's a full breadth of engines on offer, from a basic 1.5-litre 150hp turbo to this 272hp plug-in high-performance hybrid. 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Power: 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine plus 85kW e-motor developing 150hp and 250Nm of torque, powering the front wheels via a single-seed automatic transmission. CO2 emissions (annual motor tax) 10g/km (€140). Fuel consumption: 0.5-l/100km (WLTP); 6.2-l/100km (observed) Electric range: 118km (WLTP) 0-100km/h: 8.3 sec. Price: €63,578 as tested, Terramar starts from €44,100. Our rating: 3/5. Verdict: A mixed result – the Terramar has a good hybrid system and it's decent to drive, but it lacks a touch of magic.
Irish Examiner
24-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Cupra Tavascan review: sleek electric SUV impresses with sporty drive and standout design
Cupra will be a 'name' in due course, but right now not enough people know about it Brand recognition is a vital component of any manufacturer's raison d'etre and the motoring sphere is no different from any other endeavour where selling to Joe and Jane Public is essential to success. But if Jane and Joe have no idea about your product line-up, then you're in a spot of bother. For Cupra, the SEAT sub-brand for which the parent Volkswagen Group has lofty ideas, that's a big issue right now. Factor in the intention of its VW masters to launch Cupra as a standalone marque to the US within the next decade, then brand recognition becomes altogether more important for those charged with making it a success. As we have pointed out on numerous occasions when writing about this excellent new brand, this lack of public awareness about the marque and its products is both bewildering and dumb. If you're not out there pushing the metal, then the metal is not going to sell itself. And the thing is that Cupra does have a lot to say about itself – excellent model line-up, competitive pricing and individual product which is as good as if not better than that of the parent company. Indeed – and it has been obvious for some time – that subsidiary companies such as Skoda, SEAT and now Cupra are if not necessarily leaving equivalent VW products looking dull and uninspired by comparison with what they are making, then they are certainly making better cars. But, the reason why Cupra – with its 'four-legged spider' logo and copper-coloured body inserts and alloy wheels – has come into existence is, in reality, because the powers that be in Wolfsburg realised that it was probably going to be impossible to change the brand perception that accompanies the SEAT brand. Sadly, the Spanish marque, has always been associated with the lower end of the market and no end of brand manipulation was going to change that perception. So, what to do? 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Cupra Tavascan stylish interior There is an element of drama about the car's appearance and its looks purposeful and modern, despite the fact the designers have relied heavily on older design tropes (clam-shell-y bonnet, Avant Garde light clusters front and rear), fat wheel arches and swoopy creases and folds along the flanks). The interior too dares to be different and is, nominally, a feast for the eyes. There's a unique Y-shaped element which emerges from the centre console between the front seats and melds into the dash and creates a futuristic vibe. On the one hand, this design's adventurousness is daring and different; on the other, it is let down by the materials used to create it, but more of that later. Passenger space is very generous — especially for those in the rear where neither head or leg room are compromised by the supposed 'coupe' look or the panoramic roof — and the boot is huge too. The one caveat is that the materials used – despite plenty of eye-catching copper inserts – don't feel as premium as they might. They are too hard and scratchy for the premium feel that is being sought here. Otherwise, the seats are fantastically comfortable and the tech levels – including the huge 15' touchscreen – are very impressive, although we would have liked a non-integrated climate system and button controls for same. But stuff like the Sennheiser stereo system also adds heft to the package. Driving it, however, is where its winning character comes into play – it's a hoot. Now, that's not something we've often said about EVs; sure, some of them are light-switch fast, but most don't have the handling nous necessary to make that palatable. This one does. The engineers have done a thorough job on the front and rear suspensions – MacPherson struts at the front and multi-link rear setups – have been finely calibrated and it shows. This thing handles like the sporty entity Cupra wanted it to be and not like your regular sloppy mid-sized SUV. With the steering having been specially engineered to provide more driver feel and engagement and, allied with the suspension tuning, the Tavascan packs the necessary ride and handling punch to please even the most demanding driver. The all-new Cupra Tavascan Work has also been done to give heft to the braking system – something we found to be wanting on the recently reviewed Born. Here, they are reassuringly responsive and do their job well. Add that to 286 bhp whack coming from the 210-kW electric motor – powering the rear wheels – on our 'Endurance 6' specced model and you have something very engaging indeed – much moreso than either the excellent Skoda Enyaq or the disappointing Volkswagen ID.3. There are, of course, a choice of driving modes – and you even get a 'Cupra' button t-on the steering wheel which promises more grunt but doesn't really deliver much. As is so often with EVs these days, you're best off sticking it in 'comfort' mode and leaving it at that. But then you've got the Tavascan's range and re-charging prowess, both of which are impressive. The official range is 546km, but you can feel certain you'll get close to 500 km at least without being overly careful, while the 20-80% charging takes about half-an-hour. So far, so good. So, what are the downsides? Well, this car is actually made in China and therefore subject to EU tariffs introduced last year – even before 'Tariff' Trump swung into action. That makes it quite an expensive car for the mid-size SUV segment, but we can expect to see some inventive sales pitches here to soften that blow somewhat. The other downside is the quality of the interior materials; for a supposedly premium vehicle, they're just not up to the job and detract from what is an otherwise excellent package. Once more with a Cupra product, we have something here which is tantalisingly close to being a five-star product but falls just shy. That they're getting so close to excellence promises much for the brand and its future. This 'experiment' gets more interesting by the day – now all they need is for the general public to actually know and understand what they're up to. Read More Opel Grandland EV review: electric SUV offers good range and undercuts hybrids on price
