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By Jonathan Crouch

We like the improved CUPRA Formentor. But will it be as appealing in e-HYBRID PHEV form? Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 65

The CUPRA performance brand struck out on its own with the Formentor, a lively Spanish take on the mid-sized performance SUV concept. This Coupe-Crossover will be a rare sight on our roads - and even rarer in this PHEV e-HYBRID plug-in form, but in this improved form, it deserves serious consideration from anyone prioritising efficiency and wanting something just a little different in this segment.

Backgroundword count: 153

When in 2018, Spanish maker SEAT announced that CUPRA would become a stand-alone brand, we were first served up merely a performance variant of the Iberian maker's Ateca Crossover. This Formentor model in contrast, launched in 2021, was a completely new design - well almost anyway. It did share a platform and some mechanicals with the Ateca, but everything else felt much more bespoke. Now, SEAT wants CUPRA to mean more, creating, in its words, 'a range of unique, sophisticated performance models designed to captivate car enthusiasts'. The idea here, says the company, is 'to create cars not founded in nostalgia but rooted in the present'. Presumably, that's meant to be a dig at directly competing brands like Alfa Romeo and MINI. But can those kinds of ambitions be realised with the extra weight and complexity of a PHEV system on board? Let's check out this much improved Formentor e-Hybrid and find out.

Driving Experienceword count: 185

There are two front-driven e-Hybrid PHEV plug-in derivatives, both now usefully improved and offering either 204 or 272PS. In both cases, a 150PS 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine (up from 1.4-litres before) is mated to a 6-speed DSG auto gearbox and an 85kW electric motor powered by a now-larger 19.7kWh lithium-ion battery with a WLTP-rated all-electric driving range now quoted at 70 miles - nearly double that of the previous 13.0kWh version of this model. Which of course you won't get anywhere near if you explore the quoted all-electric top speed of 80mph or start trying to throw the thing around too much (an extra kerb weight addition of up to 60kgs over a conventionally-engined Formentor discourages you from doing that anyway). There's a set of drive modes - 'Comfort', 'Sport' and 'CUPRA', the latter for those red mist moments. These set-ups determine throttle response, gearshift timings from the DSG 7-speed auto, steering feel and the level of artificial engine noise you'll want pumped into the cabin. An extra 'Individual' menu option allows you to set your own parameters if you don't like the pre-set ones.

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