POWER POTENTIAL
The Cupra Formentor V e-Hybrid plug-in aims to be both sensible and sporty
When Cupra was first spun off Seat as a subbrand of the Spanish carmaker, it was intended to be a more exclusive performance brand, hawking hotted-up versions of Seat vehicles (a Spanish HSV, if you like) and was even slated to get its own stand-alone model not related to an existing Seat.
Originally intended to be a Seat as well, the success of Cupra emboldened the wider VW Group to make it a Cupra exclusive. Which was fine and all, but what of the cooking variants that would have been destined to wear a Seat badge?
Well, they would become Cupras too, kicking off the quickest devaluation of a dedicated performance brand into more mainstream products ever. Not that this is a terrible thing, as the lesser versions of the Formentor are very nice, and bring all the sharp-edged, coppertinged coolness of the hot versions down to a more affordable price point. But, still . . .
The Formentor line-up consisted of the hot VZ, with its
228kW/400Nm version of the VW Group’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine and AWD (think VW Golf R), while a lesser
140kW/320Nm AWD V 4Drive model and 110kW/250Nm 1.5-litre turbo petrol were also introduced early on.
Now a plug-in hybrid version has been added to the line-up that, on paper, bridges the gap between the hot VZ and more modestly powered versions. The V e-Hybrid packs a 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an
85kW/330Nm electric motor hooked up to a 12.8kWh battery for a total system output of 180kW and 400Nm, with an all-electric range of around 53km.
While this sounds close to the VZ, the fact that the e-Hybrid is FWD and weighs almost 100kg more than the VZ, means that its performance is similar to that of the V 4Drive.
All of which means it is a very nice small SUV with perfectly adequate performance and a decent electric-only range that could easily see you using no petrol whatsoever in the daily commute, while also packing some sharp looks that make it stand out from other similar VW Group vehicles that share its platform and powertrain.
Thankfully Cupra’s sportier pretensions shine through in a package that could well threaten to be otherwise somewhat generic, with a firm and sporty suspension set-up that gives the e-Hybrid a sharp, nimble chassis, while the steering is accurate and nicely responsive.
This agile, sporty nature elevates the Formentor above more vanilla offerings on the same platform, upholding the brand’s sporty USP — at least tenuously — and making it a satisfyingly engaging car to drive, either around town or out on the open road. The e-Hybrid also gets the full Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) that the hot VZ packs, giving it an advantage over the V models in terms of handling and ride.
The hybrid powertrain’s big advantage in both situations is the shove that the almost ever-present torque provides across its rev range, which relegates the electric-only running to a nice bonus.
On the inside, all the expected Cupra features are present: a modern and attractive dash with plenty of copper highlights, supportive and comfortable seats trimmed with quality fabric and leather inserts (or fancy full leather with copper stitching for an additional $2100), a stubby little gearlever and an infuriatingly convoluted infotainment system that, admittedly, does get easier to use with familiarity, but is an absolute mind-boggler to begin with.
When Cupra first launched the e-Hybrid, it was a rather unpalatable $78,900, making it $5000 dearer that the cooking VZ version.
However, it is currently available for $69,900, which is easier to swallow, but still a good $12k more than the V 4Drive.
To be fair though, it is worth the extra to get the added electric assistance, fat torque spread and DCC, even if the extra power doesn’t bring much in the way of extra performance.