Cupra Formentor

Living proof that ‘crossover’ isn’t always a dirty word

WHEN ARRIVING AT A FAR-OFF photoshoot location in the early morning, guided by nothing more than a pin on Google Maps to what sometimes feels like the middle of nowhere, there are few more comforting sights than photographer Aston Parrott’s car sitting on the verge awaiting your arrival. It’s only then you’re sure you haven’t just driven four hours in entirely the wrong direction.

For the last few months that car has been a Cupra Formentor, and, having followed it and driven it a few times, it feels like it might just have cracked the crossover code. OK, so ‘crossover’ may be a pejorative word in the evo lexicon, but car photoshoots can occasionally be less about the thrill of driving and more about the thrill of finding a suitable U-turn location. And this is where the Cupra’s extra bit of ride height and plump tyre sidewalls can look awfully appealing, especially from the driving seat of the low-slung sports car on test that has to make that same U-turn.

Yet, unlike a traditional SUV, the Formentor doesn’t give too much away in outright ability or driving enjoyment to a more conventional performance five-door. Rather than feeling like a compromise, the extra height instead drives a different character – a feat not easily achieved by a car based on the VW Group’s MQB platform.

A bonus to this is the Cupra’s design, which to my eyes looks dynamic, distinctive and attractive, and an interior that, while saddled with a fussy infotainment system and infuriating sliders for temperatures and volume, is otherwise top notch.

So there you are. I like this crossover. Stu, you’ll have my resignation on your desk in the morning.

Date acquired January 2021 Total mileage 3207 Mileage this month 1101 Costs this month £0 mpg this month 30.1