Another 800 miles in Cupra’s is-it-a-coupe-is-it-an-SUV-is-it-a-crossover? Formentor over the last few weeks and I have finally relented and switched off the incredibly sensitive voice assist! I don’t mind a little intervention from modern cars – as editor John Challen referenced in the latest issue of Fleet World (July 2023) – but this was just getting too much.

If I’m having a conversation with a passenger, I don’t normally expect every other sentence to be interrupted with “What would you like to do?” or some such pleasantries. Singing along to a particular song, heading to a supplier recently on the motorway, seemed to have the same effect. Possibly because a line in it sounded similar to the “Hola, hola” prompt to wake up the voice assist. However, the function can still be accessed via the multi-function steering wheel, which is much better for my concentration (read, sanity) and overall safety.

Why am I dwelling on an issue that might seem trivial to some? Well, the Formentor is just so able in every other respect that I’ve resorted to nit-picking in an effort to provide some balance. The reality is, it’s hard to fault as an ICE-powered company car. It may not be able to provide the ultra-low Benefit-in-Kind tax that the latest PHEVs and BEVs offer (£199 per month in BiK vs £13 per month for our previous Cupra Born, for a 20% taxpayer) but it is on a par with rival ICE vehicles in this respect.

By way of further comparison, Formentor in plug-in hybrid guise commands a 12% BiK tax rate (against 36% for our 1.5 TSI 150ps DSG model and 34% for the manual version) and would save a company car driver around £130 per month in BiK, despite a P11D price north of £40k. There are also 2.0 TSI 190hp, 245hp and 310hp versions, all with DSG only. In short, fleets have several options in the Cupra range to choose from to suit their individual requirements (and tax liabilities).

One final point on the styling, which I referenced in our first report. A colleague’s 12-year-old vehicle-savvy son posed a question about our long-term test car, asking why all family cars sold today don’t look as ‘cool’ as the Cupra. I know styling and kerb-appeal is hugely subjective but I didn’t really have an answer for him. Perspectives like this bode well for the brand though, especially as there will be ICE-powered Formentors vying for user-chooser attention for a long time to come.

Cupra’s Formentor continues to impress

Report 3:

I said in my previous report that since hitting 2,000 miles in the Formentor, it had freed up noticeably – and so this continues, with that average mpg figure nudging even higher than the official WLTP benchmark.

A thousand miles on and my admiration for the Cupra as an all-rounder continues to grow. Familiarity is breeding content and I’m now used to the relatively firm ride and am still enjoying the terrifically supportive front seats.

In fact, the interior as a whole is an excellent place to be. Stylised, for sure, but ergonomically straightforward and everything is where it should be. As on other Cupras (and some rivals’ touchscreens) the lack of actual buttons for the infotainment will polarise opinion but once you get used to this, it becomes second nature.

I’m still not entirely convinced the sat-nav takes me the optimum route each time – frequently opting for the long route (because it’s a millisecond shorter in time) and occasionally getting confused by new road layouts too.

It sounds like a minor gripe but I think Google Maps on my phone does a better job, so I find myself sanity-checking there for unfamiliar journeys.
A couple of those trips recently have involved 6-footers in the back seats, where both head and legroom are as they should be. Another feather in the Formentor’s all-rounder cap.

Cupra’s distinctive badge is gaining recognition

Report 2:

Having driven Cupra models of one form or another for the last three years or so, it still surprises me, despite my best efforts, how uninitiated the general public are about the brand. Sure, there is a growing recognition, and the styling and in particular the distinctive Cupra logo almost always meet universal approval, but cars like the Formentor still seem a little under the radar. This is even more surprising given the increasing numbers I keep seeing on the roads.

That suits me fine, and represents a welcome departure from the more ubiquitous premium brands, and it most definitely feels premium. 2,000 miles into the Formentor’s time with us, it’s still great to drive and, if the upwardly-mobile mpg figure is anything to go by, the 1.5-litre engine is loosening up nicely. A recent journey saw nearly 60mpg which was pretty unexpected, but most drivers will likely return 35-40mpg on a daily mixed-usage basis.

The 150ps engine is a good match for the 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox, though with five-up and laden with kit, the Formentor can feel a little flat when accelerating near the motorway speed limit. It’s a minor point, and no doubt the extra oomph of the 190ps 4Drive model higher up the range would solve this issue, but then it should do for an extra £3k initial outlay.

And talking of issues, I’ve tried to subdue to the voice control that keeps joining in with my conversations, without success. More fine-tuning is required there, but no doubt it will turn out to be operator error. Much like when I recently parked under a tree full of birds, and realised that Nevada White looks a lot better when it’s clean.

The Formentor’s styling still looks as sharp as when it first arrived on UK roads.

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