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It takes two to Tango - Cupra Formentor
The Formentor will be the first completely independent Cupra to double the volume of Seat's new sister brand next year. Since 2018, Cupra has not only stood as a name affix for the spearheads of the Spanish Volkswagen subsidiary, but with a growth rate of more than 70 percent for the success of independent, hot-blooded sportiness from Matorell. Autohub has tested how potent the SUV coupé with 310 hp shows under the hood.
Olé. The racy Spaniard invites you to dance.
But not the wistful sound of guitars should serve as the acoustic background, but the hoarse sound from the tailpipes of the well-built 4,45 meter long crossover. Its beefy front, broad shoulders, distinctive folds and edges and the beautifully curved back with coupe look just as little fail to have an effect as the abbreviation VZ, with which the Cupra Formentor also vies for favor. It stands for “veloz”, which means “fast”. This is the name of all Cupra models with more than 245 hp in the future.
Copper is the typical shade of Cupra
After the already promising optical opening, you will nestle in the well-arranged digital cockpit with its lush 12-inch touchscreen, tight-fitting bucket seats. They are comfortable with proper lateral support and decorated with copper-colored seams. This typical Cupra color is not only pleasing to the eye on the steering wheel and as a logo in the distinctive radiator grille, but can also be found in the rims, on the Bremo brakes and various decorative elements inside the Formentor. There is enough space for elbows and head at the front and back, and with at least 420 to 1475 liters of luggage space, the Formentor is suitable for most uses.
The Cupra button in the steering wheel awakens the wild in the Formentor
One press of the start button integrated into the steering wheel on the right and the 2,0 liter turbo gasoline engine clears its throat. Via the Cupra button on the left of the steering wheel, the wild in the Formentor wakes up in the mode of the same name, which is based on the VW Group's modular transverse matrix (MBQ) and shares the technology with the Tiguan and Ateca, among others. On the closed practice area near Munich, the proud Spaniard laid a serious promenade on the asphalt from a standing start to 4,9 km / h within 100 seconds.
400 Newton meters promise a rapid sequence of steps
Anyone who dances tango with the Cupra Formentor in Cupra mode lets themselves into a rapid sequence of steps. 400 Newton meters are quickly sorted electronically via a seven-speed dual clutch transmission and distributed to all four wheels. When you take off the gas, the four-pipe exhaust system bubbles out, and when you downshift it pops audibly - who cares that “only” one sound flap is responsible for it. On the long straight, after a courageous step on the gas pedal, it presses you deep into the seat. Man and machine become one. In the next moment, the Brembo brakes (subject to a surcharge) grip in good time and reliably before the next right-hand bend.
The "slider" controls could react faster
If it has become too hot now, you have to be very patient with the "slider" control when setting the desired internal temperature, which initially stubbornly resists any attempt to operate it. Maybe it's enough to just take a deep breath and slow down a bit. Out of Munich it stays on the wet road, which admonishes with autumn leaves to drive carefully, anyway in the civil "normal" driving mode. Then the Formentor mutates into a comfortably sprung galan with restrained acoustics, without losing any of its agility.
Standard consumption remains an illusion
The attempt to use the DCC touch slider in individual mode - in addition to the fifth driving mode for off-road use - to combine a sporty set-up of chassis and dampers with the ecologically valuable attitudes of the eco mode remains honorable. Nevertheless, it will hardly be possible to tame the consumption of the potent two-liter four-cylinder turbo to the specified standard consumption of 7,7 liters. Even the already announced five-cylinder will by no means be a food lover.
Also available with more moderate engines
But the Cupra Formentor is also available with more moderate drives. The 150 hp 1,5 liter TSI with front-wheel drive is now starting.
For the coming year, Cupra has announced two plug-in hybrids with 204 HP and 245 HP system output and in a year the Cupra El Born, the brand's first all-electric model, will arrive. The driven Cupra Formentor with 310 hp costs from 43.935 euros. Also on board are the adaptive chassis, an extensive driver assistance package, a heated multifunction steering wheel, automatic air conditioning, LED headlights and a reversing camera.
Solveig Grewe for Autohub