Cupra Formentor: the first of its kind | Tyrolean daily newspaper online

Innsbruck – The name “Cupra” was previously only known as a nickname for particularly sporty Seat models. But now the name affix is ​​becoming an independent brand. The Cupra Formentor – the Catalans’ first completely redeveloped model – makes the start and our test car made it clear where the journey should go – away from the mainstream and towards a new casualness.

For a compact SUV, the Formentor is relatively flat. This makes the vehicle look significantly longer and sportier. The Cupra styling with the copper-colored accents and the matt blue paintwork is also striking and successful. The roof slopes gently like a coupé. At the rear, a conspicuous strip of light connects the rear lights. In combination with the beefy front and the aggressively drawn lights, the Cupra Formentor will leave the right impression in the rear-view mirrors of the competition. There is nothing to complain about inside our test car either. The sporty, tight bucket seats receive us skilfully. The surrounding ambient lighting not only ensures the right mood, it also serves as a display for the blind spot assistant. Infotainment content can be controlled either with voice, gestures or via the 12-inch touchscreen. The ultra-modern set is rounded off by the digital displays in the cockpit, which can be completely adapted to your needs.

It only gets really interesting when you press the start button on the steering wheel and bring the four-cylinder petrol engine – in our case 310 hp – to life. The Cupra Formentor really does its job thanks to the maximum torque of 400 Newton meters, which the four-cylinder distributes across all four 19-inch models. The Spaniard completes the sprint to 100 km / h in under 5 seconds and the forward thrust is electronically limited at 250 km / h. But the Formentor is really fun on the hunt for curves and that in Cupra mode, which can be activated by pressing a button on the steering wheel. Then the Catalan tenses his muscles, hangs even more directly on the gas pedal and adjusts the adaptive dampers accordingly. The fun is accompanied by the artificial eight-cylinder engine sound.

With all the sportiness, however, it is noticeable that the Spaniard always retains a bit of comfort. The engine runs extremely well and the chassis is firm, but not hard. The bottom line is that the Cupra Formentor can definitely be described as a successful start for the cool VW subsidiary. If you want to stand out from the crowd with the Formentor, you should have at least 32,970 euros in your account. The Cupra VZ variant we tested then costs at least 50,990 euros.