Cupra Formentor long-term test

The car Cupra Formentor VZ First Edition 1.5 e-Hybrid DSG 272PS | Run by Darren Moss, deputy digital editor

Why it’s here To prove that plug-in hybrid technology can lead to driving fun, as well as efficiency

Needs to Be frugal, comfortable for long trips, practical for children and able to function as a mobile office

Mileage 1544 List price £51,790 Target Price £47,790 Price as tested £53,825 Test economy 53.2mpg Official economy 585mpg 

9 November 2024 – Bed, boot and beyond

Like Peter Parker discovering his latent superhero powers as Spider-Man, I’ve recently been finding that I’m a lot more practical than I’d thought. You see, after years of owning a tool box with no idea about how to use its contents, my partner decided that she’d like to liberate some space in her spare bedroom, which meant I was dispatched to dismantle an old bed frame.

I set to work with a hammer and Allen key, and before long was left with a pile of scrap metal, wooden slats and bolts to get rid of in the boot of my Cupra Formentor.

I will admit to feeling a bit worried, because on paper my car's boot can fit less than that of a Volkswagen Golf hatchback. The reason: I've got one of the plug-in hybrid Formentors, so some luggage space is given over to the drive battery. In our road test, we fitted just five carry-on suitcases – so, how would it cope with the bed frame?

The answer, surprisingly, was rather well. We lowered the rear bench of the Cupra by using the handles on either side of the rear seats. The bench splits and folds in a 60/40 configuration – handy, but it’s worth noting that the rival Audi Q3 and Volkswagen Tiguan offer seats which split in a more practical 40/20/40 configuration.

Most of the elements of the bedframe were long and thin pieces of metal, and although the longest stretched from the boot through to the front of the car, it did all fit. And as we set off to the local recycling centre, I was impressed with how much the Formentor had been able to swallow. There was even enough space to carry my toolbox, plus the two charging cable bags which allow my car to be topped up either by public charger or, in an emergency, three-pin plug.

I gingerly drove to the recycling centre, wary of the rattling metal in the back of my nearly-new car, and of the scratches any sharp edges might cause, and on arrival opened the powered boot lid to unload it all. It’s astonishing how quickly simple features becomes something you’d miss if they weren't there, and that’s how I feel about the Formentor’s electric lid. It’s standard-fit on all but the entry-level Formentor.

All in, then, the Formentor is already proving itself to be a bit of a hero.

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