Cupra’s lively Formentor underplays the wow factor

One of the best things you can say about a car these days is that it is different. So I’ll say it: the Cupra Formentor is different, though not without its blemishes. Cupra used to be an appendage to Seat. It is now a standalone brand. And the Formentor is a compact Cupra SUV with a number of engine options (1.5-litre petrol, 2-litre diesel, 1.4-litre plug-in among them).

My test car was the bells-and-whistles version with a 2-litre petrol engine, a huge 310hp reserve of power, all-wheel-drive and a price that starts from €64,425. Cheap and cheerful it most certainly is not.

Eye-catching it most certainly is, especially with my car’s unusual matt finish. One great thing about something so new is that it simply has to be original in design and style; otherwise it’s just one of the herd.

With the Formentor, Cupra worked hard on those aspects and largely succeeded in showing a strong streak of individualism. It’s got tightly sculpted lines, bumps of muscle and a sharply raked rear profile. You couldn’t be blamed for thinking it was inspired by Lamborghini.

Of course, it draws heavily from the Volkswagen group’s selection box — as does the Spanish brand Seat with which it has been so closely aligned. But it manages to impose its own take on the end result.

The cabin, with its copper-stitched leather dash and sports seats, was ultra smart and tasty. Indeed, the interior is a lesson in mixing the practical (large cabin) and the tokens of performance with the copper Cupra emblem coming at you from the steering wheel and the dash helpfully laid out. As a combination, it worked and worked well.

There was, for example, a surprising amount of rear-seat room for knees, elbows and heads. And there was a decent-sized boot.

I liked the way the dash wrapped around the driver and the ease of use of the huge (12in) central infotainment display.

The height of the bonnet — it is surprisingly dominant from inside — gave me a choice of sitting low and peering while enjoying the feeling of being ‘part’ of the driving dynamic or raising for better vision and maybe missing out a little on the inner ‘feel’ of the car.

As the performance flagship of the burgeoning brand — other models in the Formentor range are of a more practical nature — my test model has more challenges to face down, the main one being how it performed on the road.

The 0-100kmh figures of 4.9 seconds whetted the appetite but, while I don’t dispute the official calibration, I didn’t get the feeling of such zest when I tried to exploit it.

The car was lively, for sure, and with steering-wheel paddles to apportion power bursts, I pushed the revs high (6,500rpm is the red line). Yes, the upper legal limit was quickly reached yet I didn’t have the sense of excitement I anticipated from such a ‘launch’. It was a managed rather than a madcap velocity.

I’m saying that as a criticism. Others might take pride in the fact that the four-wheel-drive and excellent chassis combination so adroitly managed the propulsion. They are entitled to their viewpoint but if I’m going to spend €64,000-plus on a car, I want my share of wow.

I have to say the level of grip was exceptional. I found it nearly impossible to disrupt its sure-footed stride. What a generator of confidence that was.

The show-off in me also wanted a bit more engine ‘noise’. Just as with its sprinting prowess, my Formentor model underplayed it. Maybe, shallow character that I am, I would have better associated the sound (even if digitally enhanced) with petrol power being consumed and dispensed. I think something as apparently small as giving the exhausts a noisier edge could make quite a difference. And (shallow character again) it would let people know I was driving something different.

On less fanciful matters... it was a smooth drive and being that bit taller than your everyday crossover, I enjoyed great visibility (yes, I ratcheted up my seat). I think it worth pointing out that its superb handling is testament to the first-rate engineering because taller vehicles can often suffer from bodyroll.

Would I buy it? I would for the styling, the look of it, the ease and comfort, the cabin. Yet if I were spending that sort of money, I’d want to feel, as well as know, the powerful machine I had at my command. But if you want something quite different without being outrageous, it is definitely an option.

Facts & Figures: Cupra Formentor

Compact SUV; from €37,135. Car tested (2-litre 310hp DSG 4drive 7spd auto) from €64,425. Tax from €140; test car €790. Standard spec includes: 3-zone air con, sports bucket seats, 19in alloys, drive profile, dynamic chassis control, park assist, 12in display, adaptive cruise control, digital cockpit. Options include: matt paint, BeatsAudio.