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2022 Cupra Formentor e-Hybrid: specs and prices

The SEAT spinoff brand's high-performance plug-in hybrid SUV now starts from £36,170; choice of either 201 or 242bhp powertrain, with a maximum pure-electric range of 37 miles

Cupra Formentor hybrid

Cupra has announced new pricing for the Cupra Formentor e-Hybrid for the 2022 model year. The base 201bhp variant of the plug-in SUV now starts from £36,170 in V1 trim and £38,080 in V2 trim. Meanwhile, the more powerful 242bhp variant costs £38,915 in VZ1 trim and £40,560 in VZ2 trim.

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For 2022, all Formentors are available in two new metallic paint colours: Nevada White and Asphalt Blue, and those with automatic transmissions – including all the e-Hybrid models – come with a heated steering wheel as standard. A Beats sound system is also now available as an optional extra on all Formentors. An electric tailgate is now an option on the V1 and V2 trims, as is a top-view camera for higher-spec VZ1 and VZ2 cars.

The Formentor’s styling remains the same, with sharp, sporty lines and the now-ubiquitous Cupra copper-coloured trim. Both the 201 and 242bhp powertrains also continue to use a 1.4-litre petrol engine coupled with an electric motor, with a maximum pure-electric driving range of 34 to 37 miles depending on which trim level you select.

Prices & equipment

The Formentor V1 comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a digital driver's display and 12-inch infotainment screen with smartphone integration and wireless phone charging. Ambient lighting, sports seats with copper stitching and rear parking sensors are included, too.

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There’s also lots of standard safety kit, like adaptive cruise control, road-sign recognition and high-beam assist. A panoramic sunroof, Cupra’s 'Safety and Driving Pack XL' and a wide range of paint colours, including two matte finishes, are available as optional extras.

Upgrading to the V2 trim adds 19-inch alloy wheels, Nappa leather and heated front seats, plus front parking sensors and a reversing camera. Petrol-blue upholstery is available as an option on V2 cars as well.

The VZ1 trim not only gets the more potent powertrain, but also comes with dynamic chassis control, sports suspension and speed-sensitive power steering, plus a powered tailgate and Cupra’s 'Safety and Driving Pack L', with road-sign display, high-beam assist and blind-spot monitoring, as standard.

Finally, the VZ2 is the highest-spec model available with the e-Hybrid powertrain. It adds to the VZ1 with Nappa leather bucket seats, a heated multifunction steering wheel with driving mode selector and Cupra’s 'Safety and Driving Pack XL'. The upgraded safety pack includes lane-changing assistance and semi-autonomous emergency assistance.

Engine, battery, performance, fuel economy & CO2

Like the Cupra Leon hot hatchback, the Formentor is powered by a choice of powertrains – plug-in hybrid or purely petrol. The entry-level Formentor e-Hybrid uses a 1.4-litre petrol engine and an electric motor for a combined power output of 201bhp and 330Nm of torque. V1 and V2 Formentor e-Hybrids can accelerate from 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds, and will reach a top speed of 127mph.

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V1 and V2 e-Hybrid models use a 12.8kWh battery pack, making both capable of 37 miles of pure-electric driving. As a result, the V1 and V2 Formentor e-Hybrid can return 235.4mpg fuel economy and CO2 emissions as low as 27g/km, allowing the plug-in hybrid SUV to qualify for 11% Benefit-in-Kind company-car tax. 

The more expensive VZ1 and VZ2 e-Hybrid models get a 242bhp and 400Nm of torque  version of the same powertrain, capable of 0-62mph in seven seconds and a top speed of 130mph. They use the same 12.8kWh battery, but these models only have a 34-mile electric range. Official fuel economy for the 242bhp Formentor e-Hybrids is 177-188mpg, while their corresponding CO2 emissions are 33-35g/km. The 242bhp models also qualify for the 11% BiK rate, meaning 20% taxpayers will only have to pay £849 a year in company-car tax.

All Formentor e-Hybrids use the same six-speed DSG gearbox, which sends the power to the front wheels only, as four-wheel drive is only available on top-spec petrol models. To charge the Formentor from 0-100% will take three and a half hours using a home wallbox charger, but can take almost six hours using a conventional three-pin plug-socket.

Technology & safety

The Formentor gets the brand’s Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) drive-mode selection system in VZ1 trim and above. It monitors the road surface and driver inputs to make changes to the car’s suspension, steering and power delivery. Four modes are offered: Comfort, Sport, Cupra and Individual.

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Inside, a 12-inch infotainment system takes pride of place on the floating dashboard, complete with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity. A number of USB-C ports allow owners of modern smartphones to connect to the system, while a built-in SIM card allows for the use of Cupra’s eCall service, which can automatically contact emergency services in the event of an accident.

Plug-in hybrid Formentors get an e-Manager system, which can be used to control the car’s charging or pre-heat or cool the interior, all with smartphone integration through a dedicated app. Up-to-date driver assistance and active safety features include Predictive Active Cruise Control (PACC), which uses sat-nav and camera data to adjust speed for corners, roundabouts and other road features – along with blind-spot monitoring and 'Exit Assist', which gives an audio warning to passengers opening doors into traffic.

In addition to the Formentor, Cupra has unveiled a fully electric concept car called the Tavascan and will have its own version of the Volkswagen ID.3 electric hatchback in the shape of the Cupra Born. Cupra's parent brand SEAT also offers a plug-in hybrid version of the latest Leon family hatchback.

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Welcome one and all, I’m Ellis the news reporter on Auto Express, the brand’s former online reviews editor and contributor to DrivingElectric. I’m proud to say I cut my teeth reporting and reviewing all things EV as the content editor on DrivingElectric. I joined the team while completing my master’s degree in automotive journalism at Coventry University and since then I’ve driven just about every electric car and hybrid I could get my hands on.

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