Used Cupra Formentor cars for sale

Q: Is the Cupra Formentor an SUV?

Yes, the Cupra Formentor is an SUV . However, despite having the raised ride height and high driving position common with SUVs, it has a sloping roof at the rear that gives it an almost coupe-like appearance.

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Used Cupra Formentor pros and cons

Great fun to drive
Alternatives have bigger boots
Interior looks good and is well made
Clunky infotainment
Wide range of engines to choose from
Questionable reliability

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Is a second hand Cupra Formentor a good car?

The Cupra Formentor is a stylish SUV that’s designed to appeal to keen drivers who want something fun to drive on their favourite road that’s also practical enough for daily life.

It looks fantastic, with its sharp edges angled towards the large front grille giving it an aggressive appearance. It looks a bit more conventional inside, but still more interesting than the likes of the SEAT Ateca and Volkswagen T-Roc.

You get a big infotainment screen on the dashboard, which has crisp graphics, but it can be a bit sluggish to respond and the touch-sensitive sliders beneath it are awkward to use.

It’s reasonably roomy inside, and the boot isn’t too bad at 450 litres, but you get a lot more space in less sporty-looking alternatives such as the Kia Sportage and Skoda Karoq.

Those models can’t match the Cupra Formentor for driving thrills, though. Get it on a country road and it's a genuinely fun thing to pilot through corners, particularly if you go for one of the more powerful engines – up to 310hp is available, which is hot hatch territory.

That being said, if you’re more worried about keeping running costs low you could consider a plug-in hybrid, though these are only cheap if you keep the batteries charged up and maximise use of the electric motors. Otherwise there’s a 1.5-litre petrol, which isn’t particularly exciting but will be affordable to run.

What to look for when buying a used Cupra Formentor

Reliability does not appear to be the Cupra Formentor’s strong point. There are no horror stories to make you want to give it a wide berth at all costs, but there are enough minor complaints to consider.

The first is that there have been a number of recalls since the Formentor was introduced, so you need to make sure they’ve been fixed before buying a used example. They range from important issues, such as loose engine covers that were a fire risk, to faulty fuses.
Electronic issues seem to be the Formentor’s main cause for concern. The infotainment system has proved to be a bit of a nightmare, with glitches fairly common and ranging from just being annoyingly laggy to not working at all. There are reports of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto dropping out or just not connecting sometimes. So make sure you spend a bit of time playing with the infotainment to see if there are any obvious problems.

Cupra Formentor FAQs

Who makes the Cupra Formentor?

Cupra is a car manufacturer based in Spain, which is owned by the Volkswagen Group. Therefore it shares many parts, such as engines and electric motors, with other brands such as Volkswagen and Skoda.

Is the Cupra Formentor reliable?

There are no major issues with the Cupra Formentor, but it does seem to have issues with electrical gremlins, particularly relating to the infotainment display. There have also been a number of recalls, so it’s important to make sure they have been sorted before buying a used Formentor.

Is the Cupra Formentor four-wheel drive?

Most Cupra Formentors on the used market will be front-wheel drive, but there are four-wheel drive examples available – look for ‘4Drive’, which should be noted in the vehicle description.

Is the Cupra Formentor an SUV?

Yes, the Cupra Formentor is an SUV. However, despite having the raised ride height and high driving position common with SUVs, it has a sloping roof at the rear that gives it an almost coupe-like appearance.