In a car market overrun by electrified bore boxes, Cupra’s new Formentor VZx brings welcome Barcelona brawn and bravado.
Here’s a Spanish small SUV with serious bite.
It lifts the raucous 245kW/420Nm 2.0L four-cylinder turbo petrol engine from VW’s Golf R and allies it to all-wheel-drive, helping haul this edgy-bodied VZx to 100km/h in just 4.8-seconds.
If performance and a rewarding drive’s your bag, VW-owned rebel-brand Cupra could be worth a hola.
There are plenty of ultra-rapid SUVs on sale these days, but most use batteries and electric motors. Our Formentor relies solely on dinosaur juice to bring the speed, which is something of a purist novelty in 2026.
MORE: Wild five-cylinder Cupra on the way
Compromises? Oh yes. It drinks expensive 98 fuel at 8.3L/100km even when driving sedately, and it spews out CO2 at a rate attracting hefty fines from the government’s anti-emissions police.
But being bad can feel so good.
Put the shoe in and the turbo engine’s urge gets busy early in the rev range, but maximum power doesn’t arrive until around 6000rpm. Up here, this Cupra finally makes a decent noise, while there’s monumental punch from the muscled four-cylinder.
The price
It’s a little SUV ticking boxes of younger buyers, but most will be locked out by this VZx’s hefty $69,990 price. It’s still lots of performance for your dollars, but you’re in the Audi SQ2, Lexus LBX Morizo RR and Mini Countryman JCW small SUV playground now.
In-house rival Volkswagen T-Roc R-Line can’t touch this VZx for performance, but is decent fun for $20k less.
MORE: Dealer changes a ‘lemon’ for Aussie drivers
Cupra’s offering five Formentor variants, which feels bold for a model which sold only 1490 units last year.
But it’s Cupra’s runaway bestseller, so the brand’s doubling down. Entry-level “S” is still not cheap at $49,990: it’s well-specc’d, but 110kW/250Nm means it lacks punch to back its purposeful looks.
A $57,490 “V” ups performance and style, while there’s a $68,990 VZe plug-in hybrid if you must save the planet. All have merits, but rivals offer similar for less coin.
The VZx proves the most interesting with its standout performance. Although late this year a 287kW (!) VZ5 lands with Audi RS3 turbo five-cylinder engine, but you’ll not see change from $100k there. Strong pre-launch sales suggest Aussie performance fans are jumping on board and to hell with the cost.
What you get
Regardless, the VZx offers plenty on the mad dog front, and for $30k less.
Sticking with its drive, there’s multi-adjustable adaptive suspension (it still rides firm even on the softest setting), while there’s a new electro-hydraulic torque-vectoring rear differential.
I won’t bore you with the science there, but it brings a drift mode allowing this all-wheel-drive to perform decent tyre-burning skids, albeit nowhere near as easily as in a rear-drive funster.
MORE: Self-driving ‘snitch’ drops teens to cops
The VZx has a superb aggressive stance, sports 19-inch black and copper forged alloys, 310mm brake discs, rear diffuser and quad exhausts. It looks the business.
Inside it’s Moonslate leather appointed and there’s goodies such as heated, power and memory bucket seats, chunkily-designed heated steering wheel, tri-zone climate control, 12.9-inch infotainment, digital cockpit, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging and power tailgate.
Copper stitching and trim add points of difference, making this Cupra feel more special than VW or Skoda sister brands. Less great is too much reliance on controls through the screen (although a slide-down menu quickly lets you switch off nannying driver assist), while rear seat and boot space are average rather than roomy. Big slabs of door plastic in the back don’t align with the VZx’s cost.
MORE: Charging failure exposes EV ‘nightmare’
Feeling flush? Drop an extra $6500 for fantastic carbon-fibre backed Cup bucket front seats, Akebono 375mm brake discs gripped by 6-piston calipers and Matrix headlights.
Cupra’s going performance places other brands have long since ditched. And we love them for it.
On the road
Built on the same platform as VW’s trusty Golf, our Formentor is a decent companion for the everyday stuff. It’s a calm cruiser on highways, feels firm but daily-drivable in town and overall feels a polished product.
But the VZx only really shines when you hunt twisty backroads or even a racetrack. Select “Cupra” mode and the engine and dual-clutch seven-speed are in maximum attack, it’s superbly responsive and steers and handles in an excellent, non-SUV manner.
But don’t buy one unless you plan such shenanigans. This is a focused car for fun-loving drivers, not commuters.
VERDICT
Rare performance and talent for a small SUV, and it looks superb, but the high price keeps our VZx a very niche product.
3.5 stars
CUPRA FORMENTOR VZX
PRICE: Around $74,000 drive-away
ENGINE: 2.0L 4-cyl petrol turbo, 245kW/420Nm
THIRST: 8.3L/100km
WARRANTY/SERVICE: 5 years/unlimited km, $2190 for 5yr/75,000km plan
SAFETY: 10 airbags, AEB, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise, lane assist, blind spot detection, exit assist, exit warning, driver alert, self-parking, traffic sign recognition
CARGO: 420L/1370L
SPARE: Space saver