2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition review

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2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition

Volkswagen subsidiary Cupra has quickly made a name for itself in offering practical hatchbacks and SUVs with emphasised style and dynamic ability.  

Powertrains run from purely petrol to full electric, while also catering for those buyers stuck in between with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) options.

At present, the brand's showroom line-up runs to four models – but the one you're most likely to see on the road is the Formentor coupe-style SUV.

Earlier this year the brand released the Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition – limited to 300 units in Australia – which comes at a $3000 premium compared to the regular plug-in hybrid Formentor, but also unlocks some of the choice additions reserved for the VZx flagship model grade.

This new edition is largely designed to arrest a sales slump that has impacted the brand – year-to-date Cupra is down 36 per cent on this time last year, and the brand has far newer product just around the corner in 2025.

I've snuck behind the wheel of one of these limited editions to find out whether it's as value-packed and sporty as Cupra says.

How much is a Cupra Formentor?

The Cupra Formentor SUV is arguably the most stylish SUV in the manufacturer’s stable with a sloping rear roof line, a wide front fascia, and big 19-inch alloy wheels.

The Formentor VZe – VZe denoting the plug-in hybrid variant – is the strongest-selling version of the model according to the brand. With that in mind, Cupra is offering some of the equipment traditionally reserved for the range-topping VZx in the new VZe Tribe Edition.

It comes $3000 more expensive than the regular Formentor VZe at $67,990 plus on-road costs, though the included extras are usually part of a $2800 option pack, which means most of the extra spend is cancelled out by the extra equipment.

At $67,990, the Cupra Formentor VZe slides in underneath the Federal Government's luxury car tax threshold of $89,332 for PHEVs. This means the model is an attractive novated lease option because it doesn't attract the fringe benefits tax (FBT).

In the PHEV market, alternative options include the $57,290–$73,290 plus ORCs Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (though it's a much more practical and family-focused car) and the $78,500 plus ORCs Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV.

However, finding a rival for this niche-filler is difficult.

The extra kit included with the Tribe Edition amounts to copper-accented 19-inch wheels, Petrol Blue nappa leather upholstery with seat heating, a power-adjustable driver's seat, a nine-speaker Beats sound system, 360-degree camera, and memory mirror adjustment.

There are no changes to the Formentor VZe’s powertrain, which includes a 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine mated to an 85kW/330Nm electric motor. The electric motor itself is fed by a 12.8kWh gross/10.9kWh useable battery pack.

Combined, the entire system outputs total 180kW/400Nm, which Cupra claims propels the Formentor VZe from 0–100km/h in 7.0 seconds. The electric battery can also manage 58km of electric-only driving range, according to the brand.

How big is a Cupra Formentor?

Petrol Blue nappa upholstery has become somewhat of a Cupra trademark, and the treatment inside the Formentor works incredibly well. Especially when it's paired with the copper contrast stitching – also a Cupra design cue – the entire ensemble looks sophisticated and alluring.

Once seated in the front row, it's easy to appreciate the bucketed seat position supported by thick bolstering and a long-legged seat base. There's ample adjustment for the driver to get a low driving position, though the front passenger must use manual controls for their tweaking.

Panels and interior surfaces appear well built, while the stitching of the door panels is a particular highlight – there are contrast elements to the armrest and cool patterns in the side panel leather. In fact, most of the front seat area is covered in soft-touch surfaces, apart from the transmission tunnel surrounded by hard plastic.

At least it offers good storage – there are twin cupholders (one big, one small), two slots for wallets and keys either side of little nub gear selector, and a deep tray underneath the dash that incorporates wireless smartphone charging. Two USB-C ports and a 12-volt outlet are on hand to recharge devices too.

There's no felt lining for the door panel pockets, so that can leave bottles and loose ends rattling around on uneven roads, but the amount of storage they offer is adequate.

It's annoying that air conditioning and volume controls are relegated to either the touchscreen display or touch sliders underneath. Having to cycle through different screens to change airflow or turn on the heated seats was frustrating and would definitely irk me if I owned the car.

One of my favourite bits of the interior is the dash-wide lighting strip that sits right underneath the windscreen. It's dynamic, so it can flash amber or red if the car's trying to warn of something, but you can also cycle between a gamut of colours to liven the cabin up at night.

For a small SUV with a sloping roof line, rear-seat passengers fare decently in the second row. I'm 194cm tall and I didn't want for more head room, but my legs were tight behind my own driving position. It also seems narrow in terms of side-to-side width.

There's a tri-zone climate-control panel to change the temperature in the back seats, plus twin USB-C ports for power outputs. There's a drop-down armrest with cupholders and a pass-through to the boot.

The boot can be opened electrically using a button next to the driver's footwell, a button on the boot itself, or using the key.

Total capacity stands at 345 litres, which is well short of its rivals. For a small SUV, even one with a high-voltage battery, we'd like to see storage nudge the 450–500L mark. There's no under-floor storage for the charging cables and there is no space-saver spare wheel – just a tyre repair kit.

Does the Cupra Formentor have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

The Cupra Formentor runs a 12-inch display, with included wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capability, plus a 10.25-inch screen for the driver's instrument cluster. There's no head-up display, but between the two big screens there is more than enough information for the driver.

The main infotainment display appears with crisp, clear graphics and sifting through the unit is quick thanks to fast processing. It comes with satellite navigation, AM/FM radio receiving, and DAB+ digital radio.

It takes time to understand what each of the main icons represents (and what sub-section of the system they give way to), and there are multiple ways to access the same menus. There are icons for the climate control, navigation, radio controls, smartphone mirroring, and settings laid out along the bottom of the screen.

It can be confusing to cycle between different menu systems and you're often confounded with choice – it's little wonder that Cupra includes a tutorial on the home page.

It's frustrating that the volume controls and skip track buttons are relegated to the infotainment system itself – it'd be far easier to simply press a button. Hopefully, Cupra makes smart changes to this system in the future.

The driver's cluster is very configurable and contains plenty of information about driving range, vehicle efficiency, and speed. I like that you can change the entire display to view a map.

At present, there is no dedicated smartphone application in Australia for the Cupra Formentor.

Is the Cupra Formentor a safe car?

The Cupra Formentor was crash-tested in 2021 by Euro NCAP and all variants were awarded a five-star safety rating. That rating carries across to Australia, with ANCAP also awarding a five-star safety score.

The Cupra Formentor received a score of 93 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection, 80 per cent for safety assist systems, but a lower 68 per cent rating for vulnerable road user (pedestrian and cyclist) protection.

What safety technology does the Cupra Formentor have?

The Cupra Formentor VZe is equipped with a range of active safety measures as standard.

It's got the usual autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assistance, and rear cross-traffic alert systems, but left-field additions such as Side Exit Warning and Parking Assistance tech help round out the entire package.

It also comes fitted with eight airbags including a centre airbag to prevent the driver and front passengers' heads from colliding during a crash.

In my time with the car, I liked the way the lane-centring held the SUV squarely within the lane and didn't overly deviate between lane markings. The Side Exit Warning system was also super helpful in alerting me to cars coming up behind the car as I was trying to exit.

How much does the Cupra Formentor cost to run?

Cupras are covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty in Australia, which is active as soon as the car is registered. The car company also offers five years of roadside assistance from the date of delivery.

Maintenance is due every 12 months or 15,000km – whichever is reached first – and the manufacturer offers upfront servicing packages. The $990 version is for the first three visits and the $1990 is for the first five.

Annual comprehensive insurance coverage for the 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition costs approximately $2453 based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Is the Cupra Formentor fuel-efficient?

Cupra claims the Formentor VZe returns a consumption of just 1.9 litres per 100 kilometres on a mixed driving cycle, if owners are using the car the right way. This means recharging the battery to ensure it stays topped up and only using the petrol motor after the electric battery is exhausted.

Admittedly, I'm not the right type of buyer for this car because my commute is 150km each day – far above the Cupra's 58km electric-only driving range. As such, I was only able to achieve 4.7L/100km after a week spent behind the wheel.

Add into that, a lot of my commute is freeways, which means the Cupra has less opportunity to recuperate lost brake energy back into its 10.9kWh battery, and I was only able to plug in the Formentor VZe at one end of my commute too.

Overall, this car makes more sense for someone with a shorter commute – but 4.7L/100km is still an impressive fuel economy.

What is the Cupra Formentor like to drive?

If the Cupra has ample charge in its battery, the car starts up in EV mode and will run through that battery before diverting to petrol power. The electric drive system has outputs of 85kW and 330Nm and the resulting acceleration is perky and quick – exactly the kind of action you look for when driving the Formentor VZe around town.

The petrol side of the equation is covered off by a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine – combined power outputs with the petrol and electric boost are 180kW/400Nm. It's all sent to the front wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which does a  good job of choosing the right ratio at the right time – whether on petrol or electric power.

It’s not often that the front wheels become overburdened by the 180kW/400Nm outputs either. Power is put to the ground effectively without obvious wheel slip.

Together, that outright power doesn't provide an exhilarating punch, as such, but the power on tap is entertaining in the right scenario – straight-line acceleration isn't exactly its forte.

I wish the Cupra Formentor had an at-hand dial or button to cycle between the driving modes – you have to dive into the menu systems to change between settings, which is annoying in a car marketed as being sporty.

In any case, it's a fun steer on a flowing back road. Despite its 1712kg (tare) mass, the Formentor VZe is quick to change direction and stays relatively flat through bends. The six-speed gearbox is quick to react to sudden kickdown acceleration too.

Doing more mundane activities, the Formentor exhibits a fair amount of road noise on freeways. At times, pulling away from a standstill can result in a shunt as the car transitions between electric and petrol power too.

However, the suspension holds a good balance between sports applications and everyday bump absorption.

You won't get the same kind of thrill as you'd expect from the Formentor VZx – and it doesn't have anywhere near the same aural feedback – but the VZe plug-in hybrid version can still put a smile on your face in the right scenario.

Can a Cupra Formentor tow?

I didn't tow with the Cupra Formentor VZe in my time with the car, but it's rated to lug 1500kg braked or 750kg unbraked.

Should I buy a Cupra Formentor?

The Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition comes at a pricey premium to the regular car, but the fact that it's offset with cool equipment pinched from the VZx flagship outweighs the initial price shock.

The 180kW/400Nm outputs combine for a fun driving experience on twisty roads, the Petrol Blue interior is striking, and the included space is decent too.

There is room for improvement – I struggle to get my head around the infotainment system at times and too many controls are placed within the system.

However, in terms of specification, this Tribe Edition is the Cupra Formentor to get while it lasts. With an updated and restyled 2025 Cupra Formentor due next year though, some buyers may prefer to wait.

How do I buy a Cupra Formentor? The next steps.

According to Cupra’s online stock locator tool, supply of the Cupra Formentor is good in Australia. Of the 630-ish Formentor VZe examples in the country, roughly half of the initial 300-strong allocation remains on sale for customers to buy.

To find your nearest Cupra showroom click here. You can also find Cupra vehicles listed for sale at Drive Marketplace.

For everything that's happened to the Cupra Formentor since this review was published, click here for our news section.

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