What are these new cars all about then?
The facelifted Formentor and Leon ST (Sports Tourer, or wagon) are 2 of 4 core new models for Cupra New Zealand that general manager Luke Meurant calls a “brand reset” for 2025. What are the other 2? You’re not getting ’em that easy. Read on.
We’re throwing Formentor and Leon ST together because while they’re very different cars, they’re essentially the same in terms of the mechanical package and interior architecture. More to the point, these upgrades are the same across both.
There's a new “shark nose” front, with fancy headlights that feature triangular daytime running lights. The triangles carry over into the new tail-lights and in fact there are triangles everywhere - a reference to Cupra’s devilish-looking brand logo, if you hadn’t clicked.
Inside, there’s a restyled dashboard with new 12.9-inch infotainment screen; derived from parent brand Volkswagen of course, although as with the previous model the skin and menus are Cupra-specific. It’s a lot more intuitive than the previous setup… and a lot more colourful.
As with the sister VW Golf, the controversial touch-slider for climate and audio volume is now illuminated, a direct response to a lot of global customers moaning... a lot.
Formentor and Leon ST are essentially the same in terms of the mechanical package and interior architecture.
One of our bugbears with the previous Formentor/Leon has been fixed: the brace of steering-wheel satellite controls for start/stop and drive modes, previously restricted to VZ, are now standard across the range. So you no longer have to delve into the infotainment menus to change modes. The VZ’s alloy pedals have also now made their way across the range.
There are new views available on the digital instrument panel and there’s a 15W wireless phone charger (phone projection is wireless, too) with a heat sink, to keep your precious mobile at operating temperature.
The 1.5 MHEV has picked up cylinder deactivation, so it can run in two-cylinder mode under light load.
Even the V models get sports seats with lumbar (manual adjustment, though); the copper stitching is Seaqual yarn, made from ocean waste. The VZs have sportier buckets with power adjustment and driver-memory; the upholstery is Dinamica, with 73% recycled material.
Opt for the $2300 Moon Slate upholstery (sustainably produced “conscious leather”) and you get memory for the front-passenger seat, too.
What, no plug-in hybrid? Actually, the Formentor e-Hybrid does continue, albeit only to customer order.
The VZ is fitted with a new Sennheiser Immersive sound system (bye bye Beats) that’s pretty impressive; you can option that into the V for $1300.
As with the previous Formentor/Leon models, the engines are split between an entry 1.5-litre mild hybrid for the V and a powered-up 2.0-litre for the high-performance VZ. So they're the same… but also different.
The 1.5 MHEV has picked up cylinder deactivation, so it can run in two-cylinder mode under light load. Combined fuel consumption is 5.5l/100km (WLTP). One thing to note: you can no longer buy a Formentor V with AWD (4Drive in Cupra-speak). The entry model is FWD only.
The VZ (which is indeed AWD) has picked up more power, going from 228kW to 245kW. Not a huge gain, but Cupra says it has maximised the change with new software for the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. It’ll rocket to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds, or nearly half the time of the V (9.0).
Progressive Steering (with an automatically variable ratio) is now standard across the range. The VZ has a torque splitter, which unlocks a drift-mode for owners. Skids are only a menu-tap away.
What, no plug-in hybrid? Actually, the Formentor e-Hybrid does continue, albeit only to customer order. It’s gained 20kW, now 200kW, but more importantly it boasts 110km electric range.
So that’s Formentor and Leon. But coming next month is Terramar, a medium-SUV that’s essentially a replacement for the Ateca.
And late this year we’ll see Tavascan, the new pure-electric SUV that’s a very showy sister model to VW Group EVs like the ID.5 and Skoda Enyaq.
“There’s a bit of production rationalisation going on at the moment,” says Meurant. “We’ve had 6-7 models in market and there’s been a bit of figuring out what works. We’ve landed on 4 core models this year.”
What about Born? There are still some on sale, but once they’re gone it won’t be back as part of the mainstream lineup. Cupra NZ’s EV efforts will be focused on the larger Tavascan.
How much are they?
The Formentor V opens at $65,500, while the go-fast VZ is $87,500. They’re both substantial increases over the final pricing of the previous models ($56,500 and $79,500 respectively).
The special-order e-Hybrid is perhaps adding the most value given its extra power and hugely upgraded EV range, but it’s also the most expensive of this bunch: $90,500 (up from $84,500).
The Leon ST is $62,900 in V form and $84,900 as a VZ. That’s right, the bigger car is cheaper.
If you want to get even more serious with either of the VZs, you can option Akebono front brakes ($4500) and a fruiter Akrapovic exhaust system ($7400). There are also two fancy paint options just for VZ: Century Bronze and Enceladus Grey (both $4000).
What are they like to drive?
The V has modest outputs (110kW/250Nm) but it’s always been perky, especially with the quick-shifting dual-clutch transmission doing its thing. Not super-fast, but always fun and now even more so, with the upgraded steering system and the ability to flick between drive modes from that steering wheel button - which is how it should always have been, so we’re not lavishing too much praise on Cupra for fixing something that wasn’t right in the first place.
It’s a shame you can’t have a V 4Drive any more, but in that respect the people have obviously spoken.
And that cheeky VZ. It’s a rapid machine with real substance to the steering and chassis. Quite growly sounding too, although some of the soundtrack can seem a bit video-gamey because it’s artificially enhanced; all the more reason to stump up that $7400 for the Akrapovic hardware.
It’s a hoot though, and there’s plenty of configuration options to play with: the VZ gets an extra “Cupra” drive mode and sport suspension with Dynamic Chassis Control.
It’s a lot more than just a faster V: it has a totally different, much more edgy dynamic character.
What’s the pick of the range?
Anybody who wants and can afford a VZ won’t be interested in the lesser variants, so let’s just bank that.
But for most people, the V is a really compelling package. It looks almost identical to the high-powered models (exhausts and wheel sizes are the main giveaways), it’s fun even if it’s not overly fast and the changes to the cabin have lifted the whole experience.
Formentor or Leon ST? Given the Leon is cheaper, larger (check out the massive 651-litre boot) and you sit so much lower, we’re wagon fans. But we know which one people will buy: it’s a crossover-SUV world.
What other cars should I consider?
That’s a tricky question, because both Formentor and Leon are quite niche: a small/medium hatch-cum-crossover and sporty wagon.
The obvious rivals are those from Cupra’s own VW Group family... basically anything on the same MQB platform: sporty VW Golfs or T-Rocs, Skoda Octavia RS wagon, or even smaller Audis like Q2 (which is basically a Formentor underneath anyway) and Q3. Maybe a Subaru WRX wagon against the Leon ST.
The Audi thing is relevant because Cupra fancies itself as a premium brand at lower prices; which sounds like marketing fluff but has merit, because these cars look and feel far more special than their theoretical market position and prices suggest.
We can see somebody jumping out of a similar-size Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz into these cars and being quite impressed.