Pure obsession with design, provocative lines and an ambitious and unapologetic brand positioning have made the Cupra Formentor a resounding sales success since its launch. Winner of numerous awards, such as the “Red Dot Award” for best Product Design 2021, the Formentor is the company's best-selling vehicle and the best-selling model in its segment in Europe. In 2023 it took the lead with more than 120,000 accumulated deliveries (23% compared to 2022).
The first vehicle designed and developed exclusively by Cupra now evolves to go one step further. At the same time, the Cupra León also does so, in its 5-door and Sportstourer body variants, to reinforce the ambition of the brand, which last year reached a new milestone and exceeded half a million cars delivered since its birth in 2018. To continue in this commercial “state of grace”, Cupra has presented today in Madrid, in a world premiere, these two powerful contenders with the aim of reaching new levels of penetration in the main European markets.
Among the new arguments put forward by the Formentor are its new exterior design language and its new interior approach: technological and sustainable. On a stylistic level, the shark nose-shaped front, the Cupra emblem on the hood, the optional matrix LED headlights in triangular sections, similar to those applied to the new Tavascán, and the illuminated and integrated brand logo stand out. in the center of the rear LED light. These features are also common in the León, which seeks to distinguish itself as a model with its own personality within the range of the young performance brand of the Volkswagen Group.
Inside, both offer a higher quality environment, with redesigned elements such as the center console, door panels and dashboard, which feature a 3D parametric pattern that improves the feel and appearance of the surfaces. Copper accents around the cockpit, including the air vents, add an extra touch of style, while reinforcing the sporty credentials and elevating perceived quality. New fabrics and materials are also included in order to adopt a more sustainable approach, such as upholstery for bucket seats with a vegan microfiber (73% recycled) or environmentally friendly leather.
Driver-focused digitalization is another aspect optimized by Martorell technicians. Now, a new human-machine interface (HMI) is integrated into both the Digital Cockpit instrumentation behind the steering wheel and the infotainment system, which includes a larger 12.9-inch screen with a backlit slider. Likewise, the new high-fidelity audio system with 12 speakers, developed in collaboration with the Sennheiser Mobility firm, offers the pure sound characteristic of this hi-fi specialist.
The improvements in the engine and chassis sections undertaken by Cupra in the renewal of Formentor and León are also significant to guarantee a dynamic, efficient and responsive driving experience, as is traditional in the style and philosophy of the sports brand related to Seat.
In the mechanical offer of the new Formentor, designed to combine the performance of combustion engines with those of electrified engines, four different technologies will be available: TSI (gasoline), eTSI (mild hybrid), TDI (diesel) and a new generation of e-Hybrid (plug-in hybrid). In total, the alternatives will cover eight different engines, with powers between 150 and 333 HP.
Newly included is an eTSI option with an Eco label, which uses a 1.5-liter 150 HP (110 kW) gasoline engine combined with 48V mild hybrid technology. The Spanish crossover, with its distinctive sporty feel, also enhances sensations and performance thanks to a new TSI gasoline engine that delivers 333 HP (245 kW) and is associated with Torque Splitter technology for selective torque distribution and an optional system Akebono 6-piston brakes.
This mechanics applied to the brand's compact family car, whose offering is homologous to that of the SUV, will make it the most powerful Cupra León of all time: with the Sportstourer VZ version. With the 5-door body, the highest power version will have 300 HP (221 kW), front-wheel drive and VAQ differential lock.
On the other hand, efficiency is enhanced and reinforced in both León and Formentor with the implementation of a new generation of plug-in hybrid engines (e-Hybrid) that are more performant but, at the same time, more respectful of the environment and up to 272 HP. (200 kW), with more than 100 km of electric range and now compatible with fast charging (DC 50 kW).
The new Cupra Formentor and Cupra León (5P and Sportstourer) are designed, developed and manufactured in Barcelona, at the brand's headquarters in Martorell, and will hit the market in the third quarter of 2024.
The sales price in Spain is still unknown, but the price in Germany can serve as a guide, where the León will cost from 35,500 euros, while the Formentor will be sold from 39,400 euros. On May 6, orders can now be placed.
