Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition 2024 Review

Only 300 units of the 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Editions are available, starting from $67,990 before on-road costs.

This makes it the most expensive variant in the Formentor line-up and represents a $3000 premium over the plug-in hybrid VZe on which it is based.

Entry into the Formentor range starts with the $51,990 V and $56,990 VZ, while the all-wheel drive, four-cylinder-turbo VZx sits at $65,790; all prices exclude on-road costs.

Direct rivals for a similar outlay with a comparative level of sporty appeal are thin on the ground. However, the Alfa Romeo Tonale, Jeep Compass, Nissan X-Trail e-Power and Mitsubishi Outlander offer different takes on the PHEV genre.

Accounting for the 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition’s extra outlay is a range of features aimed at adding luxe appeal.

For the $3k spend you receive black/copper 19-inch alloys (borrowed from the VZx), a 360-degree camera, memory function for the wing mirrors, front seat heating and power adjustment with memory for the driver’s seat. While the upgraded wheels are an attractive addition to the exterior, the Tribe Edition’s blue leather for the bucket-style front seats is a statement indeed. The hue flows onto the dash, door cards and various parts of the cabin, too.

Other niceties shared with the standard Formentor VZe include three-zone climate control, heated steering wheel, heated/folding exterior mirrors, self-parking, keyless entry with push-button start and an electrically operated tailgate with gesture control.

Cupra follows the Volkswagen Group company line with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, but also includes five years of roadside assistance for free. Servicing intervals are set at every 12 months or 15,000km, while Cupra offers a three-year or five-year fixed-price servicing pack for $990 and $1990 respectively.

The 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition is covered by a five-star ANCAP safety rating (2021).

A full complement of 10 airbags features as well as two rear ISOFIX points and three top-tether points. Other highlights include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with cyclist and pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning with steering assist, park assist, front and rear parking sensors, side/exit assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and pre-crash warning.

Inside the 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition, the focus is on the central 12.0-inch touch-screen infotainment display and the 10.25-inch digital cockpit.

All the other features you expect in 2024 are present, like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, USB-C ports, Bluetooth, DAB+ digital radio, sat-nav and a high-end Beats Audio.

While the big screen is quick and intuitive to use, the touch-sensitive controls for temperature and volume aren’t quite as resolved. It’s great to have them removed from the complexity of menus, but they lack backlighting, rendering them virtually useless at night.

The 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition uses a 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing 110kW and 250Nm. Those figures alone don’t get the heart racing or equate to a performance medium SUV.

However, the front wheels are also assisted by an electric motor with 85kW and a significant 300Nm, meaning the combined output is 180kW and 400Nm. The motor draws from a 12.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack (located in the boot floor), and drives through the same six-speed wet clutch DSG transmission as the petrol engine.

The VZe Tribe Edition can operate on EV power alone for a claimed range of 58km (WLTP) before the petrol engine is required. The motive power sources combined can propel the 1712kg Formentor to 100km/h in 7.0 seconds. That doesn’t sound groundbreaking, but the PHEV is about 150kg heavier than the VZ sans hybrid gubbins and is 0.2sec slower to 100km/h because of it. However, the Tribe Edition certainly feels more than spritely when both power sources are giving their all.

Matching the official 1.9L/100km claim for the 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition is impossible – it’s a bi-product of how the figure is acquired during testing. It’s a universal issue for all PHEVs.

Our week behind the wheel in varied conditions netted a 5.0L/100km result. However, that figure is still more than respectable given that driving styles weren’t tailored specifically to efficiency to achieve it. It’s important to note that the Cupra drinks a minimum of 95 RON.

Currently, the claimed EV-only range is 58km. The updated Formentor, due in 2025, will almost double that figure.

However, throughout our week with the 2024 Cupra Formentor Tribe Edition the most we could eek out of it was 51km before the combustion engine chimed in. It’s interesting that while the Formentor was showing just a single per cent of battery, it was still able to run on reduced EV power in combination with the 1.4-turbo engine. So empty is never fully empty. And that’s largely due to the regenerative braking.

However, running around with an almost-dead battery defeats the purpose of an PHEV. Home or work charging is a must given the lack of fast/rapid DC charging capability. Juicing up on the AC connection takes around seven hours for a full recharge.

The Formentor isn’t directly based on one of VAG’s other models – it is a bespoke product developed by the Cupra team.

So, while the 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition uses the ubiquitous MQB Evo platform, it has its own Spanish flavour. This architecture is aimed at hatchbacks and not SUVs, which means the Formentor doesn’t quite handle like a medium SUV in all the right ways.

Yes, the PHEV application means the VZe has gained weight. However, it’s positioned rearward, so the overall distribution isn’t adversely affected, and it remains an entertaining drive. You don’t expect a medium SUV to be fun, but the Tribe Edition certainly can be, which is made better by the low-slung seating position.

Ride quality is acceptable thanks to the standard adaptive dampers. There’s an expansive level of adjustment for them, too, but the gist is you’re choosing between Comfort, Sport and Cupra modes. Sport is the Goldilocks middle ground that smooths out the road underneath without hampering body control or inducing unwanted roll. The steering offers the best weight in Sport mode, too.

However, the front axle can’t quite handle the full fat 400Nm alone, resulting in some noticeable torque steer and kickback under acceleration. You can toggle with the ESC settings between On, Sport and Off. With everything on it frustratingly cuts power when slip is detected, while Sport and off don’t quite quell the wheelspin of the Bridgestone rubber.

It’s a shame all-wheel drive isn’t offered, as the extra traction would be useful and it would add to the competent dynamic package. Yet, as it stands, the Formentor VZe Tribe Edition remains an enjoyable SUV on a twisty road – not something a lot of its competition can claim.

This is where the lucky owners will feel like they’re getting the most value out of the 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition.

The cabin is a nice place to be – especially at night with the ambient lighting. The bucket-style seats envelope you while being both supportive and comfortable, and the blue leather hue also ties in well with the traditional copper Cupra accents.

The Tribe Edition adds only a few extras, but the interior has a decidedly premium look and feel to it. Yes, there are some less desirable materials below the belt line, but by and large the Formentor conveys a vibe of Volkswagen aspiration more than Skoda thriftiness. The cabin is well insulated from road noise and general NVH while the dynamic lighting on the top of the door cards for the blind spot monitoring is an innovative way of applying the tech.

Space in the back is far more generous than the exterior silhouette suggests. Head and legroom are plentiful, although you’ll struggle for shoulder room if carrying a passenger in the middle seat. The back seat offers amenities like climate-controlled air vents, USB-C ports, map pockets and cup holders that are revealed when you fold down the centre arm rest.

Boot space is limited to 105 litres due to the lithium-ion battery’s placement. Overall capacity is down to 345 litres, while the 60/40-split folding rear seats can be stowed for extra practicality – there are quick-release levers in the boot.

You don’t get a spare tyre, not even a space-saver item. The charging cables also live in linen bags in the boot, further eating into the load-lugging capability.

The power and torque figures goad you into thinking the 2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition is something it kind of isn’t – a performance SUV. If that’s your jam, then don’t hesitate to slip into a cheaper Formentor VZx.

However, this PHEV offers meaningful savings at the bowser for buyers who live a lifestyle that allows its potential to be optimised. And you don’t have to miss out entirely on decent grunt or dynamics, either.

If you’re after something out of the ordinary and isn’t a mundane PHEV medium SUV, the Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition should be on your test-drive list.

2024 Cupra Formentor VZe Tribe Edition at a glance:
Price:?$67,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available:?Now
Powertrain:?1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol electric
Output:?110kW/250Nm (electric motor: 85kW/300Nm)
Combined output:?180kW/400Nm
Transmission:?Six-speed dual-clutch automatic
Battery:?12.8kWh lithium-ion
Electric range:?58km (ADR)
Energy consumption:?14.1kWh/100km (ADR)
Fuel:?1.9L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2:?43g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating:?Five-star (ANCAP 2021)

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