CUPRA Formentor VZ5 Video Review: The 390PS Five-Cylinder Monster Finally Hits the UK

What is it?

The long-awaited, strictly limited flagship of the CUPRA Formentor range. Powered by the Audi-derived 2.5-liter TSI five-cylinder engine pushing out 390PS and 480Nm of torque, the VZ5 channels power through a seven-speed DSG and a trick rear twin-clutch Torque Splitter. Strictly limited to 4,000 units globally, the facelifted model has finally arrived in official Right-Hand Drive form for the UK market.

Video Review

Design & Exterior Styling

Finished in Century Bronze Matt (£2,095 option) and paired with an optional panoramic sunroof, this test model came in at £67,605. It is a serious figure, but the visual drama matches the price tag.

The front end is dominated by CUPRA’s aggressive “shark nose” styling and a gloss black grille split into three distinct elements. Functional side air curtains route real airflow around the front wheels, framed by genuine carbon fiber aero blades and an engraved VZ5 front splitter.

For the wheels, you get exclusive 20-inch matte black alloy wheels with machined copper accents and CUPRA script etched into the rim. Housed within the front wheels are massive 375mm drilled brake discs clamped by copper Akebono 6-piston calipers.

The VZ5 sits 10mm lower than standard 4Drive Formentor models, giving it a hunched, tarmac-hugging stance. Flared wheel arch trims tie into the carbon front details. While the side profile remains sharp, standard matte black mirror caps and plain lower sills could look even better with standard carbon mirror covers and deeper side skirts.

At the rear, the VZ5 features signature vertically stacked, diagonal quad exhaust pipes trimmed in copper, integrated into an aggressive rear diffuser and paired with a carbon-fiber rear lip spoiler.

The upgraded Matrix HD headlights include dynamic road projection: when driving on the motorway at night, the headlights project a defined illumination box onto the lane directly ahead. The box actively shrinks as you close in on the car ahead, switches off during overtakes, and expands again once you pull back into the lane.

Interior, Cabin Tech & Practicality

The cabin balances daily crossover functionality with purposeful motorsport upgrades.

• CUPBucket Seats: Mounted low in the chassis, these seats offer superb bolstering without sacrificing long-distance comfort. The rear shells are finished with a textured carbon-fiber effect that looks great from the back row.
• Trim Details: Dark chrome accents run across the steering wheel controls, air vents, and door handles (a subtle bespoke touch over standard VZ trims), complemented by copper stitching and copper accents around the gear selector stalk.
• Driver Cockpit: A 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit offers dedicated performance telemetry and an integrated LED shift light indicator that pulses green and flashes red as the engine nears its 7,000 RPM ceiling.
• Audio: The cabin features a 390W, 12-speaker Sennheiser sound system that delivers clean highs, balanced mid-tones, and controlled bass.
• Practicality: Boot capacity is unaffected by the powertrain, offering 410 liters of cargo space alongside standard split-folding rear seats.

Chassis, Drivetrain & Performance

Under the bonnet sits the star of the show: the 2.5-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder TSI engine producing 390PS and 480Nm of torque, paired with an unrestricted top speed of 174 mph (280 km/h).

• Straight-Line Pace: While CUPRA quotes an official 0–62 mph time of 4.2 seconds, real-world GPS timing repeatedly clocked 0–60 mph in 3.7 seconds using Launch Control.
• Power Delivery: There is a brief split-second of initial turbo spool from low RPM, but once past 2,500 RPM, the five-cylinder explodes with unrelenting mid-range punch. In Sport and CUPRA drive modes, the 7-speed DSG holds gears high, pulling fiercely all the way to 7,000 RPM.
• Handling & Torque Splitter: The electro-hydraulic twin-clutch Torque Splitter rear differential transforms the car’s agility. Instead of understeering, the rear axle shuffles torque to the outside wheel mid-corner, rotating the nose cleanly and letting you accelerate out of bends with immense ferocity.
• Acoustics: Active exhaust valves open up in Sport and CUPRA modes to release the distinctive 1-2-4-5-3 five-cylinder warble. However, there are fewer pops and bangs on the overrun than on a 2.0 TSI CUPRA Leon; the mechanical soundtrack under load is unmatched.

Real-World Fuel Economy

Driven enthusiastically across mixed B-roads and town routes, real-world fuel economy hovered between 21 and 25 mpg. On a sustained, steady 70 mph motorway run, economy climbed to 31–32 mpg.

Summary

The CUPRA Formentor VZ5 is an absolute rocket. It takes the sharp looks and practical crossover package of the standard Formentor and injects it with genuine supercar character. It makes a 300PS hot hatch feel ordinary by comparison. At £67,605 as tested, it is an expensive proposition, but as a limited-edition halo car with one of the greatest internal combustion engines ever built, it is a triumph.

Review Car Quick Specifications

We had an absolute blast in the VZ5. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Syphon

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