Cupra Formentor Vz5: Five-pot Fury Has Never Been So Practical

Facelifted crossover hits the UK with some five-cylinder fire in its belly The Cupra Formentor VZ5 has been one of the most tantalising will-it-won’t-it cars of the past few years.We have always liked the Formentor. Ostensibly just a higher-riding, slightly alternative Leon estate, in the right spec it has offered an effortlessly compelling blend of real-world practicality, some luxury and an engaging driving experience.The VZ5 adds a truly special powerplant in the form of Audi’s five-cylinder engine, which should have been the cherry on top. However, it has for years remained a left-hand-drive-only proposition that wasn’t available on our shores.That always seemed odd to us, since the MQB platform the Formentor shares with the Audi RS3 is clearly geared up for right-hand drive, and since British buyers generally worship hot hatches and hot hatch-adjacent crossovers.Now the Formentor has been facelifted and that injustice has been redressed. There’s finally a right-hand-drive version on sale in this country. The VZ5 is limited to 4000 units, of which only 250 are bound for the UK, though we wouldn’t be surprised if a few more end up over here. So was it worth the wait?