new design and more electric range

Cupra, which has broken away from its dying parent company Seat in recent years, has updated its plug-in hybrids. The facelift of the Cupra Leon and Formentor not only brings a fresh exterior and interior, but also a greater all-electric range.

The hatchback and SUV now have the Cupra design language that we also know from the Tavascan. For example, in both the Leon and the Formentor we see the triangular elements in the headlights and an illuminated logo on the back. The logo on the front has been moved from the grill to the tip of the ‘sharknose front’, as Cupra describes the new nose.

Powertrain in the updated Cupra Leon and Formentor

The Cupra Formentor and Leon (which is also available as a station wagon in Sportstourer version) are largely the same underneath. This means a plug-in hybrid powertrain in which a 1.5-liter turbo engine, a DSG automatic transmission and electric motor work together. Depending on the version, this powertrain is good for 204 hp or 272 hp.

More fully electric range in plug-in hybrids

The battery pack has grown to 19.7 kWh, so you can now travel up to 100 kilometers completely electrically. This was measured with the WLTP method. Charging at the AC pole is now no longer possible with just 3.7 kW, but up to 11 kW and even up to 50 kW at the DC charger. While driving, both plug-in hybrids recover energy with the regenerative braking system.

You will also make progress in the car. Not only has the interior been overhauled, you can now choose the optional Sennheiser audio system in both models. The sound system consists of 11 speakers, a subwoofer and a 390 watt amplifier.

Artificial noise in the Cupra Leon and Formentor

You can also hear the sound through those speakers ‘sound actuator’, as Cupra calls the system that plays amplified engine sounds in the VZ models. The sporty DNA that a Cupra should have is reflected in the Dynamic Chassis Control (abbreviated DCC) with which the new Leon and Formentor are equipped.

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