2026 Seat Cupra Formentor VZ5 UK Version
By Lorenzo Bianchi January 5, 2026
The 2.5-litre five-cylinder returns with 390 PS and torque-split AWD.
Production is capped at 4,000 units globally, now including right-hand drive.
Exterior and interior changes are subtle but purposeful, reinforcing its range-topper status.
Five-cylinder combustion at the top of the range
The 2026 Seat Cupra Formentor VZ5 marks the return of a configuration that has largely disappeared from modern performance crossovers. At its core is the familiar 2.5-litre TSI five-cylinder engine, producing 390 PS and 480 Nm of torque, paired with a seven-speed DSG transmission and all-wheel drive with torque splitter technology. It sits unapologetically at the top of the Formentor lineup as the brand’s most focused combustion offering.
This is not framed as a technical reinvention. Instead, it reads as a deliberate continuation. The drivetrain remains the centrepiece, calibrated to emphasise character and response rather than efficiency metrics. In a segment increasingly defined by electrified performance, the VZ5 stands apart by design rather than by necessity.
Exterior revisions focused on stance and identity
Visually, the Formentor VZ5 leans into familiar proportions while sharpening its edges. Wider wheel arches subtly stretch the body over its tracks, giving the crossover a lower, more planted appearance when viewed head-on or from the rear three-quarter angle. The front splitter carries an engraved VZ5 logo, a small detail that signals intent without resorting to overt decoration.
At the rear, diagonal exhaust outlets finished in copper sit within a reworked diffuser, reinforcing the car’s mechanical focus. Specific 20-inch alloy wheels, also finished in copper, complete the visual package. Colour options remain restrained but expressive, with matte and metallic finishes intended to highlight surface tension rather than mask it.
Interior execution and driving environment
Inside, the changes are evolutionary. Ambient lighting, CUPRA-specific detailing, and CUPBucket seats define the cabin atmosphere. The seating position and trim choices continue the brand’s recent shift toward a more driver-centric feel, without abandoning everyday usability. Digitalisation is present but not dominant, allowing the mechanical narrative to remain front and centre.
Positioning the market in a shifting environment
The Formentor VZ5, which is limited to 4,000 units globally, is marketed more as a statement than as a volume seller. Notably, this version will be available in both left- and right-hand drive for the first time, expanding its market reach to previously untapped markets. The first quarter of 2026 is when production is expected to start, with development and assembly still taking place in Barcelona.
Within the wider performance crossover space, the VZ5 occupies a narrowing niche. It does not attempt to compete with electric torque figures or efficiency claims. Instead, it reinforces CUPRA’s combustion heritage at a moment when such decisions are increasingly rare.