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Updated versions of the Cupra Formentor SUV will arrive in Australia next month, two years after debuting in Europe, with a new mild-hybrid entry grade, improved PHEV technology, and revised styling.
The updated 2026 Cupra Formentor will arrive in Australian showrooms next month, about 12 months later than initially scheduled and two years after its European debut.
Priced from $49,990 before on-road costs, Cupra's small SUV range now opens with a front-wheel-drive 110kW/250Nm 1.5-litre 48-volt mild-hybrid S grade, similar to the Leon hatch and larger Terramar, cutting the cost-of-entry by $6500.
The 1.5-litre mild-hybrid Formentor S cuts combined fuel consumption from 7.0L/100km for the outgoing 2.0-litre non-hybrid Formentor V entry-level grade to 5.5L/100km, while basic torsion-beam rear suspension replaces independent multi-link rear suspension.
Exterior design changes include new LED headlight signatures featuring three triangular elements, revised alloy wheels, and a revised rear end with a full-width LED light strip, including an illuminated Cupra logo.
Inside, the Formentor gains a larger 12.9-inch central touchscreen – up from 12 inches – with new infotainment software, while customer feedback has been addressed with illuminated climate and audio slider controls, making it easier to use in low-light conditions.
A 12-speaker, 425-watt Sennheiser audio system – optional for the S and V, and standard for the VZe and VZx – replaces the outgoing nine Beats speakers, and traffic sign recognition has been added in Australia to display the current speed limit.
The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol all-wheel-drive Formentor V – $57,490, up $1000 – now develops 150kW, up 10kW, and gains new-look 19-inch black-and-copper alloy wheels, while it reverts to multi-link independent rear suspension instead of the S's torsion beam.
Dynamic Chassis Control adaptive suspension is now reserved for the VZe and VZx – along with the limited-run Formentor VZ5 five-cylinder, due in Australia no sooner than December 2026.
A new-generation plug-in hybrid system has been added to the front-wheel-drive Formentor VZe, following its Australian debut in the Leon and Terramar, with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, replacing the outgoing 1.4-litre.
It now develops 200kW and 400Nm – up from 180kW – and adds a larger 20kWh high-voltage battery capacity, allowing a WLTP-rated 114-kilometre electric-only driving range, up from its previous 58km claim.
Headlining the regular Formentor range is the all-wheel-drive VZx, which now outputs 245kW and 420Nm from its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, up from 228kW and 400Nm, and adds a 'torque splitter' rear differential borrowed from the Volkswagen Golf R and Audi S3.
An optional Extreme Package will be available for the VZe and VZx, adding CUP bucket front seats with carbon fibre backs, Enceladus Grey seat upholstery with synthetic yarn and suede-look bolsters, gloss dark grey interior accents, and 'Matrix Ultra' adaptive high-beam LED headlights.
VZe examples optioned with the Extreme Package add four-piston Brembo front brake calipers, while the VZx introduces six-piston Akebono front brake calipers.
As detailed last month, the Formentor VZ5, with an Audi RS3-derived five-cylinder turbo-petrol, will be restricted to "fewer than 100 customer units", starting from $94,990 – or more than $100,000 drive-away.
The 2026 Cupra Formentor S, V, VZe and VZx will arrive in local showrooms next month, while the limited-edition VZ5 is due in Australia no sooner than December 2026.
2026 Cupra Formentor price in Australia
2026 Cupra Formentor S standard features:
2026 Cupra Formentor V adds (over Formentor S):
2026 Cupra Formentor VZe adds (over Formentor V):
2026 Cupra Formentor VZx adds (over Formentor V):
2026 Cupra Formentor VZ5 adds (over Formentor VZx):
The optional Extreme Package, available on the Formentor VZe ($6500) and VZx ($7000), adds:
The optional Leather and Sound Package, available on the Formentor S and V, adds:
2026 Cupra Formentor individual options:
Jordan is a motoring journalist based in Melbourne with a lifelong passion for cars. He has been surrounded by classic Fords and Holdens, brand-new cars, and everything in between from birth, with his parents’ owning an automotive workshop in regional Victoria. Jordan started writing about cars in 2021, and joined the Drive team in 2024.
