Five-cylinder Cupra Formentor priced at $102K

CURPA Australia will inject a massive shot of desirability into its Formentor sports SUV line-up with a limited run of the compact crossover set to borrow the Audi RS3’s iconic five-cylinder engine later this year.

Badged VZ5, the Formentor packing an Audi-sourced 2.5-litre turbocharged inline five has been available in small numbers for select left-hand drive markets during the last four years but Cupra’s performance flagship never reached right-hook markets.

That situation changes in May 2026, with the Martorell production line in Spain that builds the Formentor having been tooled up to accommodate the RHD/five-cylinder combination in forthcoming facelift form, although initial Australian VZ5 deliveries will not commence until December.

If there is a catch it is the price, with Cupra’s Australian division today confirming the initial run of “fewer than 100” Formentor VZ5 examples for Australia priced with an MRLP of $94,990 before on-road costs and national drive-away price of $101,990.

While Cupra has not yet announced pricing for facelifted four-cylinder versions of the Formentor, the ‘next rung down’ version – latterly the 228kW/400Nm VZx AWD – officially cost $65,790 + ORC last year.

However, some stock of the pre-facelift four-cylinder Formentor VZx remains available in Australia for the substantially discounted price of $51,990 drive-away.

Compared to that runout MY24 Formentor VZx deal, the incoming MY26 Formentor VZ5 asks almost twice the money and by any count is around 40 per cent dearer than the hottest four-cylinder Formentor’s last ‘official’ price.

Buyers purchase more power (287kW/480Nm), quicker acceleration (4.2 sec 0-100km/h plays 4.9 sec), the characteristic five-cylinder exhaust note courtesy of the ‘EA855 evo’ engine’s 1-2-4-5-3 firing order, and a host of additional kit.

A torque vectoring rear differential enables not only power oversteer but a proper selectable ESC-off Drift Mode while the VZ5 wears black and copper 20-inch wheels, plenty of carbon-fibre trim and a distinctive front-to-rear body kit.

Inside, heated Sabelt Cup carbon bucket seats (12-way power-adjustable for the driver) finished in grey Seaqual cloth and Dinamica fabric distinguish the VZ5 while an opening panoramic sunroof and Sennheiser premium stereo are standard.

Also fitted to the Formentor VZ5 for Australia are 15-stage adaptive dampers, six-piston Akebono brakes, and stacked quad copper exhaust tips. The sole options are premium paint ($790) or matte paint ($3300).

Pricing for the four-cylinder variants of the refreshed MY26 Formentor line-up has not yet been announced by Cupra, but the VZ5 will undoubtedly crown the range.

Elsewhere in the Cupra line-up, an expansion in the availability of low-CO2 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variants is expected alongside the return of the popular high-performance VZx four-cylinder grade.

Overseas, the VZx has been upgraded with a Golf R-equalling 245kW/420Nm tune of the Volkswagen Group 2.0-litre ‘EA888’ motor, alongside the same torque vectoring rear differential as the VZ5.

While the $102K drive-away deal is eyebrow-raisingly dear by Cupra’s own standards in Australia, the pricing is some way south of what powertrain provider Audi charges for the RS3 model better associated with five cylinders.

An RS3 presently costs $104,800 plus on-road costs in hatchback guise (or around $117,000 drive-away). Audi has not locally imported the RSQ3 SUV version more comparable with the Formentor VZ5 since 2024.

2026 Cupra Formentor pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.