An additional 20kW, dynamic enhancements and styling revisions are en route for Leon and Formentor VZs.

EXTRA heat is a core ingredient of major midlife updates for two Cupra models sold in New Zealand.

Revisions for the sporty Formentor crossover (top), the first model designed exclusively for the VW Group’s sporty Spanish brand, and the Leon hatchback and station wagon/Sportstourer (above) revealed overnight in Europe.

Cupra NZ boss James Yates says the updated cars will arrive in early 2025; decision already being taken to drop the Leon hatch here, and push on with a wagon variant.

Special interest is in the VZ variants, which are set to issue with 248kW powertrains - a lift of 20kW over the current types, which hold flagship status at $76,700 in Sportstourer and $79,500 in Formentor.

Chief among the changes to the cars’ exteriors are reshaped front ends that aim to deliver similarity to the ‘shark nose’ look with the Tavascan, Cupra’s new electric SUV also incoming to NZ.

The VZ - shorthand for ‘veloz’, the Spanish word for fast - editions are all-wheel-drive and includes a specifically developed Cupra mode calibrated to deliver greater torque response. 

Both take an electro-hydraulically controlled torque splitter on the rear axle; this uses two independent clutches to alter power delivery between the rear wheels to enhance driving in dynamic cornering.

Formentor also picks up a Drift mode for use on racetracks, which shifts the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) into a sport mode and can direct full power to one rear wheel to enhance rotation of the car.

To tame the additional power, Cupra fits 18-inch brakes as standard to the cars and provides the option to upgrade those to six-piston Akebono calipers for even further stopping performance. Current cars have Brembos, as an option.

The 4Drive all-wheel-drive system in both uses the ‘EDS’ electronic aid that can brake an inner wheel if it is losing grip, enhancing traction. Cupra also fits the Formentor with an electrical brake booster that is claimed to provide faster response times than a conventional system.

The VZ’s Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) system has Comfort, Performance, Cupra, Offroad (for all-wheel-drive versions), Drift and Individual settings.

Although there is no fully electric Formentor, Cupra does offer two plug-in hybrids that benefit from improved battery and charging technology. Both use a 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine and an electric motor with maximum system outputs of 152kW or 202kW. The latter is badged VZ e-Hybrid.

The new battery pack has a 19.7kWh (net) capacity that can provide an official electric driving range of more than 100 kilometres. These Formentor e-Hybrids are equipped with 50kW DC fast charging capability and 11kW AC capability - up from 3.6kW previously. Optionally, the Formentor VZ e-Hybrid can be fitted with four-piston Brembo brake calipers and larger diameter perforated brake discs for enhanced stopping power.

The entry choice in Europe is a 111kW pure petrol 1.5-litre turbo that takes mild-hybrid technology, badged as ‘eTSI’ and paired with a DSG automatic transmission. 

The system uses a 48-volt setup consisting of a starter-generator and lithium-ion battery, enabling the Formentor to coast with the engine off for short periods to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Energy can be recovered when braking, and the system can provide a small amount of performance assistance. Engine stop-start operation is claimed to be smoother with this setup, too.

Next up from the eTSI is the 2.0-litre TSI, a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with an output of 152kW driving all four wheels via a seven-speed DSG gearbox and ‘4Drive’ transmission. That engine bridges the entry-level Formentor and its range-topping versions,

Conformity with the brand’s new identity is why the matrix LED headlights with both cars contain three illuminated triangles within a triangle. These are mimicking the shape of the company’s logo. Those also work into the taillights; the Cupra logo on the Formentor’s tailgate is illuminated, too.

Interior changes for Formentor include a revamp of the digital display (above), with the 12.9-inch touchscreen running a new operating system, with the capacitive slider on the screen’s base now illuminated and wireless smartphone mirroring with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay involved. An improved wireless charging pad with a 15W output has a cooling function to ensure devices don’t overheat. The centre console has been redesigned but the trademark copper accents throughout the cabin remain.

Leather is an option on the current types, but perhaps cows are saved with the new one. In both Formentor and Leon seats are covered in either microfibre that is 73 percent recycled or ‘environmentally conscious’ leather. The Formentor VZ’s ‘CuPBucket’ seats are lowered for a sportier position.

Leon is purely a Cupra here, but in Spain it also serves as a SEAT-branded car, so the Tavascan look is there to enable greater distinction between those.

The Cupra types also come on either 18- or 19-inch wheels, depending on specification, and a total of nine different wheel styles are available.

The Sportstourer has a multifunction sports steering wheel  and a redesigned digital instrument display that can be configured in numerous ways to suit the driver’s preferences.

The wagon format also offers with a 2.0-litre TSI four-cylinder petrol engine sending 178kW via a DSG dual-clutch transmission. 

Cupra NZ’s electric push, meantime, will also progress over the next year. In addition to Tavascan, which is designed and developed in Barcelona, but will be produced at the VW Group’s factory in Anhui, China, there’s the plug-in Cupra Terramar and an entry electric, the Urban Rebel.