The makeover is a sympathetic nip-and-tuck facelift

Before the current incarnation bows out, we got back behind the wheel of the barnstorming 310PS, all-wheel-drive range-topper to reintroduce ourselves to the brand’s first purpose-built model.

Available in V1, VZ1, VZ2 and VZ3 trim, the outgoing Formentor is offered in 150PS 1.5-litre petrol and a choice of two 205PS and 245PS plug-in hybrid drivetrains.

Since its 2020 launch, Cupra has shifted towards electrification with its big-selling Born EV, which runs on the same underpinnings as Volkswagen’s ID.3.

The Formentor tested here stays true to its roots as Seat’s performance car nameplate, however.

Its two-litre turbocharged petrol engine, 4Drive drivetrain and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (which features launch control) will accelerate the SUV to 62mph in 4.9 seconds.

Cupra’s tribal tattoo logo and penchant for copper detailing combine with the Formentor’s aggressive angles to create a car keen to attract attention.

In the VZ3 form tested here, a rear diffuser, quad exhausts and Brembo brakes add to the drama.

Inside, our £52,330 test car added a beats sound system, panoramic sunroof and unapologetically brash blue Nappa leather.

Despite its in-yer-face aesthetic, the Formentor is very usable. There is plenty of space – despite the low roofline – and a 420-litre boot.

Claimed fuel economy of 32.1 to 32.8mpg and 193g/km CO2 emissions are less practical.

That soon slips to the back of your mind when you press the steering button bearing that Cupra logo.

Cupra mode awakens a bassy engine note and gargling exhaust.

The Formentor’s firm suspension and broad haunches translate into genuine poise.

There’s not the outright agility of a hot hatch and the gearbox benefits from manual changes via the steering wheel-mounted shifters but, boy, the Formentor can shift.

After a week at the helm, I am just glad that the Formentor’s 2024 makeover appears to amount to a sympathetic nip-and-tuck facelift.

With Cupra’s attention no doubt pricked by its success of its perky but more socially acceptable Born EV, I would hate to see it undervalue the noisy appeal of its breakthrough SUV.