Cool running: Cupra Formentor loses none of its shine

It is a 300-mile round trip and yet the journey is over in the blink of an eye.

What’s even more significant is that the route home is as the crow flies which is shorter than the dual carriageway option but slower as it involves villages and country roads.

Generally, after a day as intense as this one covering a conference in relentless detail, I’d opt for the quicker, mindless route.

The fact I haven’t speaks volumes for the test car, which in this instance is the new Cupra Formentor.

The original Formentor was launched exactly five years ago and was significant as being the very first Cupra to be designed from the ground up by the sporty division rather than just a souped-up version of the SEAT range.

From day one, it was a humdinger and it is testament to that initial design that it still looks great all these years later.

New Formentor shares the same rear-up, nose-down profile, a silhouette that implies speed even at rest. It also retains its mean and moody aesthetic with aggressive grille and full width rear light bar.

Stick a Transformers badge on the bonnet and tailgate, finish it in magnetic tech grey and you have a car that looks among the coolest on the road.

A cool exterior requires an equally groovy interior and Formentor is blessed with that too. It’s the little things, such as the carbon-look, alloy and bronze detailing and copper stitching on the leather-look/fabric seats and steering wheel that create the feel of sporty, dynamic and special motoring.

Strangely the performance from the entry level V1 is only modest – 150PS, 0-62mph in 9.0 seconds, top speed 127mph – yet it feels much livelier than those figures suggest when on the road.

The cross-country foray is dispatched with consummate ease because you find yourself enjoying every corner and straight. It’s fun and because of that you don’t mind starting far from home because the long drive is easy and enjoyable.

There’s enough poke to overtake the slow movers in safety especially as kick-down from the DSG automatic box is swift and seamless. Steering and handling are good too as are the brakes and Formentor is a vehicle that revels in the bends breeding increasing levels of confidence in the driver. Economy is fair at 40+mpg.

Sports seats are comfortable and supportive, the high side bolsters protecting you from lateral G-force and hugging you in place.

All the controls are easy to use which means you can keep your eyes on the road, which is where they should be at all times but aren’t always in many new cars as you are distracted by the touch-tech.

The infotainment centre is clear and efficient with satnav readily available and a decent quality sound system for the radio or when playing your favourite tunes via Blutetooth from your smartphone.

Practically speaking, the Formentor shines with decent levels of space and multiple storage areas in the cabin and a decent size boot that can be increased further if you drop the rear seats.

There are mild and full hybrid versions and a range-topping 333PS all-wheel-drive variant which tops out at more than 50k so there is plenty of choice.

Second generation Cupra Formentor is every bit as good as the first, which just happened to be a brilliant starting point.

The new look freshens the brand without losing anything of the pleasing menace and stimulating driving dynamics Cupras are renowned for.

More so than ever, Formentor remains a vehicle in which you look for the slowest way home.