All generations and engines together · 9,218 MOT tests in the 2025 data
Computed from DVSA MOT results, all of Great Britain, 2025. Nothing here is opinion.
Share of tests where each item was recorded. The dark tick is the class average across all tracked models; bars are scaled within each group.
The rows that judge the model rather than its keeper. 9,218 tests in this band.
Tyres, pads and stone chips say more about how the car was driven and maintained than about how it was built.
Owner folklore from forums and the motoring press. Most of it never shows up in an MOT, which is why this section exists at all.
Owners repeatedly report the central touchscreen freezing, going blank, or rebooting itself, along with random warnings for lane assist and the SOS/eCall system that clear on their own. It shows up across both petrol and plug-in hybrid versions and at any age, not just high-mileage cars. Dealers can usually clear it with a software update but some cars need repeat visits, and there's no manufacturer TSB covering it as a single fault.
A long forum thread describes a clunk or knock from the front end over speed bumps and uneven roads, traced by posters to the Monroe-made adaptive (DCC) dampers fitted from launch, with dealers sometimes replacing shocks under warranty only for the noise to return. This lines up with the measured MOT data for the small-SUV segment, where suspension is the standout fault category for the Formentor; the forum noise complaint and the recorded advisory pattern point at the same corner of the car. It's mostly a nuisance rather than a safety issue, and Cupra has not issued a public TSB, but expect to pay for a diagnosis if it's out of warranty.
Specialist transmission garages report the dual-clutch DSG gearbox throwing up erratic or delayed shifts, judder from a standstill, and occasional limp-mode faults linked to the mechatronic unit or clutch pack. It tends to appear from around 40-60k miles, especially on cars that have missed the DSG oil and filter service, which VW Group recommends roughly every 40,000 miles or 4 years. A full mechatronic replacement runs into four figures, while a service and adaptation reset is a lot cheaper and worth trying first.
Some owners and independent garages flag carbon build-up on the intake valves and higher-than-expected oil use on the turbocharged 1.5 and 2.0 TSI engines, blamed on direct injection design rather than a specific defect. Symptoms are a rough idle, a flat spot under load, or having to top up oil between services. It's disputed because plenty of owners never see it and Cupra doesn't treat it as a fault, but a walnut-blast intake clean or oil top-ups cost owners money that a service book alone won't reveal.
Cupra and the DVSA have issued factory recalls covering the Formentor, including rear-left wheel supports built with air cavities that can fail prematurely, an engine support fitted without the correct heat treatment, and a brake fluid reservoir that can melt against the exhaust heat shield and leak. All are free dealer fixes once identified, but a used buyer needs to check the specific car's VIN against the recall list rather than assume it's been done.
On the eHybrid, owners occasionally report the car refusing to charge, EV mode dropping out unexpectedly, or warning lights for the hybrid system that need a dealer reset. It only affects the plug-in hybrid drivetrain, not the petrol-only TSI cars, and a used eHybrid is worth a full charge-and-drive test before buying since a flat high-voltage battery pack is a specialist repair.
Built from the two sections above.
Same segment (Small SUVs), best MOT record first. Compare before you shortlist.