Used car guide

2021 Cupra Formentor V2 TSI: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2021 Cupra Formentor V2 TSIs, from 757 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

757MOT tests in 2025
89%pass first time (all 2021 cars: 87%)
7,900typical miles a year
8.5×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2021 Cupra Formentor V2 TSIs than on all cars registered in 2021.

  • Shock absorbers8.5× usual
    Cupra Formentor V2 TSI
    14.5% All 2021 cars
    1.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.6%, against 0.3% of all 2021 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

By area

The share of 2021 Cupra Formentor V2 TSI MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    27% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Suspension
    17% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Brakes
    12% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    3% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    3% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

  • Lights and electrics
    3% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2022942Tyres 31%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2021 Cupra Formentor V2 TSIs registered in 2021. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score