SOMETIMES less is more, as the old saying goes.

This is particularly appropriate in the car business. Take the racy looking Cupra Formentor, which to my eyes and quite a few others' is one of the best styled SUVs or crossovers in the car park.

You can buy the neat high-rider with upwards of 200bhp, even 300bhp-plus, but having sampled each of these variants, it's the more humble - and cheaper - 1.5 TSi V2 which proves the sweet spot in the range.

Although it pushes out a fairly modest 148bhp from the VW group's familiar 1.5-litre, 4 cylinder engine, it feels so rounded and well planted on the road that it's impossible not to love it.

Possibly it's the balance and the ease with which the power is put down that wins the day. It's also the fact that not every SUV buyer wants to tear around the countryside burning up the tarmac.

Don't, however, get the idea that the 1.5 V2 is a slouch. It can polish of the 62mph dash in under nine seconds and, coupled to the seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox complete with paddle change, its progress is plenty swift enough for most.

Best of all, is its nimble footedness. Directional changes and swift cornering are coped with confidently and with poise. The suspension is well damped if a little on the firm side which results in very little cornering sway. Bumps and potholes can, however, be a tad intrusive as some of the jolts get transmitted into the cabin.

Despite an essence of fun and eagerness, we averaged 43mpg during our week with the Cupra. On gentle running it returned closer to 50mpg.

Its semi-coupe style lines do little to limit the cabin capacity, and there's plenty of legroom front and back with an acceptable amount of headroom too. Luggage space in the regularly shaped boot is 450 litres which measures up well to most rivals.

Those who need more cargo room may want to opt for the more squared-off Ateca, on which the prettier Formentor is based.

Facia and cabin styling in general is modern and appealing with a 12-inch touchscreen taking pride of place. There might be too much reliance on touch-sensitive controls for some buyers, but once mastered the system work well enough though many of us continue to lament the loss of old fashioned switches for heater and audio systems.

Overall, the cabin is a stylish, comfortable environment with an upmarket feel about it. And surprisingly, it manages to distance itself in terms of appearance from other VW Group iterations.

The V2 model gets electric seat controls, heated steering wheel, electric tailgate and parking sensors all-round.

The 1.5-litre engine is generally quiet but gets somewhat vocal at high revs through the gears. And a little too much road noise is transmitted via the low profile tyres on the standard 19-inch alloy wheels. Possibly, the smaller 18-inch wheels available on the entry version would provide a more complaint ride.