Buying advice, Terramar or Formentor for back problems?

[fuselfieber]

I have been a VW Passat driver for years. Now it's time for a vehicle change again. Unfortunately, after a back surgery at the beginning of the year, I still have significant problems with my lumbar spine. No idea if and how that will get better... So this time, it should be a vehicle with a higher seating position, an SUV. Since the VW Tiguan is anything but exciting, I came across Cupra. Familiar VW technology in a much nicer design.
Now I'm torn between the Formentor and the Terramar as a plug-in hybrid. I like both. Size is not the most important factor; there are only two of us. I find both large enough. A bike rack can be mounted on the tow bar for both.

My question:
For someone over 50 with back problems, is the Formentor suitable? Allegedly, it is supposed to be significantly harder and rougher than the Terramar. Additionally, the seating position in the Terramar is a bit higher. I have sat in both and found both okay just sitting in them. I haven't driven either yet. So there are several points in favor of the Terramar, but it is expensive. Furthermore, it has the DSG shifter on the steering column instead of the usual position on the centre console.
I would definitely choose the load support, the DCC, and preferably smaller wheels for both.

Does anyone have experience or a recommendation?

 

[NS9556]

Der Terramar ist mit einer Länge von 4,52 m und einer Höhe von 1,59 m größer, bietet einen Radstand von 2,68 m und einen Kofferraum von 400 bis 642 Litern je nach Version, was ihn ideal für Familien und lange Fahrten macht . Der Formentor, kompakter (4,45 m lang und 1,51 m hoch), verfügt über eine tiefe Dachlinie und ein Coupé-Profil mit einem Kofferraum von 345 bis 450 Litern, was sportlicheres Fahrverhalten und ein besseres Handling in der Stadt bevorzugt.

Diese 2 Sätze sagen m.E. alles aus. Ich persönlich fahre Formentor und habe das Fahrwerk überall auf straff gestellt - weil ich es so mag

 

[Schmitzibu]

Hi @fuselfieberI can well understand your questions. Although I haven’t had back surgery myself, I was close to it once and for that reason, a few years ago, I swapped my Scirocco for a Skoda Karoq, and last year I then exchanged the Karoq for a Terramar (with Dinamica / electrically adjustable seats, which the two previous cars didn’t have). My back also repeatedly causes serious problems in the lumbar spine area...
I’m 1.75m “short”.

I also had to drive quite a few kilometres in the Terramar, especially long distances, before I finally found “my” seating position, but now it’s perfect.

Also take a look at the boot. The Formentor has a really high loading lip, over which you have to heave every shopping bag, every crate of water (or beer). That used to annoy me a lot in the Scirocco and eventually, because of my back, I just couldn’t manage it anymore.
It’s a completely different picture in the Terramar. With the load floor down, the lip is only a few centimetres high and at a comfortable height for loading and unloading. With the load floor up, the loading lip is level.
Additionally, you can slide the rear seats about 15cm forward and then you have a bit more loading space. Of course, it’s not comparable to the football pitch in the Passat (but the Formentor is significantly smaller in the rear). The rear seat backs can also be locked firmly at 90°.
Downside: with the hybrid, there is no adjustable load floor and the total height up to the parcel shelf is NOT enough for a standard Reisenthel shopping basket with the carrying handle upright.

As far as the suspension is concerned, I would say the effects on the back are rather negligible. I run 20-inch wheels in summer and 19-inch in winter. Thanks to the DCC, the differences are really only marginal. When my wife rides along, I always have to set the DCC completely to “soft” (individual profile). Even with the 20-inch wheels, that’s still comfortable to drive and potholes or manhole covers hardly come through anymore.

You get used to the gear lever position quickly.

If I were you, I would test drive both cars (definitely for a longer time!) and also take a look at the boot etc.

If you have any other concerns about the seats, check out the Tiguan as well, which is optionally available with Ergo seats.

A colleague of mine drives the Formentor (old model) and switched there from the Skoda Superb. There are three of them with a primary school child and the space is enough for holiday trips etc.

Which engine variants are you considering?

 

[fuselfieber]

It should be the Terramar or Formentor plug-in hybrid with 204 or the VZ with 272PS. It depends on the leasing offer.

 

[Schmitzibu]

Ok, so no adjustable load floor. You’ll have to check the height of the boot and compare it with your shopping habits.

 

[ekm]

Actually, it is better for your back to use the upper position because it is level with the loading edge; having to lift the box out of the recess over the loading edge (and also put it down) is less favourable (especially under pre-load or incorrect movement).

 

[Schmitzibu]

That is correct. However, the height difference is not large and also close to the body, which puts it into perspective. Definitely much less than the "trough" on the Formentor!

The note about the lower overall height was important to me. At the dealership, it’s easy to overlook whether the one with the open boot is a hybrid or not.

 

[Killboy]

I think the problem is sitting for a long time. Not where the loading edge is.

 

[fuselfieber]

I wouldn’t put it quite like that. For me, it was actually more about the seating, the jolts on uneven roads, being shaken around, and so on. The loading edge wasn’t even on my radar. But that’s also an important aspect! It definitely makes a difference whether I can simply pull a basket or something close or have to heave it over an edge. I know that from our second car, a 2017 Skoda Fabia.

 

[Killboy]

You probably have a problem with the doctor/surgeon. Public insurance or private? I know several people with operated backs. But afterwards, it has to work. But the seats in the Formentor are soft. And I have DCC in the VZ.

 

[ekm]

Not really, once you have back problems, you always have back problems. Whether with or without surgery makes no difference. I know enough people with different stories, including among my employees. For some, the surgery helped a bit, for others it didn’t, and others tried everything and nothing helped, not even the best doctors. In the end, the only difference is how often or how severe the problems still are now.

 

[fuselfieber]

Ach Killboy, wenn es doch nur so einfach wäre... Ein Mensch ist leider kein Auto. Querlenker tauschen und weiter geht´s... Bei dem einen geht es wieder halbwegs, der andere (also ich) braucht ewig. Da braucht nur nach der OP Narbengewebe wuchern und auf den Nerv drücken... Ich erspare euch das Gejammer. Man muss das beste draus machen. Also jetzt ein SUV, obwohl ich eigentlich kein Fan davon bin. Dann soll er wenigstens gut aussehen, deshalb auch der geplante Wechsel von VW zu Cupra. Meine 2 Motorräder sind dieses ja nur etwa 50km gefahren, ein echt gebrauchtes Jahr... Aber ich kämpfe mich zurück!

Ich kenne keinen, bei dem es nach der OP so wie vorher war.

 

[Killboy]

"Da braucht nur nach der OP Narbengewebe wuchern und auf den Nerv drücken" da gehts schon los mit Kassenpatient. Aber ich wünsche dir das Beste. DCC-Fahrwerk ist wohl in 12 Stufen einstellbar. Ob Terramar oder Formentor? Schau dir Videos und Vergleiche an. So bin ich zum Formentor gekommen.

 

[philimi]

Ist zwar leicht Off aber ich habe seit 2 Monaten enthaltene Schmerzen in der LWS, niemand weiß so Recht was es ist - ich habe ja den Leon, in diesen Ein/Auszusteigen ist momentan echt ne Qual und sieht von außen glaube ich eher wie Akrobatik aus, vor allem das Aussteigen.

Zum Thema, wie schon empfohlen, vielleicht Mal ne längere Probefahrt, oder eben das Thema Ladekante. Ich glaube Standard ist ja mittlerweile der Komfortausstieg, also das der Sitz nach hinten fährt. Muss natürlich aktiv sein.