Cupra Tavascan

The Cupra Tavascan is a welcome improvement to the all-electric SUV formula we've already seen used elsewhere in the VW Group, sprinkled with Cupra's distinctive style. The Tavascan is spacious, rides well, offers good refinement and is full of interesting details that make it feel unique to the Spanish brand. At last, Cupra has been able to properly spread its wings. Key specs Fuel type Electric Body style Coupe/Crossover Powertrain 77kWh battery, 1x e-motor, rear-wheel drive 77kWh battery, 2x e-motors, four-wheel drive Safety 5-stars (Euro NCAP, 2024) Warranty 5yrs/90,000 miles Pricing for the Tavascan starts at around £47,500 for an entry-level single-motor 282bhp model in V1 trim, rising to just under £54,000 for a more lavishly equipped V2. The four-wheel drive-equipped VZ1 will cost around £56,000, while the top-of-the-range VZ2 comes in at around £61,000. In many ways, the Tavascan is the real beginning of Cupra as a brand. Yes, the Cupra Leon, Cupra Formentor and even the Cupra Born represented the start of something interesting from VW's sporty spin-off brand, but the Tavascan has been designed to put greater distance between Cupra models and other members of the Volkswagen group. In essence, this high-riding coupe-SUV creation doesn't really enter an existing market segment. Instead, it's designed to offer a different form, sitting lower than its Volkswagen ID.5 or Skoda Enyaq Coupe siblings, but not relinquishing the high-riding SUV stance.

The Tavascan will be available with two powertrain options, it's the higher-specification dual-motor 335bhp VZ model we've driven so far, but a single-motor 282bhp version will be launched alongside when the car hits the UK in the last quarter of 2024. In both cases, the Tavascan runs on nearly the latest version of the VW Group MEB platform, featuring a 77kWh battery pack and updated motors, but misses out on VW's new 79kWh battery unit and the increased range of benefits that come along with it. The electric powertrain is responsive and refined, but lacks the outright punch of some rival cars. Out on the road, the MEB platform's good points are on full display, which is to say the motors are very refined and come with excellent response and clarity through the throttle pedal. Regenerative braking is controlled via paddles behind the steering wheel, and the system engages smoothly regardless of the chosen driver mode. At low speeds, the Tavascan's turn of speed is very impressive, with that initial burst of torque making the car feel more potent than its 335bhp suggests. However, once up and running the level of acceleration isn't quite so thrilling, best described as adequate rather than rapid. This isn't unusual in the mid-size electric SUV class, but the Tavascan simply wouldn't be able to hold onto the back of a twin-motor Tesla Model Y, which isn't that much more expensive. Advertisement It is, however, the Cupra Tavascan's ride and handling that really help it stand out. Most of the dynamic elements are vastly improved compared to Cupra's other models, such as the steering which has been sharpened up with a faster ratio and heavier weighting. These improvements are made particularly welcome by the progress that's been achieved in the chassis department. The car's ride quality is a big improvement on previous MEB-based SUV models, even on the large 21-inch wheels of our test car (entry-level V1 comes with smaller 19-inch wheels). There's more travel in the springs and, therefore, more control when driving over larger undulations. Smaller, harsher bumps can be felt, but they don't push through the cabin to the extent that they do in a Cupra Born with the larger wheel option. This makes the Tavascan an excellent cruiser. Switch through the drive modes to the Performance or Cupra settings, and there's a marked change to the car's behavior as the ride tightens up significantly. Whether this actually improves body control is a more difficult question, but inherently the dynamics feel well resolved and engaging without the ride feeling overly firm or brittle.

One area where there's still work to be done is the brakes. The consistency of pedal feel is fine, but the weighting seems somewhat mushy and the blend of regenerative and friction braking is still a little off. The setup does little to inspire confidence when punting down a fast road, but potentially of more relevance is that it's hard to judge a fast and efficient stop in day-to-day driving. Model Power 0-62mph Top speed Cupra Tavascan V1 282bhp 6.8 seconds 112mph Cupra Tavascan VZ1 335bhp 5.5 seconds 112mph

The Tavascan's 77kWh battery allows for decent range, but charging speeds still have room to improve All Cupra Tavascan models have the same 77kWh battery pack. There's then the choice of single-motor or dual-motor four-wheel drive variants. Peak charging speeds are rated at a relatively low 135kW on DC fast charging, but it will still top up the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in a competitive 30 minutes. The dual-motor VZ1 is rated at around 323 miles on a full charge, with this range increasing to just over 350 miles for the single-motor variant. Insurance costs for the Cupra Tavascan are higher than those of its similar electric crossover coupe rival, the Skoda Enyaq Coupe. The Tavascan stars in group 34 for the entry-level V1, before jumping to group 38 for the four-wheel drive VZ1. In comparison, the Enyaq Coupe starts in group 27, and tops out in group 36 for the hottest vRS version. Depreciation for the Tavascan is also likely to be higher than that of the Enyaq Coupe. According to our expert data, the Tavascan is likely to maintain between 48 to 51 per cent of its original value over three years or 36,000 miles. Over the same period, an Enyaq Coupe will be worth between 53 to 57 per cent of its original value. Model Battery size Range Insurance group Cupra Tavascan VZ1 77kWh (useable) 323 miles 34E Cupra Tavascan V1 77kWh (useable) 352 miles 38E

The Tavascan's distinctive looks might not be to all tastes but the cabin is a huge step forward for Cupra. The complex, interesting design is even more prevalent inside the cabin, which is a total departure from other models in the lineup. Under the layered, curvy dashboard sits a central element that separates the driver and passenger, but it does get a little bit in the way of the charging pad and other storage areas behind. Quality is good, with surfaces wrapped in a mixture of modern synthetic materials that vary from wetsuit-like neoprene to suede. There's a lot going on, but much like the exterior, it's a welcome progression from the more regimented designs coming out of Volkswagen and Skoda at the moment. The tech package inside the Tavascan is based on VW's latest generation user interface, with a 15-inch central display skewed towards the driver. The embedded software is relatively easy to navigate with some acclimatization time, and is fast to react to input. There are some nooks and crannies within the system that you can get a little lost in, such as the process of changing the interior lighting scheme, but the main controls are easy to access. You do need to confront the haptic sliders and steering wheel switchgear for some controls and these are still irritating, just as they do in other VW products. Back to the interior lighting, which is quite spectacular inside thanks to the ambient lighting structure within the air vents, the communication light under the windscreen and the added lighting integrated into the door cards.

There's a surprisingly large amount of space inside the Cupra Tavascan, and some impressive packaging. Space inside is generous, with plenty of leg and headroom in the second row, despite the sloping glass roof. The combination of a flat floor and wide cabin makes squeezing three across the back row painless. The boot is 540 liters with a large, wide opening. Go for V2 trim and above to gain an adjustable height boot floor. There's some extra storage under the boot floor for your charging cables, but there's no front boot under the short bonnet, which is a shame. The second-row seats fold almost flat, but thanks to the slope of the tailgate, larger boxy items like furniture are less easily squeezed in. Dimensions Length 4,644mm Width 1,861mm Height 1,597mm Number of seats 5 Boot space 540-litres The Tavascan gets a five-star Euro NCAP rating and comes with plenty of safety tech as standard. The Tavascan gets a full five-star safety rating from safety experts Euro NCAP regulations. Its matches the scores of the Ford Capri in the adult, child, and vulnerable road user categories, but the Tavascan outdoes the Ford for safety assistance. The ‘always on’ functions like lane-keeping assist and traffic sign assist are typically intrusive, but they can be easily switched off via the touchscreen. Other active safety elements include active cruise control with lane-keeping assist, blind spot monitoring and autonomous emergency braking, to name just a few. Key standard safety features Euro NCAP ratings Lane-keeping assist Blind-spot monitoring autonomous emergency braking 5 out of 5 stars (tested in 2024) Adult occupant protection - 89% Child occupant protection - 86% Vulnerable road users - 80% Safety assist - 79 % The price of the Cupra Tavascan is competitive compared to in-house rivals like the VW ID.5 or Skoda Enyaq Coupe, also allowing the Tavascan to target high-spec versions of the Kia EV6, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach-e. If you're less interested in the SUV look and additional ride height then cars like the Tesla Model 3, BMW i4, Polestar 2 or BYD Seal could also be considered as potential alternatives. The Cupra Tavascan won't appeal to everyone, but if the styling does work for you there's no reason not to be won over. This feels like a good step forward for the Cupra brand in terms of tech, engineering and design – the only caveat being the talented rivals that are also available at a similar price point.

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