The pointy bronze logo on the front of a Cupra is like a food label designating extra spiciness.
Those who prefer a milder automotive flavour better look elsewhere, but for those that have a taste for something extra hot when it comes to dynamics and styling, this Spanish brand promises to satisfy.
For the most part, Cupra has successfully delivered on this promise across its growing line-up of vehicles, and now it’s time to see if Cupra’s newest electric vehicle can too.
Chasing Cars drove the Cupra Tavascan overseas last month and we certainly liked what we saw, and now we’ve been among the first Australian media to get a taste on Aussie roads to find out if this Tesla Model Y-rivalling challenger is spicy enough to make its mark in the hotly contested mid-size electric SUV segment.
Based on the familiar MEB platform that underpins sibling vehicles such as the Cupra Born hatch and other VW Group vehicles including the soon-to-launch Volkswagen ID.4, the recently launched Audi Q4 E-tron and Skoda Enyaq, and also some international Ford EVs, the Chinese-built Tavascan displays a distinctive design that helps it stand out from all angles.
Whether you like it or not will depend entirely on personal taste, but it definitely doesn’t look boring, with an almost Batman-esque theme to its styling. For many Cupra fans, the Tavascan’s design will certainly be ‘box number one’ ticked.
However, if you were hoping for a similarly daring ‘out there’ colour choice, you’ll be limited to just four colours at launch – Tavascan Blue, White Silver, Basalt Grey, and Atacama Desert.
The Tavascan will be available in two grades when it touches down in Australia in January – the entry-grade single-motor rear-drive Endurance (210kW/545Nm) and the top-spec dual-motor all-wheel-drive VZ (250kW/545Nm).
Both feature the same 82kWh lithium-ion battery (77kWh net).
Riding on 19-inch alloy wheels, the Endurance promises 534km of WLTP range, while the more powerful VZ – which rides on 21-inch wheels – has a quoted WLTP range of 499km but a faster 0-100km/h sprint of 5.5 seconds, according to Cupra (compared to 6.8sec for the Endurance).
It’s important to note that while our test car felt, drove and looked like a production-ready car, Cupra said it was a prototype and noted that while it was a dual-motor variant, there were some minor spec differences which meant it didn’t line-up exactly with what we’ll see in Australia.
This said, both grades to be offered here will be well kitted-out. You can expect the Endurance to come with features like signature LED headlights with triangular daytime running lights, illuminated front and rear Cupra logos, a power tailgate with kick sensor, three-zone climate control, and bucket sports seats in black fabric trim.
An optional Interior Package on the Endurance will be available at launch adding features such as 20-inch wheels, a 360-degree camera, power front seats with heating and memory, a Sennheiser audio system, ambient lighting and a blue-themed interior.
Meanwhile, the top-spec VZ comes standard with all the features of the Endurance Interior Package and adds 21-inch black and copper alloy wheels, adaptive suspension, matrix LED headlights and a fixed sunroof with power sunblind.
You’ll also be able to get the VZ with an Extreme Package early in 2025, adding Cup Racing bucket front seats with ventilation and performance tyres, among other features, but this will bring the quoted range down to 463km as a result.
As for pricing, this hasn’t yet been finalised however Cupra told us at the launch that the Endurance will start in the $60,000 bracket and the VZ above $70,000.
Previously, the brand has also communicated that the entry-grade will be priced slightly above the top-spec Formentor VZx ($65,790 plus on-road costs), noting that all variants are expected to fall below the luxury car tax threshold and therefore qualify for FBT exemptions.
Inside, the Tavascan stands out potentially even more so than its exterior. I was quite excited to see the interior in the flesh, having heard so many words used to describe it and its many features: ‘gothic’, ‘skeletal’, ‘reptilian’, ‘cyber-punk’, the ‘antithesis of Tesla’… I was intrigued. And can equally make a case for all those descriptors!
If you are someone who likes the minimalism of a Tesla, this cabin is not for you – curves, components, textures, layers, forms and shapes adorn it at every angle.
The cabin wraps around you like a futuristic cockpit, all coming together in the ‘skeletal’-like spine with ‘reptile’ like scales in the centre console. Whether you like it or not, I love that the interior has a ‘design’ and that should be applauded given it’s certainly not cookie-cutter.
For a Cupra buyer who’s looking for something different, that’s probably going to be box number two ticked, even before you consider the features and practicality.
All models get a 15.0-inch central touchscreen which seemed to do a good job when I interacted with it – it’s large, clear, and I like that it’s angled toward the driver, as it should be in a Cupra.
There’s a little digital instrument cluster screen in front of the driver which also does a good job, as well as a twist-shift column-mounted transmission selector that helps to leave the minimalism of the T-shaped centre console nice and clean.
The Cupra steering wheel is pleasant to behold, the seats are comfy, it’s easy to find a good driving position and there’s all the storage you’d expect, including a deep storage unit in the centre console behind two cupholders.
Cabin ambience feels nice and airy, no doubt helped by the glass roof, with good forward visibility and what appears to be solid build quality and materials all-round.
In the back, the seats are equally comfy with decent leg and knee room. Headroom is just okay for me at six-foot, and there are some scratchy plastics on the door tops. Other than that, amenities are good – a third climate-control zone, USB-C ports, heated outboard seats, and a centre armrest with cupholders.
Boot space beneath the electric power tailgate is also solid at 540 litres, however the real question is: how does this Cupra drive?
Quite well is the answer, at least on this short taste test north of Sydney.
My first observation was that the top-spec dual-motor all-wheel drive did not feel short on power at all, with more than enough shove for keen drivers and ample response to contend with the urban cut and thrust.
Once on the move, the Tavascan continues to deliver a positive first impression – agile and confident in corners, with mature body control and solid amounts of grip on the set of twisties we sampled.
It’s an electric SUV that really seems to enjoy being taken through the bends, and that is further enhanced by steering that feels typically ‘Cupra’ – fast yet progressive, and accurate.
A longer drive on more challenging roads will be required to pass final judgement, but on first impression it seems that the required ‘spice’ should be there in delivering a fun, purposeful and engaging drive experience.
What’s more, the ride quality – despite wearing 21-inch wheels – also feels very good. It’s compliant and takes the edge off bumps with aplomb, regardless of the drive mode.
Adding to the driving experience is a solid level of refinement. There seems to be a touch of road noise but overall it feels like a well-insulated cabin inside the Tavascan.
There is also an excellent head-up display with augmented reality graphics that enhance the navigation experience and overall drive.
One observation that I noted was a soft brake pedal that had a bit more travel than expected – the stopping power isn’t as grabby as you might expect, so jury is out on that for when we can go on a longer drive,
The Tavascan also has three levels of regenerative braking which can be adjusted with the paddles on the steering wheel to your personal taste.
While there’s perhaps more emphasis on the driving experience with a Cupra, this is still an electric vehicle and so efficiency and range will be important.
During our drive our vehicle’s trip computer indicated 17.8kWh/100km across 124km of driving, which did include a lot of highway cruising and some sportier B-road driving.
We look forward to when we can get a Tavascan into the garage for our official Chasing Cars range and charging tests, noting that one ‘on paper’ drawback of the vehicle is its maximum 135kW DC charging capacity which means we can’t expect it to set the world on fire when it comes to charging speeds.
However, Cupra quotes a 10-80 percent charge time in a tad under 30 minutes which isn’t bad.
As for safety features, I didn’t experience any negatives from any over-zealous driving aids on our launch drive and while it hasn’t yet been crash tested in Australia, the Tavascan has scored a five-star safety rating in Europe.
But the crux of this drive was to get a taste-test of how it performs behind the wheel on Aussie roads, and based on how engaging and competent it was during our few hours together, it certainly does seem like there’s a sufficient level of spice to the Cupra Tavascan, which will please Cupra fans.
It’s an EV that you want to get behind the wheel of and it stands out from the crowd. As an alternative to a plethora of other electric SUVs – and a growing number of coupe SUVs – in the market, the Tavascan should make a decent case for itself for those who want a bit more tang in their automotive diet.
We look forward to experiencing its flavours over more time so stay tuned to Chasing Cars for further news, including pricing, and a more detailed review in the coming months.
