SPANISH FLY (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_cupratavascan_2025

By Jonathan Crouch

The stylish Tavascan is a slightly larger kind of CUPRA EV crossover. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 38

CUPRA's third unique design, the Tavascan, takes this growing Spanish brand into an EV market segment for slightly larger models. And does so with a real splash of Iberian flair that effectively masks the shared VW Group underpinnings.

Backgroundword count: 194

We're fairly used to the CUPRA formula by now. Take an existing VW Group platform and its associated powertrains and sharpen up the looks and handling, before creating a more interestingly-trimmed cabin (usually with some copper-coloured bits). This approach worked like a charm in creating the compact CUPRA Born EV from a Volkswagen ID.3. Can it be as effective in the next EV class up, where this CUPRA Tavascan borrows just about everything you can't see from a mid-sized Volkswagen ID.4 (as well as from a Skoda Enyaq and an Audi Q4 e-tron). The Tavascan, launched in mid-2024, was a long time coming - the concept car of the same name dates all the way back to 2019. Following which CUPRA had to work out where to build it (exclusively in China as it turned out). This car is billed as 'a new era' for the brand, though we were also told that about the company's previous two models, that Born EV and the combustion-powered Formentor. But this is the largest and most ambitious CUPRA yet. Good enough to tempt you where an equivalent Volkswagen, Skoda or Audi EV might not? Let's find out.

Driving Experienceword count: 315

There's now a choice of three Tavascan drivetrains. Things kick off with an entry-level 190PS rear-driven single motor variant with a 58kWh battery offering about 270 miles of range. The other two models use the VW Group's usual 77kWh battery which energises two very different Tavascan variants; a rear-driven single motor entry-level model with 286PS good for 352 miles of range. Or a dual motor all wheel drive VZ derivative with 340PS and 324 miles of range. So far, so familiar. But CUPRA's engineers went to great trouble to differentiate the drive experience end result from other VW Group mid-sized EV models in this segment like the Skoda Enyaq and the Volkswagen ID.4. Primarily in creating a much more feelsome steering rack and extensively tuning the MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, which gets recalibrated spring and damper rates and can be embellished with optional DCC adaptive dampers. There's more drive setting differentiation too, the options ranging from 'Comfort' to 'Range', 'Performance' and all-out 'CUPRA' mode (which gets its own button on the steering wheel). There's an argument for preferring the handling purity of the rear driven base model (the 77kWh version does after all carry 89kgs less weight than the twin motor variant). But if budget permits, it might be difficult to ignore the sheer grunt of the top twin motor VZ. It sprints to 62mph in just 5.5s through the turns and up to 30% of power can be transferred to the front wheels for enhanced traction. The top speed of both models is limited to 112mph. Regenerative braking is controlled via paddles behind the steering wheel. And there's now a One-Pedal driving setting that maximises regenerative braking so that merely lifting on the accelerator slows the car almost to a stop. As part of recent updates, CUPRA has also added a Launch Control system to the 77kWh models for super-fast getaways.

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