2024 Cupra Tavascan revealed

On sale Spring 2024 | Price from £55,000 (est)

The new Cupra Tavascan electric SUV is a bit like someone who’s reached their mid-20s. While its coupé styling shows it’s not ready to throw off the free-living spirit of youth entirely, it can be sensible too, offering a comfy seat and room for your luggage.

As these pictures show, the version you will be able to buy has been toned down from the wild, aggressive-looking Tavascan concept we saw in 2019. Still, with its massive front grille, 21in alloy wheels and full-width light bar at the rear, it’s likely to turn more heads than most rivals cars.

Cupra’s most expensive model yet will be available with a choice of one or two electric motors. The single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version has 282bhp, while the range-topping dual-motor, all-wheel-drive car – called the VZ – gets 335bhp. That extra power gives the VZ a 0-62mph time of 5.6sec, which is rapid for a big SUV.

Both versions get a 77kWh battery, which is said to give the single-motor car a range of 341 miles on a full charge. That’s about 15 miles more than the closely related VW ID 5 can officially manage, and much further than the Volvo C40 Recharge. The more powerful Tavascan VZ has a shorter range, at 321 miles.

With a maximum charging rate of 135kW, the battery can be topped up from 10-80% in half an hour if you can find a fast enough charger (plugging in at home will take much longer).

The options list includes a heat pump, which warms the interior efficiently in cold weather to increase battery life. Speaking of the interior, the Tavascan has Cupra’s biggest infotainment screen, at 15in, alongside a 5.3in digital display for the driver. Both run a new version of the brand’s infotainment software.

Infotainment systems in recent Cupras are reasonably swift to respond to inputs, but lack physical controls that would make simple actions such as changing the stereo volume less distracting.

Voice control is available, as are wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. Buttons on the steering wheel allow you to switch between driving modes to save battery range or maximise performance, or choose your personalised Cupra mode.

As is becoming the norm, the interior features sustainably sourced materials, including textiles made from recycled polyester. The boot has 540 litres of space, so your holiday luggage should fit in fine.

Driver assistance features will allow the Tavascan to control its own speed and position on a motorway, including changing lanes when prompted. There is also remote parking controlled with a smartphone app, and an emergency assistance feature, which will bring the car to a halt if the driver becomes unresponsive.

With a likely starting price of around £55,000, the Tavascan will top the Cupra range and command a hefty premium over its ID 5 and C40 rivals. That's more than double the average UK salary for someone in their mid-20s, so we suspect young-at-heart buyers – rather than actual young drivers – will end up behind the wheel of most examples.

Read more: The best electric SUVs

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