Cupra Tavascan review

While all Cupra models are named after places in the brand’s Spanish homeland, it’s usually hard to see why the specific location was picked; if we were told someone in the marketing department had simply thrown a dart at a map of the country, we could believe it. However, the new Cupra Tavascan is an exception, because the village of Tavascan is best known for using its lakes to produce green energy.

That was always going to make it a tempting choice when Cupra was deciding what to call its first electric SUV (and its second electric model, after the Cupra Born). But does the car itself deserve to hold as much appeal for buyers?

After all, there are plenty of alternatives, including the What Car? Award-winning Kia EV6, the practical and comfortable Renault Scenic and the big-selling Tesla Model Y. And that’s before we get to the Ford Capri, Skoda Enyaq Coupé and VW ID 5 – two models the Tavascan is closely related to under the skin.

Read on to find out how we rate the Cupra Tavascan against the best electric SUVs…

There are two versions of the Cupra Tavascan: a 282bhp, single motor, rear-wheel-drive (RWD) model and one with 335bhp, two motors and all-wheel drive (AWD).

Whichever you choose, you get a 77kWh (usable capacity) battery, but the Tavascan's range depends on how many motors you have. The lighter RWD car managed a real world range of 270 miles (with an efficiency of 3.5 miles/kWh) in our test during the colder winter months.

An equivalent Ford Capri (which shares the same battery and motor) fared better on the same day, achieving a theoretical range of 293 miles, while a Kia EV6 achieved 272 miles. In other words, the Tavascan’s range is competitive but not outstanding.  Expect the more powerful AWD version to achieve slightly less.

There’s plenty of punch regardless of which Tavascan you go for. We achieved a 0-60mph time of 6.1 seconds in our tests, beating the EV6 (7.1 seconds) on the same day and only just behind the Capri (5.8 seconds). The more powerful AWD version officially takes 5.5 seconds – which is hot-hatch fast, but both offer the sort of responsive feel and smooth power delivery we’ve come to expect from electric cars.

As a bonus, you hear very little motor whine and while wind and road noise is slightly higher than in a Capri or EV6, it’s not going to cause any problems. The suspension thumping away is the main cause of disturbance.

However, the Tavascan in V1 trim has an adaptive suspension system called Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), which allows you to adjust the softness of the suspension to better suit the road surface you’re on. It doesn’t thump as much over bumps but unfortunately none of the settings give you a particularly plush ride. If that’s your priority, try the Renault Scenic and Skoda Enyaq Coupé.

Does the Tavascan compensate by being sporty? Well, body lean is mostly kept in check (particularly with the DCC in the firmer suspension settings) and the steering is pleasingly direct. You can adjust the steering's weight using the driving modes – its super-light in Comfort, making life easy around town, and gains some reassuring heft if you select Performance or Cupra, which improves confidence on faster roads.

The only thing that really counts against the Tavascan’s handling is the weight of the car: it tips the scales at almost 2.3 tonnes, which it can’t completely disguise when you turn in to a corner. As a result, an EV6 feels more balanced, while the best petrol family SUVs – including the Cupra Formentor – are more agile.

Like most electric cars, the Tavascan uses both regular friction brakes and regenerative braking that puts energy back into the battery. Unfortunately, it doesn’t blend them together very well, which leads to inconsistent pedal response. The pedal is soft and not immediate in its response, so the car sometimes stops more suddenly than you intended, while on other occasions you find yourself having to apply extra pressure at the last minute.

You can increase the effect of the regen system by pulling paddles on the back of the steering wheel, with three levels of strength available. It doesn’t activate consistently though, and the slight pause you get after lifting off the accelerator pedal makes it less predictable to judge.

“I found you can partially mitigate against the Cupra Tavascan's inconsistent brakes by turning the regen up to maximum, but it's still not strong enough to bring the Tavascan to a complete stop.” – George Hill, Used Cars Writer

A high window line gives the interior of the Cupra Tavascan a sporty feel. Visibility is compromised compared with boxier SUVs, but at least the Tavascan’s slender front pillars don’t obscure your view out at junctions as much as they do in a Ford Capri or Kia EV6.

Like those rivals, there’s a shallow rear windscreen and chunky rear pillars, so it’s just as well that front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera are fitted to all versions. V2 models and above also get a 360-degree bird’s eye view camera.

In addition, while the driving position is fundamentally sound, it’s worth noting that you have to do without electric seat adjustment and adjustable lumbar support unless you upgrade from entry-level V1 trim. Thankfully, the backrest is still supportive enough on long journeys.

No matter which version of the Tavascan you go for, you get a 15in infotainment touchscreen with wireless smartphone integration and built-in sat-nav. Most of the car’s functions are operated using the touchscreen, which is quick to respond and features sharp graphics, but the convoluted menu lay-out makes it more distracting to use than many rivals.

Sadly, physical controls are in short supply. Instead, you get touch-sensitive sliders below the screen for the stereo volume and climate control, which are far more fiddly than the rotary knobs in the Kia EV6 or the proper switches of the Renault Scenic.

Similarly, the "buttons" on the Tavascan’s steering wheel are touch-sensitive pads that are too easy to trigger by accident. And while voice control is standard across the range, its ability to understand you is a bit hit and miss.

On the plus side, the interior has a distinctive design, thanks to a large central spine that acts as a bridge between the centre console and dashboard. There’s also plenty of ambient lighting to give it added wow factor at night, with V2 models and above getting an additional glow through perforations in the door panels.

Okay, there are more upmarket interiors in the electric SUV class that use plenty of soft materials, and while the plastics are mostly hard, they’re pleasantly textured and feel less brittle than those in a Capri.

“I’d be tempted to step up from V1 trim to V2, not least because it upgrades the standard seven-speaker stereo to a 12-speaker Sennheiser premium audio system.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

There’s loads of space in the front of the Cupra Tavascan. Even those well over 6ft tall will have enough head and leg room. Plus, the door bins are a good size, and there are some useful cubbies between the front seats. Only the narrow glovebox disappoints.

Likewise, rear space is good, despite the car’s sleek, coupé-like roofline. There’s a bit more head room in a Ford Capri and plenty of knee room for a six-footer. And – as in many electric cars – the floor is flat, which makes life more comfortable for a central rear passenger. The only slight downside is that the entry-level V1 version doesn't get a fold-down central armrest to boost comfort.

As for the Tavascan's boot, it's a useful square shape and has a healthy 540-litre storage capacity. That beats the 490 litres of the Kia EV6 and is only fractionally down on the capacities of the Ford Capri (572 litres), Renault Scenic (545 litres) and VW ID 5 (543 litres). We managed to fit nine carry-on suitcases up to the parcel shelf, which matches the Capri and is two more than we squeezed into an EV6.

Where the Tavascan falls a little short against the best rivals is by missing out on any under-bonnet storage - like you’ll find in an EV6 or Tesla Model Y – a car that has significantly more boot space.

While the rear seats of the Model Y and Scenic fold down in a 40/20/40 split, the Tavascan has a less versatile 60/40 arrangement – although you need to pay for higher trim levels to get an adjustable-height boot floor and a ski hatch (so you can slide long items between the outer seats).

“I love having a powered tailgate because it means that if I'm shopping in the rain, I don’t have to put my bags on the soggy ground to open the boot. It’s therefore great to see that you get one as standard with the Tavascan.” – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

The Cupra Tavascan isn't a cheap private buy – even by electric SUV standards – but like all its rivals it attracts a lowly 2% BIK tax rating so it's tempting to run as a company car.

It also comes with a long list of standard equipment. Even entry-level V1 trim gives you three-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, keyless entry and start, automatic lights and wipers, and a wireless phone-charger.

That said, we’d be tempted to at least stretch to V2 trim because it adds adaptive suspension, upgrades to the seating and stereo, a panoramic glass sunroof, an augmented reality head-up display and matrix LED headlights (which can stay on full beam without dazzling other drivers).

As for safety kit, all Tavascans come with blind-spot monitoring, a driver drowsiness warning and can stop you pulling out into the path of an oncoming vehicle. This helped the car achieve a full  five-star rating in its 2024 Euro NCAP test.

On the other hand, the Tavascan’s 135kW maximum charge rate is a bit disappointing compared with the 210kW maximum of the Tesla Model Y – let alone the 258kW rate the Kia EV6 is capable of. A 10-80% top-up of the Tavascan takes about 28 minutes.

In terms of reliability, Cupra finished a middling 17th out of 31 brands in the 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey – one place ahead of Volkswagen, but behind Tesla (15th), Skoda (13th), Kia (11th), Hyundai (10th) and Renault (9th).

The Tavascan comes with a five-year warranty (up to 90,000 miles) plus eight years/100,000 miles of battery cover, which guarantees capacity remains at 70% or more. That’s better than Ford’s three year (or 60,000 mile) cover but less than Kia’s seven year (or 100,000 mile) one.

“Back in 2023, Cupra finished bottom in our annual reliability survey, but when I was analysing the 2024 data, it quickly became clear that it’s suffering fewer problems now and fixing things more quickly.” – Claire Evans, Consumer Editor

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here