Cupra Tavascan review: This European Tesla rival will stretch your budget

In a world where every electric car is measured by how it stands up against a Tesla, the Cupra Tavascan is more competitive than many.

With so many Chinese Tesla rivals all looking very much the same, the Tavascan is a breath of fresh air. It looks very different to its VW Group siblings, with dramatic styling inside and out. It may be a bit too bold for some, especially on the inside, but you can’t deny that it’s not different.

The other sticking point may well be the price. The Cupra starts at £47,350 and goes up to £62,180, yet performance and range aren’t as strong as a Model Y – it’s another EV that underlines the value that Tesla offers.

Build quality is better, though, unless you take the infotainment system into account. While the software is okay, the Tavascan is lumbered with the same hardware as other Volkswagen Group cars, which is frustrating to use. There are other foibles, too, like the lack of separate rear window switches on the driver’s door and touch sensitive buttons on the steering wheel that can mean you inadvertently adjust settings with a brush of your hand when you’re turning.

But the Tavascan does drive nicely with a comfortable ride, responsive steering and decent performance, which lives up to Cupra’s billing as the sporty member of the Volkswagen family.

We spent a week living with the Cupra Tavascan, taking care of family duties around town while also using it for longer trips on the motorway. The dog had to stay at home, though, as the boot isn’t a dog-friendly shape.

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Independent rating: 8/10

The Tavascan comes with just one battery option, two power outputs and either two- or four-wheel drive. Trim levels are V1, V2, VZ1 and VZ2 – don’t ask us what they stand for.

The 77kWh battery pack offers a maximum range of 352 miles in the rear-drive only V1 and V2 models. Adding an extra motor on the front axle for four-wheel drive drops the range to 318 miles. The upside is more power: 336bhp for VZ1 and VZ2 cars, and 282bhp in the V1 and V2. That equates to a slightly nippier feel in the four wheel drive cars, which claim a 0-62mph time of 5.5 seconds, 1.3 seconds quicker than the other models.

And our VZ1 car did feel quick, especially with the sharper throttle response and steering reaction in the sportiest of the car’s selectable settings. The car changes direction swiftly and there’s little body lean through corners, yet the ride comfort is a nice blend between sportily firm and comfortable enough so the family won’t complain. The brakes can feel a little grabby, though, making it a bit tricky to come to a smooth stop.

When it comes to other speeds, the Tavascan will charge at up to 135kW, with a 10 to 80 per cent charge taking just 28 minutes.

The interior of the Tavascan is like nothing else, with copper accents making it feel properly posh. Beautiful reflective lighting and illuminated door panels up the class even more. It’s a shame some of the plastics feel a bit cheap, then.

The swoopy dash design looks like a giant shark baring its teeth at you which combines oddly with some sporty carbon fibre finishes. Some might find that a bit over the top, but at least there’s decent stowage space in amongst all the design features.

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There’s excellent space in the back for passengers, although the shallow window line – especially above the boot – can make it feel a bit dark. Visibility out the back isn’t great, and there’s no rear wiper either – you may have to wipe it clear first thing in the morning rather than wait for the demister to do its thing.

The 540 litre boot is excellent, with a two-level floor and space to hide cables underneath, but the sloping roofline extends to the boot door, making it a bit of a squeeze for awkward loads and larger dogs.

As well as the infotainment issues, Cupra is lumbered with the same window switches as other Volkswagen group cars. That means on the driver’s door you have to touch a button to select front or rear before you can lower a window. It’s a design choice we continue to be baffled by, and can only assume it’s a misguided attempt to save some pennies by reducing the number of window switches in the car.

Smart, sporty cars normally come with excellent tech on board, but the Cupra falls short in a number of areas.

Firstly, there’s the 15in infotainment system. The software is okay and it’s fairly responsive and easy to navigate, but the Volkswagen Group’s frustrating hardware rears its head again in the Cupra. Try to rest your thumb or fingers at the bottom of the screen and you’ll inadvertently adjust either the volume or air con temperature.

We’ve already mentioned the frustration caused by the window switches, but if you’re driving along and the audio system either gets louder or quieter, or changes station, chances are you’ve brushed the touch sensitive controls at the edge of the steering wheel. Proper buttons can’t come back soon enough.

You might be impressed by the thought of a Sennheiser audio system, but you won’t be once you’ve heard it. The speakers sound tinny, flat, and anything but premium. At least there’s wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, plus the expected range of luxury, assistance and safety tech that you’d expect at a car at this price.

And that brings us to the price. Cupra is positioning itself above Spanish sibling Seat and Skoda with its sporty, semi-premium offering. Which means the Tavascan is pricey, starting at £47,350.

Our VZ1 car came in at £57,280 with the £1,335 winter pack (heated seats, heat pump and heated windscreen), while a top-spec VZ2 with all the heated bits costs £62,180. Ouch. As with pretty much every other electric SUV of this size, that doesn’t compare well with the new Tesla Model Y in terms of performance, range or price. At least the Cupra looks like nothing else.

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How long does it take to charge?

With just one 77kWh battery to go for, any Tavascan will charge up at up to 135kW, with a 10 to 80 per cent charge taking just 28 minutes.

How much does it cost – is it worth it?

The Tavascan is expensive, but you are getting an EV SUV that’s different from the norm. It starts at £47,350 and goes up to £62,180. You can get better value elsewhere, but it’ll be something less daring to look at.

Does Cupra replace batteries for free?

The batteries come with a full eight-year warranty or 100,000 mile warranty, while the rest of the car gets a decent five-year warranty.

Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic.

Cupra is carving a niche for itself with cars that look different but live on the same Volkswagen Group platforms as VWs, Skodas and Audis. I really enjoyed the Tavascan – it drives nicely and stands out for mostly the right reasons, but the premium pricing may put you off.