LONG-TERM REPORT: CUPRA TAVASCAN DELIVERS STYLE, SPEED AND A FEW SURPRISES
It’s fair to say that electric cars have something of an image problem. For many, the mere mention of EVs is enough to trigger a diatribe about how they’re nothing more than soulless boxes with all the excitement of a particularly dull kitchen appliance. So when the keys to the Cupra Tavascan landed on my desk, I was intrigued. Could this sporty SUV really prove that battery power doesn’t have to mean boring? After a month behind the wheel, I was determined to find out.
The Tavascan was given the chance to prove itself early, when just hours after taking delivery of the car, my wife – in very typical fashion – agreed to collect a new fridge freezer without any consideration of how to get it back to our house. After establishing that a six foot slab of white goods would not fit in the back of her Ford Fiesta, we set off together in the Tavascan, the atmosphere frostier than the aforementioned fridge freezer. Thankfully, Hotpoint’s finest did fit in the Cupra, despite the sloping roofline and domestic bliss was restored after a slightly uncomfortable trip home for Mrs W, who did have to endure a pretty uncomfortable 20 minutes crammed in alongside a fridge.
Once free from home appliances, I had a chance to get to know the Tavascan a little better and the early impressions were strong. First up, the car looks great. Its sleek SUV coupe body really stands out from the crowd – even the VW ID.5 on which it’s based – thanks to its rose gold accents and sporty touches including massive gold-accented wheels, which I lived in constant fear of curbing.
The performance is great too. A trip to the West Country for my parents’ birthdays exposed the Tavascan to a nice variety of country roads, allowing it to show off its sporty pedigree. Around the bends the car held its own, with lots of traction and minimal body lean but it’s on the straight bits of tarmac where the Cupra really excels. This car isn’t just quick for a family SUV. It’s quick full stop. Plant your foot to the floor and it flies off like a stabbed rat, offering instantaneous acceleration and grip. The ‘Cupra’ driving setting helps hunker the car down even more and adds a sense of occasion with some fake exhaust noise for good measure. While this may not be for everyone, my inner eight-year-old could not resist pushing the button at pretty much every available opportunity, which was greeted with much eye-rolling by everyone else in the car. The flip side of all this sportiness comes in the form of more regular trips to the charger. Cupra claims the Tavascan can do 320 miles on a single charge but in reality, my month with the car saw me averaging out at between 260 and 270.
One area where the car is strong is the interior, which looks like it’s been lifted straight out of the Starship Enterprise. The centre console and dashboard are connected via a central spine, which runs down the middle of the car with a snake skin pattern-effect. All the materials used throughout are sustainable and everything you touch feels high-quality but, despite looking great, there are a few drawbacks.
First up, I lived with this car during two heatwaves. With that in mind, it is less than ideal that the climate control is buried deep within the infotainment system. I’m not sure what was wrong with a dial or button but somewhere along the line, someone at Cupra HQ decided that what I really wanted to be doing in 35 degree heat is smearing my sweaty fingers all over a touchscreen.
The other big issue was that the car developed a very annoying habit of deciding that the key was no longer inside the cabin. This resulted in much bonging while I grumpily moved the key to different parts of the car until I could prove that I had not, in fact, lobbed it out of the window on the motorway.
Having said that, I was still sad when last week, the Tavascan moved on for use by one of my colleagues. In the days since, I have found myself pining for its return. Since it left, I have driven a VW Transporter Sportline, a Volvo XC60 and a Volvo V60 – all of which have been excellent but all lack the personality of the Cupra. Yes it has its flaws and it certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for whatever reason it just managed to worm its way into my affections in a way which a lot of objectively better cars fail to do.
Just another boring EV? Not a chance.
- Model: Cupra Tavascan VZ
- Price: £55,945
- Engine: Dual electric motors
- Power: 335bhp
- Torque: 545Nm
- 0-60mph: 5.3 seconds
- Top speed: 112mph
- Range: 320 miles
- Emissions: 0g/km
- Mileage: 3,334
