New Tavascan, Cupra's electric SUV with a groundbreaking design developed in Barcelona

Cupra is going out. It sells more cars than ever with a high degree of customer satisfaction. Its product offensive for 2024 is made up of the Tavascan, which the brand is presenting internationally these days in Barcelona, ??and the Terramar (a somewhat more compact SUV) that will arrive next. And the Martorell brand has also recently presented the plug-in hybrid versions of the Cupra León and Cupra Formentor.

Ready for marketing, the brand will accept orders for the brand new Tavascan starting in June and the first deliveries will be made after the summer.

The Tavascan is Cupra’s first coupe-like electric SUV. And the second battery model after the Born. “It’s not just a car, it’s an attitude towards the future.” This is how Wayne Griffiths, president of Seat and Cupra, explained a few months ago what the new Tavascan represents.

A model, named after a town in the Lleida Pyrenees, that incorporates a new and striking design language, with sporty proportions, that somehow breaks the conventional rules for a new generation of drivers.

Designed and developed in Barcelona, ??it is manufactured in China and is positioned as an alternative to heavyweight rivals such as the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron, Skoda Enyaq Coupé or Volkswagen ID.5.

But seeing its design and its presence on the road, it would seem that Cupra, once again, has taken its style further than its range brothers, with more daring, with more impudence. Typical in Cupra. In any case, a different SUV from which the brand wants to sell about 70,000 units a year.

The launch version that Cupra puts on sale is called Tavascan First Edition and costs 52,010 euros, a price that does not include discounts, promotional campaigns, or Plan Moves III.

On the other hand, the brand has simplified the range and offers two versions: the Endurance with a single 286 HP engine and rear-wheel drive (52,010 euros) and the VZ with two engines, 340 HP and all-wheel drive (still no price). Both versions share the 77 kWh battery. The autonomy in the case of the Endurance with 286 HP is an excellent 568 kilometers. And, somewhat less, the VZ with two motors and all-wheel drive has a range of 522 km.

Figures always approved with 19-inch wheels, although the brand offers 20 and 21-inch wheels as an option. The maximum speed is 180 km/h for both versions. And acceleration is 5.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h in the VZ, the fastest, and 6.8 seconds for the Endurance.

The battery charges at 135 kW in fast chargers or 11 kW in conventional ones. And, in the best case scenario, it can recover 10 to 80% battery charge in just 28 minutes.

It is interesting to note that Cupra is committed to ensuring that the battery does not drop below 70% capacity through an 8-year or 160,000 km warranty. And the “plug” system is incorporated

Cupra understands that digitalization is a key element in today’s cars. To do this, the Tavascan incorporates an infotainment system with a 15-inch screen, the largest in Cupra. And Premium details such as a high-performance audio system (optional) with 12 Sennheiser brand speakers.

On the other hand, the cabin combines innovative materials with a driver-oriented space. A structural piece, which Cupra calls the “spine”, helps define and position the floating elements. This kind of backbone of the interior unites the body of the center console with the dashboard, as if it were an architectural resource that provides a perception of lightness.

In addition, the seats are upholstered with sustainable materials, such as recycled polyester, and the front seats are of the sporty Bucket type. Space for driver and passengers is very good, as is visibility in the front seats. And it can have a glass roof that is covered with a practical cover.

The trunk, with double height, has a good space, is easy to access and its capacity of 540 liters is really good for family travel.

The Tavascan is an electric SUV with a fairly sporty overall feel. Enjoy a tuned chassis, as Cupra usually does. The 340 HP VZ version, which we were able to drive, incorporates the DCC Sport adaptive chassis, sports suspension and progressive steering.

Everything has been designed so that the car always has a good attitude when cornering. Now, it is a heavy SUV and measures 4.64 meters in length and it shows. It happens, however, that with the two electric motors it accelerates strongly and ends up seeming more agile.

With the Cupra or Performance driving mode, the Tavascan becomes more rigid and accelerates, even more so, excellently. But for traveling, Comfort mode will always be preferable. And energy recovery can be managed through the steering wheel paddles, with 3 different levels.

It is available in 5 different colors: Tavascan Blue, Silver White, Atacama Desert, Basalto Gray and Century Matte Bronze, the latter color already available in the third quarter of 2025.

Likewise, Cupra offers three optional packages named Adrenaline (21-inch wheels, Matrix LED or Sennheiser sound system), Extreme (21” forged wheels or Performance tires) and Winter (with heat pump) to complete or customize the equipment.

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