Ateca. Lion. Formentor. Born. Those were the first four stages of Cupra as an independent brand. Today we are learning about the fifth chapter, the Cupra Tavascan, the first electric SUV that will begin manufacturing in China at the end of 2023 (at the Volkswagen Group’s Anhui plant) and will hit the market in early 2024. At coches.com now we have been able to see and touch it.
The Tavascan, which takes its name from a town in the Pyrenees of Lleida, was presented for the first time as a concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019. The production model hardly varies from that prototype with which this adventure began.
Abroad
It is the equivalent of the Volkswagen ID.5, the Audi Q4 Sportback, or the Skoda Enyaq Coupé. Share with them the MEB platform and it is a coupé SUV, with a more dynamic silhouette towards the rear. Unlike them, it has been designed and developed entirely in Spain, with the team led by Alberto Torrecillas, who accompanied us in this contact with the firm’s new electric SUV.
The aggressiveness and sportsmanship is also shown in the front. The brand name is located between the grille and the hood, where the backlit tribal logo, a detail that the prototype already had, although it was at the bottom of the grid at the time. That lower place is now occupied by air intakes in black, with details in bronze, like the brand name. Also striking are the headlights, which feature the signature of the three triangles.
On the side, we see the front pillars in black, to give the sensation of a floating roof so fashionable. The Tavascan offers 19 to 21 inch wheels with a peculiar design that reduces turbulence, under wheel arches that contrast with the color of the bodywork, of which there will be six to choose from. There is no lack of the high shoulder line characteristic of SUVs, which joins the drop of the roof and the flush handles to improve the aerodynamics of the car.
It is positioned (when it hits the market) as the top of the Cupra range by size. The Tavascan measures 4.64 meters long, which means that it is almost 20 cm longer than a Formentor. Other dimensions are its 1.86 width and its 1.59 height.
The centrally illuminated logo is repeated at the rear, this time joined by a light strip with the headlights in a triangle design. And above it, a small spoiler on the trunk lid. It goes in glossy black, matching the lower diffuser.
Inside
The design of the cabin is also very different from the current models of the firm. We really liked the spine that gives a lighter air and at the same time leads the gaze towards the extremes… or towards the 15 inch screen, the largest used by the group in a car created on the MEB platform (at the level of the Volkswagen Touareg, to give you an idea). It opens the interface and I like that finally, the climate and audio buttons on its base light up.
Something that it kept (and which could have been tweaked by the way) are the touch buttons for the lights to the left of the dashboard, somewhat far away and not very visible. The gear lever is now behind the wheel in a satellite control. Behind him we can see a second screen for the instrumentation, 5.3 inches, with basic information. The steering wheel rim, flattened at its base, integrates the starting control and the driving modes.
The door panels look very careful, due to the materials used (with a touch very similar to neoprene, a sought-after detail since the material used uses recycled materials from the sea. Notable are the Bucket-type sports seats or the sportier ones, CupBacket, in the image and likeness of the Formentor VZ5 Of course, I remember that my children did not like them because it did not let them see the road well, they are very wide.
With a 2.76-meter wheelbase, like its brothers, there is good longitudinal space in those rear seats. Behind, you sit higher, so the front seats do not compromise forward visibility as much as in other cars. In addition, this is very useful for not having the sidewalk so close to where you place your feet, as in most electric cars.
Despite having a glass roof in the unit, the headroom can be sufficient for occupants up to 1.85 meters tall. In the unit we got on there were practical items.
Trunk
The trunk announces a capacity of 540 liters. Regular shapes and something behind the Enyaq Coupe. The floor of this is adjustable in height and underneath you can store, for example, your charging cables.
Engine
77 kWh battery, with which it certifies between 520 and 550 km of autonomy. It supports loads up to 135 kW, so you could go from 110 to 80% capacity in half an hour. Two versions are fed with it:
- Endurance: moved by a 286 hp rear engine that completes 0 to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds
- VZ: Add a front engine to have all-wheel drive and reach 340 HP of power and do 0-100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. There is only one more powerful Cupra, the Formentor VZ5. Of course, in this electric the top speed is limited to 180 km/h.
Not even the Q4 e-tron Sportback mounts such capable engines. Knowing how he sets up Cupra cars, knowing that it will have up to six driving modes, piloted suspension… there is a desire to try it out. Also to know the price of the Cupra Tavascan, to see where it is located with respect to the similar models of the Group, but rates between 50,000 and 60,000 euros are to be expected
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