Spanish model Cupra is getting a sign honour in terms of a brand new household of small, reasonably priced electrical automobiles (EVs) from the Volkswagen Group.
Somewhat than taking part in follow-my-leader to mum or dad agency Volkswagen itself, Cupra will lead the event of the ‘MEB+’ platform which might be used for a quartet of impending fashions, all hailing from this Iberian outfit, in addition to Volkswagen and Skoda.
And its tackle the format, the Cupra Raval, might be first to the market. Not solely that, however the Raval might be bought in Europe at a extremely aggressive value – making it a tempting EV for first-time consumers to the zero-emission fold.
Whether or not it might come to Australia for such good worth stays to be seen, though the bigger Born EV has been closely discounted right here in current months; so possibly the urge for food is there for a less expensive, extra compact runaround with no combustion engine fitted.
We headed over to Cupra’s headquarters at Martorell, simply outdoors Barcelona, to have a go in a closely disguised Raval prototype, with the intention to see simply how good it’s.
How a lot does the Cupra Raval value?
The slated entry determine for a Raval in Europe is €26,000. That, on a direct alternate, is about $46,000 – which is what discounted Borns have been going for round 9 months previous to this drive.
Ascertaining how a lot the Raval may cost right here, if and when it lands, is pure guesswork at this stage.
Hopefully, one thing sub-$50,000 earlier than on-roads wouldn’t be out of the query, though of the three grades of Raval we all know of – known as Dynamic, Dynamic Plus and VZ Excessive – it’s not very probably that the flagship mannequin of the Cupra might dip under that barrier.
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What’s the Cupra Raval like on the within?
We’re not fully certain. An odd assertion to start with, you’d assume, provided that we’ve pushed the Raval prototype.
However the Spanish producer is presently being coy with the aesthetics of the Raval, selecting to protect its remaining exterior look and inside design till a worldwide reveal someday in 2026.
Thus, the cabin of the Raval prototype we drove was swaddled in obfuscating fabric. So we will’t let you know an terrible quantity about it – however there are some things we now have gleaned.
To begin with, regardless of the actual fact the Raval is just just some millimetres longer than 4 metres from tip to tail, absolutely 2.6 metres of that area is situated between the axles. This, says the producer, results in a surfeit of rear-passenger room and a big (for this class of automotive) boot too.
Second, the top-dog VZ Excessive – which is the model we drove in Spain – comes with electrically adjustable Cup bucket seats which are superbly supportive, and which provide an excellent driving place.
Lesser variants retain sports activities seats, however these might be flatter, much less sculpted examples than the Cups, and they’re going to additional be clothed in Dinamica microfibre.
Clearly, to drive a automotive, you want to have the ability to see the steering wheel and the essential gauges behind. Moreover, on a contemporary touchscreen-equipped automobile reminiscent of this, a lot of the drive modes and chassis software program must be accessed on the central display.
So we bought glimpses of each the absolutely digital instrument cluster within the Cupra Raval, in addition to its major infotainment interface. Each regarded glorious with crisp graphics, swift response charges, and a marked step up from Cupra’s present {hardware}.
Measurement-wise, we’d guess at a ten.25-inch cluster and one thing like a 12-inch touchscreen on the sprint, however don’t maintain us to that.
As to the steering wheel, it’s magnificent. It’s an excellent dimension, it feels beautiful to carry, and it’s festooned with correct bodily buttons, somewhat than the less-than-ideal haptic pads the Volkswagen Group has regrettably foisted upon a few of its merchandise in recent times.
Anyway, from what little we might see and function, even at this early stage there are some very encouraging indicators concerning the Cupra Raval’s inside.
| Dimensions | Cupra Raval |
|---|---|
| Size | 4046mm |
| Width | 1784mm |
| Top | 1518mm |
| Wheelbase | 2600mm |
| Cargo capability | TBC |
What’s beneath the bonnet?
Once more, minimal information at this level, however the Dynamic and Dynamic Plus variations of the Cupra Raval will use a front-mounted 155kW electrical motor. No torque nor efficiency figures have been launched for these fashions at this stage.
| Specs | Cupra Raval | Cupra Raval VZ Excessive |
|---|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single-motor electrical | Single-motor electrical |
| Battery | 50-60kWh (anticipated) | 50-60kWh (anticipated) |
| Energy | 155kW | 166kW |
| Torque | TBC | 290Nm |
| Drive sort | Entrance-wheel drive | Entrance-wheel drive |
| Claimed vary | 450km (approx.) | 400km (approx.) |
The VZ Excessive, nevertheless, ramps issues up with a 166kW motor, which we do know produces a wholesome 290Nm of torque, too. Once more, there’s no 0-100km/h time but, however the high velocity of this automotive is alleged to be 175km/h – most probably restricted to protect the battery.
We don’t have any details and figures concerning the electrical system that’s used for the Cupra Raval household, though it’s affordable to imagine a 400-volt structure.
We additionally reckon there might be one battery dimension, someplace within the 50-60kWh zone. It is because the 166kW VZ Excessive is alleged to go round 400km on a single cost, whereas the 155kW Raval will increase that determine to 450km.
As a yardstick, one of many Cupra’s key opponents, Alpine’s A290 GTS, has a 52kWh battery and a 160kW motor, which leads to a 364km quoted vary.
How does the Cupra Raval drive?
Ah, right here we get to the crux of the matter. Cupra is the sporty arm of the Volkswagen Group and has been for some time now. Subsequently, the Raval ought to – within the regular order of issues – be a bit extra involving to drive than the Volkswagen and Skoda vehicles that may path alongside in its wake.
So when Cupra says the Raval “sits 15mm decrease than the platform and has 10mm-wider tracks too”, it might sound a bit daft at first look – however what the corporate is attempting to convey is that its automotive might be decrease to the bottom and broader of stance than the common, run-of-the-mill Volkswagen and Skoda efforts.
That received’t essentially be true of the recent VW ID. Polo GTI, which we already know is within the pipeline – we’d guess that may have the identical set-up because the VZ Excessive we’re driving right here.
Cupra has put a whole lot of its finest efforts into the Raval VZ Excessive to make it a pleasure to steer.
This consists of 15-mode Dynamic Chassis Management (DCC) damping with a five-per-cent firmer tune than these used within the Dynamic and Dynamic Plus fashions, an digital system mimicking a limited-slip differential on the entrance axle, variable-ratio steering, and a relaxed stability management system (each of which have a ‘sports activities tune’).
There are additionally revised steering knuckles and a braking setup that sees correct discs used on the rear axle of a Volkswagen Group EV for the primary time, in addition to one thing known as the ‘one-box’ management unit to make the brakes really feel extra pure.
The Raval additionally has a sound generator that, with the automotive in its extra centered Efficiency and Cupra modes, overlays the acceleration with a synthesised noise to raised contain the driving force within the act of going quick.
All noble efforts which may come to naught within the unsuitable engineering fingers, however the great information is we’re right here to let you know Cupra has labored wonders. The Raval is without doubt one of the most partaking little EVs we’ve had the pleasure of driving but.
Its completed dynamic displaying begins with glorious suspension that blends off a agency however forgiving trip high quality – the VZ runs on 19-inch alloys with extensive 235-section tyres – with impeccable (for this class of automotive) physique and wheel management.
So whereas the Raval isn’t what you’d name ‘supple’ round city, it’s however able to coping with crumbling tarmac with much more grace and geniality than a few of its supposedly sporty rivals.
But when the corners come, the physique stays flat and degree, with minimal roll, pitch and dive to report.
What makes it such a pleasure to drive, although, is the way in which the main controls are calibrated to permit the driving force to profit from the sharp underpinnings.
The steering, as an illustration, has actual heft and tactility to it, with no slop in its fee of responses. Coupled to the super-eager front-end of the Raval, it makes the automotive really feel agile and light-weight – two most welcome attributes in an EV.
Nonetheless, it’s the digital ‘diff’ which is the true jewel right here. Get on the facility good and early in a tighter bend, and the Cupra Raval VZ doesn’t wash extensive with fun-sapping understeer – as an alternative, it takes a much bigger chunk out of the curve’s radius and jinks in in direction of the within of the street.
It’s completely succesful and pleasurable making it nook like this, and such driver-focused antics additionally display that the Cupra doesn’t undergo from any notable issues with grip or traction; at the very least, definitely not within the dry situations of Spain, which ought to bode properly for our personal local weather.
As to the velocity, this isn’t a automotive that’s going to attempt to tear your face off beneath full acceleration. However we truly prefer it all of the extra for that.
It’s quick and fluid in achieving 100km/h, a lot in order that we’d say a sub-seven-second dash might be a extremely credible goal as soon as the official figures are launched, but the accelerator feels superbly progressive – eliciting pleasing acceleration, somewhat than trying any neck-snapping shenanigans.
Even the artificial noise is nice. It’s quieter within the Efficiency setting than it’s in ‘Cupra’, however in each modes, it fades away on a trailing ‘throttle’ in order that the automotive isn’t continuously firing a faux tune into your ears.
It additionally makes no try to mimic inside combustion, so whereas we settle for it received’t be to all tastes, we occurred to fairly just like the Raval’s EV voice.
But we reserve our highest reward for the brakes. These are the perfect we’ve encountered on any EV but, definitely at a fairly cheap degree of the market.
The rear discs and the one-box mix to make for essentially the most pure, organic-feeling brake pedal you might want for, so once you mix the whole lot collectively, the Cupra Raval VZ seems like a scorching hatch – in a means neither the most-powerful model of the Born or its VW analogue, the ID.3 GTX, might ever fairly match, even with their rear-wheel drive nature.
But the Raval seems like it would operate completely properly as a day-to-day runabout, as joyful absorbing the imperfections of metropolis streets as it’s when its driver is hurling it alongside a difficult street.
All in all, even in prototype type, the Cupra is one significantly convincing compact EV from a kinematic perspective, and we hope the manufacturing model maintains this degree of brilliance as soon as it arrives.
What do you get?
Whether or not this can maintain true for Australian-market vehicles or not, on the worldwide occasion Cupra stated that the Raval VZ Excessive can be fitted with the next gear.
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2026 Cupra Raval tools highlights:
- 19-inch ‘sulfur-detail’ alloys
- Twin digital screens
- Manganese matt exterior particulars
- Cup bucket seats
- Superior driver help techniques (ADAS)
- Clever parking features
- Matrix LED exterior illumination
- Digital limited-slip differential
- Sennheiser 12-speaker premium sound system
Is the Cupra Raval secure?
At this early juncture, the Cupra Raval hasn’t been subjected to both a Euro NCAP or ANCAP check process.
All the corporate would say is that it’s fitted with a wholesome array of ADAS equipment, so there’s an opportunity it would rating extremely when it’s ultimately examined.
How a lot does the Cupra Raval value to run?
Apart from the truth that it’s clearly an EV and due to this fact comes with all the advantages and tax breaks related to that, we don’t but know the charging speeds nor electrical effectivity of the Cupra Raval lineup.
That might be key to its success, together with its eventual value, however at the very least Cupra’s spectacular unlimited-distance guarantee and roadside help bundle must do their bit to assist tempt in consumers; each of those ensures are in impact for 5 years from first registration.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Cupra Raval
Though this has been only a temporary style check in a closely disguised pre-production model of the automotive, with little or no laborious information to accompany this pattern, the early indicators for the Cupra Raval are vastly promising.
Lastly, this can be a Volkswagen Group EV which drives with a major diploma of verve, with its e-diff-equipped front-end, DCC suspension and mega brakes all serving up a genuinely thrilling expertise behind the wheel.
It additionally appears properly capable of do the humdrum day-to-day stuff with an acceptable diploma of polish, so supplied the pricing is correct, the inside seems to be as spectacular as we hope, and the styling isn’t too contentious, then Cupra must be onto an actual winner right here with its fabulous little Raval.
It’s additionally mighty excellent news for Volkswagen and Skoda, that are each going to profit from Cupra’s groundwork laid down with this compact EV platform.
Click on the photographs for the total gallery
MORE: Discover the Cupra showroom
