2025 Cupra Tavascan VZ1 | British review

Where exactly it rolls Unpleasant, however, a gambler would have a hard time telling that. The more expensive segment than SEAT used to be seems like the vague answer – and based on the fact that the company has already passed the one million vehicle production milestone, not to mention setting a new record for cars delivered in the first nine months of this year, Cupra can reasonably declare that strategy a success. But it has now reached sufficient size to experience the known headwinds. Turnover already exceeds £10 billion this year. The winnings so far? £16 million. The return on sales is a paltry 0.1 percent.

The new Tavascan, an EV that fits above the smaller Born, does not help. Or rather, it doesn’t contribute in the way Cupra hoped it could. That’s because while the crossover shares its MEB platform with numerous other VW Group products, it is actually assembled in China. And while there were undoubtedly reasoned arguments for doing so when the company made the decision, they have since hit the rock: protectionist EU tariffs. D’oh.

Theoretically, we are spared from such machinations, but as with so many things about our departure from the EU, it doesn’t seem to do us much good. In entry-level, single-engine V1 format with rear-wheel drive, a 77 kWh battery and 286 hp, the Tavascan costs €48,685, which, incredibly, makes it more than €10,000 more expensive than an entry-level, single-engine Ford Capri with rear-wheel drive. Granted, the latter only has 170bhp and a 52kWh battery, but even with its own 77kWh and 286bhp battery, the mid-range Capri is almost £5,000 cheaper to buy.

Of course, we don’t recommend you buy this either. Although 286 hp is more than sufficient for, for example, a petrol Leon, this will probably decrease in light of the V1’s curb weight of 2,178 kg. We can make this educated guess because the Tavascan in its 2,267kg VZ1 guise doesn’t really stretch the metaphorical line, despite the introduction of an extra motor on the front axle that provides it with all-wheel drive and up to 340bhp. On paper, Cupra says you’ll reach 62mph in 5.5 seconds, but it still doesn’t feel particularly fast.

This impression may say less about the Tavascan’s straight-line speed than about the tedium surrounding it. We’d probably have no problem with how quickly the car would reach the next corner if it could weave around it in a spirited manner – but, like the rest of its extensive pedigree, Cupra’s latest stab at sportiness is what a dead fish is to swimming across the channel. Its lethargy when changing direction is not a function of balance, adhesion or control (there are more than enough amounts of that), but the car never gives the overriding impression that it is wearing an overcoat made of wet sandbags.

It certainly doesn’t help that the feel of the steering and brake pedals is benign to the point of numbness, or that there’s not really enough power to rouse the predominantly rear-drive chassis from its plodding sense of purpose – mostly there’s just calm, business adroitness and what feels like a two-ton padlock on levity. Fortunately, despite its lower ride height and 21-inch wheels, it rides well enough on adaptive dampers, and once the most annoying safety features are disabled, it does little to actively trigger you.

Nevertheless, the idea that Cupra might still be interested in becoming the Latin equivalent of Alpine, with the enthusiasts’ best interests in the sticky center, is once again undermined here. The Tavascan, like the Born before it, is simply not interesting enough to drive. And if Cupra expects a flamboyant design to make up the difference, it might want to encourage its designers to agree. Even taking into account the overly busy styling that marks the electric crossover segment, the Tavascan has drastically too much going on. It’s good to move away from the completely forgettable VW ID4; falling into endless flicks and gimmicks is not.

The same could be said for the inside, where Cupra has gone crazy, indulging in all manner of swoops and slats and LED-colored gaudy. Once again, the instinct to completely reject VW’s dreary approach to interior design is commendable, and the Tavascan certainly impresses. But this too clearly prefers form over function: the beautiful fusion of dashboard and center console seems pointless if it only provides one switch for the hazard lights. Once you’re done admiring it, you’ll spend the rest of your time staring at (and pushing for) a large touchscreen, ultimately making the user experience little different from that of any other MEB model.

As you would expect, there is little difference in terms of efficiency either. Cupra claims 323 miles for the twin-motor VZ1 (for the single motor it’s 353 miles), although in real-world use you’ll probably see closer to 250 miles. That’s probably plenty for what is essentially a family crossover – if not, you might want to consider an alternative based on its 135kW charging capacity, which in ideal conditions is sufficiently fast to get the Tavascan’s battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 28 minutes, but falls short of the speeds offered by brands like Hyundai or Polestar.

At least it’s usable, and that’s a sentiment that encompasses not just the Tavascan in general, but also Cupra. For all its success in gaining a foothold in the broader market, the company’s pursuit of real scale has come at a predictable price: the company is too often guilty of delivering cars of mediocre, all-around quality. The Terramar and Formentor, both with the notable added benefit of petrol engines, have proven respectable enough this year, and even the Tavascan is basically fine if you’re content not to ask much of it. But the memory of truly exciting Cupra products, the ones with R badges on the tailgate and a bit of fire in their bellies, is becoming more and more distant by the day. A more subjective barometer of success than moving a million cars, we grant, but a relevant barometer if the brand ever plans to cultivate an enthusiastic following. Or make a healthy profit.

Engine: Lithium-ion battery, usable capacity of 77 kWh
Transfer: Double electric motors
Power (hp): 340
Torque (lb⋅ft): 402
0-100 km/h: 5.5 seconds
Top speed: 180 km/h
Weight: 2,267kg (EU)
MPG: 332 miles
CO2: 0g/km
Price: £54,945 (as tested, £56,940)