Cupra Tavascan VZ 77kWh Review

While one may initially deem a brand lacking in widespread recognition to be disadvantaged against better-known names, the flipside of not having a reference point is the freedom to run wild and free. Rewrite the rulebook. Switch things up, just because. And shoot for the stars - with elaborate light shows - while doing it.

Standing apart from the crowd can be fun after all, if you have the electrifying confidence to pull it off. For the all-new, fully electric Cupra Tavascan, that's exactly the sort of life it's happy to revel in. 

Not entirely the Cupra you may remember

Previously the suffixed performance offshoot of Spanish carmaker Seat, Cupra has done a fair bit of growing up since we last set eyes on it properly.

The last new Cupra launched in Singapore was the pre-facelifted Leon Sportstourer, a raucous machine with traditional enthusiast ingredients: A wagon profile, sleeper-styling, and good ole' combustion power. But whether we're talking locally (as Volkswagen Singapore wrestled back ownership), or internationally (where a commitment to going fully electric by 2030 was declared), it's no stretch to say the brand's image has undergone some transformation in these few years.

Not a purely rational electric car: The Tavascan marks the first electric Cupra we've gotten behind the wheel of in Singapore

Described by the brand's ex-CEO to be the very antithesis to "the many purely rational electric cars coming to the market", the Tavascan marks the bright, emissions-free star now accompanying its reintroduction.

Calling it a re-skinned Volkswagen ID.5 GTX would be a disservice to the vibrant idiosyncrasy it brings to the table. While the overall coupe-SUV silhouette is not uncommon in today's age, the Tavascan is no shrinking violet; its styling, arguably as loud and show-stopping as its powertrain is silent. The range-topping VZ variant even gets 21-inch wheels finished in Cupra's iconic black-copper combination.

Taking Cupra's triangular obsession to new heights, the Tavascan should be hard to miss on the road - and especially the VZ variant, which rides on 21-inch wheels with a black-copper finish

As the first model here to be bathed in Cupra's all-new design language, the Tavascan's most immediately distinct qualities are its boomerang-shaped snout and indented bonnet. Cupra calls this a 'shark nose'; and the Tavascan does indeed look like one - albeit a dark cyborg-shark with a blunt nose.

Even way back, triangles had long formed part of the visual identity of any Cupra, but the Tavascan takes obsession with the shape to new heights.

There are three of them in each of the head lamps; the shapes are also layered like stained glass against the tail light bar, twinkling slowly awake as you approach the car in a manner that could give the Jewel Rain Vortex a run for its money. The effect is stunning - ditto for the illuminated badges on the car.

Continuing the fantasy 

There's something inexplicably satisfying that accompanies the knowledge that both the exterior and interior design teams of a car got the same memo, and that what has first caught your attention on the outside continues on the inside. 

All of that holds strongly here. When stepping into the Tavascan, it immediately becomes clear that effort was made to unite the design philosophies of its sheet metal and cabin.

It's a shame that test drives are not held at night, because the delicious phantasmagoria of the Tavascan's cabin comes to life most strongly in the dark. Simple strips are too run-of-the-mill these days, so Volkswagen Group's self-described 'challenger brand' has taken it upon itself to let light peek out in other manners: From arrow-shaped foam perforations on the door cards, and through the air vents on the dashboard.

The car's interior design is yet another highlight, with an interesting take on ambient lighting, and a unique central spine that separate the driver from the front passenger

The latter almost resemble the skeleton of some mythical dragon, with its magical blood glowing in blue. (Or purple. Or whichever colour you've tapped the ambient lighting into.)

Speaking of dragons, the cabin's highlight is undoubtedly the central spine that connects the dashboard to the central console, and is finished once more in a geometric pattern that resembles scales. Intrigue aside, this has the side effect of separating the driver from the front passenger in a pseudo-'dual-cockpit' style seen on other performance cars. 

The car's 15-inch infotainment touchscreen boasts detailed and vibrant graphics, but might take some time to wrap one's head around; the Sennheiser sound system, on the other hand, is immediately and enduringly fantastic

Above said spine, the 15-inch freestanding infotainment touchscreen boasts the same strengths as the units found in modern VWs and Skodas (detailed and vibrant graphics; extreme responsiveness), but also fall victim to the same slight foibles (a greedy expanse of sub-menus). 

Unambiguously and consistently excellent, however, was the system's ability to get Apple CarPlay working wirelessly without lag. The car's standard 12-speaker Sennheiser sound system also stands out as a particular highlight, delivering - in equal volume - crispness and fullness in sound.

Space on the rear bench is fantastic for three average-sized adults, while a large glass roof can help to make the cabin feel airier if need be

Coupled with the car's fever dream of a cabin and massive panoramic glass roof, drivers shouldn't be surprised to find themselves developing an addiction to night drives. 

Otherwise, the Tavascan also excels as a passenger-ferrier. Despite the sloping roofline, rear headroom is good even for the middle passenger, while the width of the car's body means three will ride abreast quite comfortably behind. Boot space also stands at a very handy 540 litres - meaning the entire family can come along for the ride. 

A slightly better take on a tried-and-tested template

A dual-motor all-wheel drive setup has become the de facto standard for any EV claiming to have performance DNA, and on this range-topping Tavascan VZ, that's exactly what you'll find: Firepower (or rather, electric power) stands at a heady 335bhp and 545Nm of torque.

And while these numbers are exactly what you’d find with the Volkswagen ID.5 GTX or Skoda Enyaq Coupe RS, the Tavascan demonstrates how a shared mechanical template can be re-tooled for an experience that feels sufficiently unique.

Cupra button: Depress to unleash all 545Nm of torque from the car's two electric motors

In a performance car, nothing beats a dedicated button that shakes the vehicle into its most lethal setup. The Tavascan benefits on this front by inheriting the DNA of Cupras past with its two shortcut buttons on the steering wheel: One to allow you to toggle more leisurely through the Drive Modes, and the other that skips the small talk and cuts straight to 'Cupra' mode.

In fact, depress the latter, give the accelerator pedal a proper shove, and you could launch the car to 100km/h from rest in just 5.6 seconds. Even in an era where the sensation of instant torque is growing less foreign, the feeling here can still border on hilarious, jerky violence - certainly capable of painting a large grin on one's face.

It's worth highlighting that it's not just one extra motor over the entry-level Endurance trim, but also adaptive sports suspension that this VZ gets. While the ride tends towards the firmer side (and rightfully so for an SUV of this status), it's still tidy enough not to get too unsettled by road undulations - and besides, the availability of DCC allows you to slide up and down your preferred stiffness anyway. 

Aiding the sportier leanings of the Tavascan is its steering feel, which is quick and accurate, provides more feedback than on your average family SUV, and weights up nicely at speed. Grip levels are also good - though push the Tavascan hard around a bend and its weight will be made eminently evident. This is no small car, too, and from behind the wheel, one never really forgets that they're piloting a 4.64-metre long, 1.86-metre wide SUV.

Given its larger stature, the Tavascan still manages to offer a lively drive - though the same pain points from its shared platform remain

Where the Tavascan is unable to escape the shadow of its shared platform especially, however, is with its braking feel.

Admittedly, when you're bringing the car to a halt from speed, the sense of linearity on the pedal is hard to fault when the regenerative braking has been set at its strongest. (Adjusting the latter is a pleasure too, thanks to weighty paddle shifters on offer.) In its default setting, however, the Tavascan is unable to entirely escape the spongey feel that has plagued its platform-sharing cousins.

The paddle shifters that help to adjust the car's regenerative braking strength work like a charm

The downside to its dual-motor powertrain, too, is that it can get quite thirsty, especially when driven hard (which is exactly what you'd be coaxed into doing, given all that the car has to offer).

Cupra claims a WLTP-rated range of 521km on a full charge from its 77kWh battery, but we were on track to achieve something in the region of 400km instead. It's not unrealistic to expect that the single-motor Tavascan Endurance - which draws power from the same battery - would be more competent on this front. 

Magnetic personality

The no-holds-barred approach taken by the Tavascan may admittedly not be to everyone's fancy. Even when cloaked in more subdued paintwork, it remains a resolute head-turner. And where many may find rest from behind the wheel, this particular machine seems keen on keeping the adrenaline running incessantly. 

But at a time where electric cars - and especially electric SUVs - are tending towards homogeneity, it is precisely the effortless ability to stand out that keeps one coming back for a second or third look. Cupra may not have decades of carmaking to look back on, but its willingness to explore uncharted territory has yielded something truly special with the Tavascan: A genuine sense of personality.

After all, the cars that linger in your mind, hours and days after you've returned their keys, are not the ones that have nailed every last square inch down to perfection. They're the ones that were simply hard to forget. The Tavascan is one of those. Even amidst its lingering, minor flaws, that's something worth celebrating and commending greatly.

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