CUPRA Tavascan: why it's a more interesting take on the family EV

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6 mins read

31 October 2025

Family cars often have an unfortunate habit of being quite drab. Rather than resembling something interesting or exciting, they can feel like a box-ticking exercise in basic practicalities and uninspiring pragmatism. Which makes CUPRA’s approach with the Tavascan a welcome breath of fresh air.

You see, the Tavascan does all the usual bits you’d expect from a family SUV – it has a big boot, plenty of passenger space and lots of safety kit – and it does them well. But unlike most rivals, it’s also brilliant fun to drive, looks the part, and has an interior that offers a real sense of occasion. It’s a family car that’s desirable, and one that you can actually get excited about driving. Here’s how we think it injects some much-needed appeal into the family SUV segment.

Find out more about the CUPRA Tavascan

Sporty driving dynamics

The Tavascan’s smile-inducing handling prowess is no accident. The CUPRA name itself actually comes from a fusion of ‘Cup’ and ‘Racing’ – a nod to the Spanish brand’s successful origins in motorsport. Add to that some Barcelona design flair and top-notch Volkswagen Group engineering and the results make a lot of sense. The all-electric CUPRA Tavascan offers impressive performance, agility, and most of all, fun.

From the get-go, it has lots of get up and go. And that applies no matter which version you choose. There are two options – a single-motor model with 286PS, or a dual-motor model with 340PS. Both accelerate with an enthusiasm previously reserved for the sort of out-and-out sports cars that couldn’t hope to carry a family and all of its kit. The single-motor model will cover the 0-62mph dash in just 6.8 seconds, while the dual-motor version does it in just 5.5 seconds, and provides the extra traction of four-wheel drive.

So that’s straights taken care of, but what about when the roads turn twisty? Well, the CUPRA Tavascan proves an engaging and enjoyable partner, with sharp steering, neat handling and strong brakes.

Cars with V2 trim upwards also have CUPRA’s Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC), which allows drivers to tailor the suspension and steering set-ups just as they like.

But don’t go thinking the Tavascan doesn’t know when to keep itself to itself. On the contrary, when you hit a motorway, it just takes care of getting you there, with a supple ride and a nigh-on inaudible powertrain.

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An upmarket, eye-catching interior

Arguably, the most important part of any car is its interior, because that’s the area where you’re going to spend all of your time. And if that’s the case, then the CUPRA Tavascan has got all of the important things right.

For a start, the design of the interior conveys a sporty, purposeful feel with its high windowline and sculpted, wraparound dashboard – this is a car that can carry you and your family, but you’ll feel like every journey has a sense of pleasing urgency to it. There’s a welcome dose of design flair, too. An interesting central spine catches the eye, while copper accents and ambient lighting really lift the atmosphere. It’s a welcome bit of visual interest at a time when many rivals are producing rather uninspired, screen-dominated interiors.

The two front seats are shaped to provide all-day comfort, helped by the fact that they have a vast amount of space around them, while the three seats in the rear are more than capable of accommodating a trio of six-footers. The completely flat floor also means the central rear passenger doesn’t have to straddle an uncomfortable tunnel.

And what of everyone’s stuff? No problem, because the 540-litre boot area is a good, square shape, and the large door bins are easily up to taking a vast number of snacks and charging cables.

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Useful comfort features

CUPRA may be known the world over as a sporting brand, but it should also be recognised as a purveyor of luxury goods, such is the amount of standard equipment on the CUPRA Tavascan.

The range kicks off with the V1 trim level, and as What Car?’s testers noted: “It comes with a long list of standard equipment. It gives you three-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, automatic lights and wipers, and a wireless phone-charger.”

V2, VZ1 and VZ2 trims include luxuries such as Dynamic Chassis Control, a higher-spec audio system, a panoramic glass sunroof, an augmented reality head-up display and matrix LED headlights.

Stepping up to the range-topping VZ trim adds the front-mounted electric motor that brings extra performance and the added traction of four-wheel drive.

All CUPRA Tavascan models come with a 5.3-inch digital cockpit that places important driving information straight ahead of the driver. Stepping up to V2 trim complements this with an augmented-reality head-up display that projects vital info such as speed, navigation system directions and driver-assistance indicators onto the inside of the windscreen directly ahead of the driver’s eyeline.

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Helpful, advanced technology

The world of car technology is changing at a supersonic rate, and brands such as CUPRA are at the leading edge of the advance.

That’s because cars such as the Tavascan are filled with the latest cutting-edge systems to make you and your family not only more comfortable, but also safer.As Autocar’s testers point out, the Tavascan comes with a huge amount of driver-assistance technology, including “adaptive cruise control with automatic lane following and blindspot monitoring. The ADAS suite is fairly mature, with adaptive cruise control that’s generally smooth and lane keeping assistance and speed limit recognition that work better than most.” High praise.

The strong suite of safety systems can warn you of a potential collision and in some instances, intervene to help avoid an accident. It’ll even recognise when you’re tired or losing concentration and suggest when you should pull over for a break.

There’s also a nifty Remote Park Assist system that is operated through the My CUPRA app. Using this, you can step out of your Tavascan and use your smartphone to remotely manoeuvre it into a tight space. You can also use the app to send destinations to the car infotainment system, lock or unlock the vehicle from afar, and set the interior temperature so the car is perfectly comfortable the moment you get into it.

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Why the CUPRA Tavascan is all the car your family needs

Family life has changed beyond all recognition, and continues to do so. Different things are required from modern cars – essentials such as space, comfort, charging points, the ability to be connected while on the move, and of course, safety. The CUPRA Tavascan is the archetypal modern family vehicle because it provides all of these things in abundance. It also offers the instant power of electric propulsion and the contentment that zero-emissions motoring brings.

But the Tavascan goes further, because it injects some emotion into each and every journey, no matter whether you’re exploring parts of the country you’ve never been to before, or searching for a spot in a retail park car park.

And that’s what sets the Tavascan, and every other CUPRA, apart. It has been designed from the very outset to not only fit into your family life, but also to enhance it.

Find out more about the CUPRA Tavascan