2025 Cupra Tavascan review: Australian first drive

Aussies have never had as much choice in buying an electric vehicle as they do right now, which is great news for those in the market.

There are now (almost) countless options in each segment, and the biggest race seems to be forming in the medium-sized SUV segment. But, with so much choice on offer, it’s hard for models to stand out.

This is why the new Cupra Tavascan is an electric SUV with a difference. Sporting the Spanish brand’s unique sense of style – and a healthy dose of sportiness – this new electric entrant is considered a stylish alternative to cars like the Tesla Model Y.

As the model begins to hit dealerships around the country, we were invited to sample this spicy SUV around Adelaide.

The Cupra Tavascan is the brand’s second all-electric offering in Australia, following the Born small hatch that made its debut in 2023.

It shares the same MEB architecture, a platform that also underpins the likes of the Volkswagen ID.4, VW ID. Buzz, and Skoda Enyaq.

But, Cupra says the Tavascan stands alone by offering a sporty sense of style not shared with any other Volkswagen Group product.

This sense of style is a point of difference to other electric vehicles in the market, too, such as the Tesla Model Y and Kia EV5.

As mentioned, there are plenty of mid-sized electric vehicle options available to Australians now. You can find out more about each of them on Drive, plus even browse examples of electric SUVs for sale on Drive Marketplace.

In terms of pricing, the Cupra Tavascan starts off more expensive than the entry-level versions of the EV5, on sale now, and the updated Tesla Model Y that is set to arrive in local showrooms soon.

The Cupra Tavascan comes to Australia in two specifications: the Endurance entry-level with rear-wheel drive, and the VZ flagship with all-wheel drive.

The Endurance costs $60,990 plus on-roads. It gets a single electric motor that produces 210kW/545Nm to its rear-mount motor fed by a 77kWh battery that’s said to provide up to 534km of driving range.

But we’re spending more time in the performance-minded Tavascan VZ that begins from $74,490 plus on-road costs.

This car gets dual motors and all-wheel drive for a combined 250kW and a reduced 499km driving range. Although, it sprints from zero to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds.

Both cars can recoup charge at a maximum 135kW DC charge rate.

Other reasons why you might choose the Tavascan VZ include its 21-inch alloy wheels with copper accents, adaptive suspension, matrix LED headlights, fixed glass roof, electric-adjust seats with heating, or the 12-speaker Sennheiser sound system.

The forthcoming Tesla Model Y is slightly less expensive at the base level ($58,900 for the RWD), while the top-spec dual-motor AWD costs $73,400 in Launch Series guise. Both before on-road costs.

Other cars in the segment include the Kia EV5 priced from $56,770 before on-road costs.

The Cupra Tavascan is a striking car in the metal. My first impressions were positive – there’s obviously been a lot of effort in styling this car, both inside and out.

There’s a pointed, angular front end with a low-set grille and pass-throughs from the fascia to the bonnet, big 21-inch alloy wheels on the VZ, and inset door handles to aid aerodynamics.

The rear end uses the popular ‘coupe’-style treatment that shows a sloping roof line and a tall full-width light bar.

The boot opens electrically to a 540-litre space – not bad by medium SUV standards – and there’s space under the floor to stow cables plus a 60/40-fold rear seat bench.

A 60/40-folding rear seat bench flattens to afford a full 1550L space when required.

Style-conscious buyers will be equally pleased with the design found on the inside of the car too.

Especially in the VZ specification – which benefits from goodies such as a panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, a 12-speaker Sennheiser audio system, and microfibre upholstery – the Tavascan’s interior is a visual delight.

The way the entire dash descends into a central V-formation is cool, while the extended central spine is unlike anything else you’ll find in other mediums SUVs. Naturally for a Cupra, it’s all detailed with copper inlays.

There’s good storage beneath the flyover including a wireless phone charger, cupholders, a dual-door centre console compartment, big door pockets, and, obviously, a glovebox too.

Some of the materials used aren’t quite up to scratch, namely the central spine is a hard plastic that could have benefitted from the same neoprene-like material used around the rest of the centre console.

Taking pride of place on the Tavascan’s dashboard is a massive 15-inch display that runs new software underneath. It’s quick, feature-laden, and I love the way smartphone mirroring (wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) renders on the big screen.

Although, unfortunately, like many Cupra products, this Tavascan runs air-conditioning adjustments through the screen rather than with dials and buttons. It just makes it that little bit more tricky to adjust things on the go.

Likewise, there are touch-capacitive buttons on the steering wheel that are easily pressed by accident – there were multiple times at the launch where I turned the steering wheel and inadvertently activated the voice command function.

There’s a thin display in front of the driver that shows your speed and energy efficiency, but there’s not that much else in terms of varying displays and graphics – it’s simply not big enough.

Unlike most other electric cars in the country, Cupra doesn’t have a smartphone companion app where you can remotely activate the air-conditioning system or view the vehicle’s charge level. This is a big miss, especially in 2025 where most other brands offer the technology.

Back seat passengers get a good amount of leg and foot room, but I struggled with head room beneath the sloping rear roof line. I’m 194cm tall, but I usually fit just fine beneath the headlining of other medium-sized SUVs.

Still, there are air vents, USB-C ports, a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, and map pockets for storing thin items.

It’s a shame that the quality of materials diminishes further once you’re in the second row. The door cards are hard plastic, which make for an unsavoury experience, although the ambient lighting inserts help the vibe somewhat.

The Cupra Tavascan isn’t rated for safety by ANCAP, though it does get a five-star rating with its European equivalent Euro NCAP.

Safety technology includes autonomous emergency braking (vehicle, pedestrian, cyclist, junction-turning), lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear cross-traffic alerts, and adaptive cruise control.

I was very happy with the way these systems worked on the launch. There were no undue intrusions from the lane-keep assistance and the adaptive cruise control worked a treat.

Cupras come with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty arrangement in Australia, and the service intervals are spaced at every 24 months or 30,000km (whichever is sooner).

Servicing costs $495 each visit, but multi-year packages are available that bring down the cost marginally.

Getting started with the Cupra Tavascan is exceedingly easy. All you have to do is have your key in your pocket, pull the door handle, put on your seatbelt, and depress the brake pedal for the car to switch on. There is a manual override switch to turn the vehicle on and off, but this is rarely needed.

I love the twisty gear selector mounted where an ignition barrel would go­ ­­– it made it very simple to change directions in carparks and manoeuvre the car.

Cupra has made significant strides in improving noise and refinement levels. It’s a quieter car than some other models in the Cupra range, at highway speeds and over uneven surfaces.

While the ride is largely impressive, the Tavascan did exhibit a bit of ‘wheel slap’ sensation as the car trudged through pockmarks and potholes in the road. This is more of a noise issue than one of discomfort.

Acceleration is swift off the line, but it’s on the move where I was most impressed by the Tavascan’s sprightliness. Lean into the accelerator in any one of the six drive modes and the Tavascan’s dual-motor powertrain felt strong.

There were instances where the all-wheel-drive system scrabbled for grip when trying to carry speed through a corner – an ‘Extreme pack’ with grippier rubber is coming – and the car struggled to hide its weight despite such an energetic, electric powertrain.

It’s an entertaining car to pedal around flowing corners and zip about in suburbia, though you can’t garner the same sense of fun in the Tavascan as you’d find in something like the Cupra Formentor, Leon, or Ateca.

Brake feel is one of the weakest aspects of the Tavascan experience. Not only does it not have all-round disc brakes (rear drum brakes are a theme of the MEB platform), but the pedal feel is inconsistent and can be downright difficult to get right.

Pulling up behind another car at a T-intersection and realising you’re not stopping quick enough was a common phenomenon, and you have to exert a surprising amount of pressure to come to a halt.

There are four distinct regenerative braking levels the driver can cycle through using steering wheel paddles – plus an all-out B mode for more intensive 'engine' braking.

Adaptive dampers come standard on the more expensive VZ specification, and they do a lot to help the Tavascan’s composure through spirited driving. The suspension feel is harder than you’ll find in a Kia EV5, meaning it’ll stay flatter through bends than most medium-sized electric vehicles.

Though the Tavascan’s steering weights up to a nice heft in its sportier driving modes, the system doesn’t translate much feel to the driver.

You have good vision out of most of the Tavascan’s interior, with thanks in part to a tall glasshouse. But the vision through the rear mirror is letterboxed due to the Tavascan’s sloping roof line, which can make it a bit trickier to reverse into a car spot.

If you’re chasing a bit of flair and dynamism from your medium-sized electric SUV, and let’s be honest, they can be boring things without those attributes, the Cupra Tavascan is a strong option for the local market.

They’ve nailed the design brief without compromising on the bits that matter. It’s spacious, tech-infused, and can be fun to drive in the right domain.

The Tavascan is not perfect – the brake pedal is a seriously odd experience, and there are some substandard interior materials that you’ll have to accept.

If nothing else, I can’t wait to put one of these up against an updated Tesla Model Y later in the year.