Cupra Tavascan 2025 review - Australian first drive

Kicking off from $60,990 (all prices are before on-road costs) in base Endurance grade, this is a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive (RWD) with a usefully larger battery for better range than almost all competitors above as well as below its price point.

There’s also the flagship VZ with dual motors and all-wheel drive (AWD) from $74,490.

Not cheap, then, but the Endurance is highly competitive when you consider how ably the it traverses the axis of price, size and battery capacity.

Consider that while the Cupra does cost more than France’s superb Renault Megane E-Tech from $54,990, as well as the Kia EV5 (from $56,770), Xpeng G6 ($54,800), Smart #3 ($57,900) and BYD Sealion 7 ($54,990), that all hover from around the mid-$55K mark, it is only a tad exxier than the Model Y RWD from $58,900 and closely related Volkswagen ID.4 from $59,990, and cheaper than the equivalent Ford Mustang Mach E ($64,990), Toyota bZ4X ($66,000), Hyundai Ioniq 5 ($69,800), related Skoda Enyaq ($69,990), Subaru Solterra AWD ($69,990) and Kia EV6 ($72,590).

2025 Cupra Tavascan Endurance and VZ

Note, however, that aside from the #3 and EV5, all are slightly larger than the Barcelonan mid-sizer.

Still, the swoopy Tavascan significantly undercuts other, more-premium Euro-branded propositions with a similar propensity for style, like the Polestar 4, BMW iX2, Volvo XC40 and (also related) Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback. All are well north of $75K.

Such pricing is possible partly due to this being the first Cupra – and only the second Volkswagen Group Australia model after the 2004 Polo Classique sedan – to be made in China, as part of a joint venture with JAC. This model is not built anywhere else on the planet.

Base equipment levels, however, are not quite up to Chinese standards.

The Endurance includes auto entry/start, adaptive cruise control, three-zone climate control, sports front seats, a heated steering wheel, a 15-inch touchscreen with a rear camera, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 5.3-inch digital instrumentation, wireless phone charging, a quartet of USB-C ports, a hands-free powered tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, and 19-inch alloys.

Cupra reckons the Interior Package for an additional $4500 will be a popular option, since it adds a surround-view camera, microfibre-trimmed, heated and powered front seats with memory, broader ambient lighting, terrific 12-speaker Sennheiser audio, 20-inch wheels and more.

The VZ, meanwhile, features most of the above and then steps up with the second electric motor, AWD, 21-inch alloys, adaptive dampers, a glass roof (thankfully with a sunshade), adaptive matrix LED headlights.

Another $8K buys the Extreme package, bringing Nappa leather upholstery, racier front seats with ventilation, and unique alloys shod with performance tyres.

Sadly, no Tavascan grade comes with a spare wheel, just a tyre mobility kit.

Unsurprisingly, all boast advanced driver-assist tech, such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and lane-support systems, along with a handy vehicle exit warning and seven airbags, including a front-centre item. Find out more in the Safety section below.

Nothing too radical in the specification stakes, then. But Cupra reckons the Tavascan will offer one extra-special benefit that no rival can – and that’s Barcelona-bred design flair – when Aussie deliveries commence in May.

Time to take a closer look.

Now, with all that CUV stuff in mind, the Tavascan manages to look and feel sporty whilst also offering a decent level of family friendly functionality.

Wide doors and a high hip point offer easy entry and egress, in a roomy and accommodating cabin, on seats that are brilliantly comfy and supportive – even in the base Endurance. These are of the integrated ‘tombstone’ variety with bolstered sides to help keep you snug and secure. They’re great.

So is the driving position, with its grippy little wheel, readily accessible switchgear (including the knobs on the spokes), clear view of the modestly sized digital instrumentation pod and angled touchscreen.

After all the criticism that the VW Group’s earlier iterations of this system had garnered – including in other Cupras – the Tavascan’s interface proved to be simple to navigate, fast to respond and pleasant to look at.

Furthermore, even with that rising window line, vision out is AOK and ventilation is fine, too.

The aforementioned central spine’s shape appears to come at the expense of storage, as there’s less of it than expected in an EV SUV. The small glovebox is disappointing. We’re not fans of the driver’s door power window switch bank, necessitating a distracting press of a ‘rear’ button to operate the back windows. And one of the test cars suffered from dash squeaks.

Moving on to the rear, with seating for five, there’s actually ample space for people up to about 180cm tall, while all the usual amenities apply, such as vent outlets, a pair of USB-C ports, a folding armrest with cup holders and overhead lighting. Nothing seems to be missing.

However, there is one important thing missing further back.

Yes, the Tavascan’s boot offers a handy 540 litres of cargo capacity, with a low, wide and flat floor capable of swallowing all sorts of stuff. And, of course, the 60/40 rear backrest fold down, boosting those numbers to between 1579L and 1604L depending on specification.

2025 Cupra Tavascan Endurance Interior Package

But, as with almost all EVs, there is no spare wheel. The aforementioned tyre mobility kit is bad news if you experience a severe puncture. Even a space-saver spare would be infinitely preferable.

Don’t go searching for more boot space under the bonnet – there isn’t any.

Plus, the main electric motor – a permanently excited synchronous unit – is located on the rear axle, driving the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission.

Tipping the scales at 2238kg, the Endurance makes 210kW of power, to offer a power-to-weight ratio of 94kW per tonne, as well as a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.8 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h.

2025 Cupra Tavascan Endurance and VZ

Meanwhile, the VZ also has a smaller, asynchronous 80kW/134Nm electric motor over the front axle, channelling up to 30 per cent of the SUV’s total power to the front wheels as traction requires, and upping the combined power maximum to 250kW. Tipping the scales at 2284kg, the VZ offers 109kW/tonne, while the 0-100km/h time slips to 5.5s. Both offer a 545Nm torque maximum.

The 400-volt MEB platform consists of MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link rear end. The VZ adds adaptive dampers. Braked towing capacity is 1000kg in Endurance and 1200kg in the VZ.

The Tavascan employs an 82kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, offering a useable capacity of 77kWh.

Mounted down low in the structure to provide extra rigidity as well as balance, it helps the Cupra achieve a near-ideal 49/51 front/rear weight distribution.

The battery is also separated in 12 removable modules for easier repair and parts replacement.

2025 Cupra Tavascan Endurance

When the accelerator is lifted or in ‘B’ mode, the electric motor acts as a generator to feed energy back into the battery. Three levels of brake energy recuperation is also available via the steering wheel’s paddle-shifters.

Cupra says that the Endurance RWD offers a WLTP range of 540km, while the circa-60kg heavier VZ AWD drops that to 499km, or 463km with the Extreme Package’s grippy high-performance tyres.

Officially, the combined average energy consumption figures are between 15.2 and 16.0kWh/100km in Endurance and between 16.5 and 16.8kWh/100km in the VZ.

2025 Cupra Tavascan Endurance

Driving around Adelaide and beyond in the beautiful wine country, we managed between 15.0 and 22kWh/100km, as indicated on the Tavascan’s trip computer, which isn’t too bad.

The Cupra features an AC charging capacity of 11kW and DC charging capacity of 135kW.

Charging from empty to full when plugged in at home or work can take nearly 40 hours, or about 12.5hr with an optional 7.4kW wallbox, while a 10-80 per cent top-up using a standard 50kW fast charger needs about 75 minutes, or under half an hour if you find a super-fast 150kW outlet.

The Tavascan also delivers an impressive showing on the safety front, scoring a five-star EuroNCAP safety rating.

A whole raft of advanced driver-assist tech is available, including autonomous emergency braking (operable from 5km/h) for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users as well as car-to-car, lane departure warning/assist (from 65km/h), rear-cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, exiting-vehicle alert tech, adaptive cruise control, a driver-attention monitor and tyre pressure indicators.

There are seven airbags, including dual front, front-side, head and a front-centre item to help mitigate lateral occupant collision injury, as well as rear outboard occupant side and head coverage.

A trio of child-seat anchorage are fitted across the back seat, along with ISOFIX child-seat anchorages in the front passenger seat and two in the rear outboard positions.

2025 Cupra Tavascan Endurance Interior Package