• One battery, two power outputs available
• Entry-level model is more than quick enough
• Top-spec ‘VZ’ models not worth extra spend

Here’s where Cupra makes a case for the Tavascan’s steeper starting price over the mechanically similar Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID.5. The entry-point to the Tavascan range has a lot more poke than the cheapest versions of its Volkswagen Group stablemates to reflect the company’s positioning as a premium, performance car manufacturer.

So, rather than making do with the Volkswagen Group’s most basic 52kWh battery pack and 170hp electric motor, the bare bones Tavascan V1 and V2 have a 77kWh battery and a 286hp electric motor. They’re rear-wheel-drive, with 0-62mph being dispatched in 6.8 seconds and go on to a top speed limited to 112mph, the latter the same on every Tavascan. 

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Above that, there’s a four-wheel drive option (available in VZ1 and VZ2 specifications) that uses the same battery but an extra motor on the front axle to boost power to 340hp, though the 545Nm torque (pulling power) figure remains the same. 

What’s it like to drive?

• Quite engaging to drive
• Feels sportier than rivals, but not as comfortable
• But the brake pedal feel is terrible!

The Tavascan’s driving experience is hit and miss. Cupra’s engineers have fine-tuned the MEB platform’s suspension and steering for improved dynamics and greater feedback. Some of the company’s tweaks have landed better than others, though.

It’s certainly sharper and more interesting to drive than the ID.5, with its stiffer suspension producing less body roll in the corners. In performance-focused VZ trim, you can almost call it engaging, delivering rapid acceleration and plenty of grip thanks to four-wheel drive, but even the standard car drives well and certainly isn’t lacking in performance. We don’t think the 4WD VZ versions are worth the extra spend. 

It isn’t particularly comfortable, though. We reckon it’s the firmest version of the MEB platform we’ve yet experienced, especially when you switch the chassis into Cupra mode. It doesn’t have the same compliancy of an ID.4 or even the Ford Capri. We like that the adaptive suspension is included on every model other than the base V1 trim, though. 

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The biggest issue with the Tavascan is the brake pedal feel. It’s a problem we’ve encountered on other electric cars based on this Volkswagen platform, but this Cupra’s has to be the yest. You practically have to stamp on the pedal before it does anything, and the vagueness of them is really disconcerting, especially when coming to a stop from a higher speed. 

You can’t escape the sheer weight of the Tavascan, either. Even in its lightest trim, it tips the scales at a lardy 2.2 tonnes. Yes, most of that weight comes from the battery, which is concentrated low down in the chassis, so the effect of the inertia isn’t as bad as it could be. But it simply isn’t as agile as the petrol-powered Cupra Formentor.