The Cupra Tavascan, a new electric SUV, raises questions about the brand's identity and its ability to stand out in a crowded market. While stylish and spacious, the Tavascan shares many similarities with other Volkswagen Group models, leaving some wondering if it truly offers a unique driving experience.
A new electric SUV plays all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. This is a question that many have been asking; why? Not in a negative way, but more in a sense of 'what is Cupra all about'? But a car brand needs more than just a passionate following to survive and thrive; it needs to be recognized and understood by a wider audience. Cupra 's sales are on the rise, which is a positive sign, but it still seems to be a brand that many are unfamiliar with.
Cupra's ties to Seat have been obvious in the past, with models like the Ateca SUV and Leon hatchback shared between the two brands. However, with the arrival of the Tavascan and the hybrid-engined Terramar SUV, alongside the updated Formentor and all-electric Born hatchback, the number of Cupra-only models now significantly outweighs the shared cars. This indicates that Cupra is finally focusing on its electric power, with the Tavascan as the second fully electric model in the range (alongside the Born and the updated long-range, plug-in hybrid Leon, Terramar, and Formentor).Cupra's mission is to be sporty and electric, but is the Tavascan truly sporty? The Tavascan looks sporty from the outside, with its stunning Tavascan Blue paintwork and copper-colored detailing. The distinctive Cupra badge, which still resembles a tattoo or sci-fi weapon to me, now illuminates both front and rear, and there are complex-looking 21-inch alloy wheels. Inside, high-backed bucket seats are wrapped in a microfiber-like cloth made partly from recycled materials, while the dashboard design is quite dramatic, resembling the tail and backbone of a Manta Ray, even sporting molded-in scales for effect. This sense of drama is slightly counteracted by the large, generic touchscreen infotainment system (which is better than before but still too fiddly, lacking enough physical buttons for ease of use) but amplified again by the three-spoke steering wheel with its twin driving mode buttons. The Tavascan is a chunky car, so interior space is good. Although it aims to be a coupe, there's ample space in the rear seats (headroom is a bit tight, but acceptable); the 540-liter boot is more than sufficient and has an adjustable floor to store charging cables. So far, so generic mid-size EV SUV, and this is where the Tavascan's troubles begin. Car brands are built on legends. Ferrari and Porsche are prime examples, but even more modest brands like Ford and Peugeot have made their names with stylish, fun, and fast cars and accolades from motorsport. When it comes to Cupra, there isn't much to hold onto. Describing a Cupra purchase to friends wouldn't be easy. 'Posh Seat' doesn't sound appealing, and while 'affordable Audi' is closer to the mark, it raises a significant issue for Cupra.With the Tavascan, Cupra is essentially building a car that already exists. Volkswagen produces the same car with a different body and calls it the ID.5. Skoda does the same, calling it the Enyaq Coupe. Audi does the same, calling it the Q4 e-tron Sportback. Heck, even Ford uses the same underpinnings under license and calls it the Capri. Cupra is playing the same song with the same notes, but using a different instrument and hoping no one notices. Does the Tavascan drive dramatically differently from those other cars? Not really. The suspension is slightly firmer, but even that can be dialed out with the adaptive dampers on our 'Endurance 6' spec test car. The steering is mostly light and accurate, becoming slightly heavier when pushed hard, but it never delivers a truly sporty driving experience. In this aspect, the Tavascan is quite similar to the Cupra Born hatchback. Yes, it's stylish, but its driving experience isn't significantly different from the related Volkswagen ID.3, barely qualifying as sporty
Cupra Tavascan Electric SUV Volkswagen Group Sporty Driving Brand Identity
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