For the past year, Cupra New Zealand has been on a mission of refinement. Their goal, as they put it, was to rationalize their range, ensuring every model is a pure expression of the brand’s core tenets: bold design, cutting-edge tech, and a driver-first experience. This isn’t a brand that designs by committee or softens its edges to appeal to everyone. Cupra’s philosophy is unapologetic: “if you get it, you get it. If you don’t, you don’t”. This mindset is evident not just in their cars but in their marketing, which favours dramatic, unexpected visuals (like a car dangling from a crane) over typical beauty shots.
After methodically curating a lineup that now includes the Formentor, Leon, and Terramar, Cupra has finally unveiled what they call “the final piece of that puzzle” for the New Zealand market: the Tavascan all-electric SUV coupe. It’s been a long journey to get it here, but the Spanish marque’s first EV SUV has arrived, and it aims to be anything but another anonymous electric appliance. We attended the New Zealand launch to drive both the Tavascan V and the more powerful VZ to see if this “Spanish obsession with design” translates into a compelling EV.
What’s the Tavascan’s Exterior Like?
Cupra believes cars should evoke emotion, not blend in, and the Tavascan is a rolling testament to that belief. It’s a vehicle that looks like it leapt directly from the concept sketches, retaining an aggressive and futuristic stance. Overseas reviews have suggested the front “almost looks like it’s wearing a mask,” and you can see why. The face is defined by sharp, triangular matrix LED headlights that give it a look of determination and purpose. Sitting proudly between them, and a first for the brand, is an illuminated Cupra logo on the V-shaped bonnet, drawing your eye and leaving no doubt as to its origin.
Functionality is cleverly fused with this dramatic form. Just below the headlights, its air curtains serve to channel airflow cleanly around the front wheels, reducing turbulence and improving stability. This obsession with aerodynamics is a theme that continues across the entire body. Cupra has harnessed the Coandă effect, a principle where fast-moving air naturally clings to a curved surface. By meticulously sculpting the body lines, diffuser, and spoiler, they guide the airflow with scientific precision to enhance stability, reduce drag, and improve downforce. The result is an impressively low drag coefficient of just 0.26, a figure that underscores how form and function work in perfect harmony.
From the side, its striking proportions are clear. It measures 4.676m in length with a generous 2.76m wheelbase, but it’s the design that creates the drama. The A-pillar rakes forward aggressively, giving the Tavascan the impression of motion even at a standstill. The VZ model we drove came with striking 21-inch ‘Katla’ copper alloys, while the V gets 20-inch ‘Hecta’ alloys; both look fantastic and fill the arches perfectly.
At the rear, the signature coast-to-coast tail light, a Cupra family trait, sits at the heart of the design. In a typically clever touch, the Tavascan name is subtly illuminated within the light cluster itself, forgoing a traditional badge on the tailgate. Above it, a seamlessly integrated spoiler plays a crucial final role in managing airflow, allowing it to detach at the optimal point to minimise wake and drag. While both models look great, I prefer the look of the VZ.
What’s the Tavascan’s Interior Like?
The theme of bold innovation continues inside. The first thing you notice is the cabin’s radical architecture. A striking “Central Spine” forms the backbone of the interior, supporting a floating dashboard and creating a cockpit that feels like it wraps around the driver, making you feel “one with the car”. It’s a piece of automotive art that immediately sets the Tavascan apart from its VW Group cousins, which share the same MEB platform.
Stretching across this unique dash is the “copper blade,” a Y-shaped signature detail that brings the brand’s copper accents inside and visually enhances the sense of space. These details, combined with parametric designs and dynamic ambient lighting, create a genuinely distinctive and immersive atmosphere.
As a brand built for drivers, sculptured bucket seats are fitted as standard, and they are excellent. I found them to be high-backed, wonderfully supportive in the corners, and I assume comfortable for a long drive. The materials feel sporty and well-thought-out, with a dark recycled microfibre used, ensuring nothing feels bland or cheap. My only minor long-term concern would be the copper finish on the interior door handles, which may show wear over time.
Practicality hasn’t been completely sacrificed for style. There is ample space in both the front and rear, and you could easily fit a family of four, or even five at a pinch. However, the person in the middle rear seat might find their forward view restricted by the high-backed front seats. Visibility for the driver is very good, thanks to a massive windscreen and A-pillars that aren’t overly intrusive.
How is the Tavascan’s Infotainment?
The Tavascan’s cabin is dominated by a massive central infotainment screen, which handles the majority of the vehicle’s functions. The driver’s instrument cluster, by contrast, is much smaller, providing just the essential information you need without distraction. This is a “sit and drive” car; there’s no start/stop button, you simply get in, twist the column-mounted gear selector, and you’re ready to go.
The flat-bottomed steering wheel feels great in the hand (not too thick) and houses buttons for changing drive modes and a dedicated Cupra button for a burst of maximum power and torque when you need it. However, it’s not all perfect. The cabin features haptic feedback buttons, which even Cupra’s own staff admit some customers don’t enjoy. More frustratingly, it inherits a common gripe from the wider VW Group: a two-button system for operating the four electric windows, which requires an extra tap to switch between front and rear controls. It feels unnecessarily complex.
What’s the Tavascan’s Powertrain and How Does it Drive?
The Tavascan arrives in New Zealand with two flavours. The lineup starts with the Tavascan V, priced at $84,900, which is a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive model. The flagship is the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive Tavascan VZ, priced at $94,900. While the VZ is certainly the “more complete” and better-accessorised vehicle with features like a panoramic roof, both models share the same core battery (77kWh usable) and fundamental architecture.
I drove the VZ out (to a sustainable lunch at Velskov in Huia) and the V back, and the difference is palpable. In Cupra mode, the VZ is “definitely more eager” and “more sprightly,” with the dual motors providing instant, thrilling acceleration. The VZ also benefits from an adaptive chassis, which makes the transition through the drive modes (from Range all the way up to Cupra) far more noticeable than in the V. It also has an AWD ‘Traction’ mode should you venture off the sealed stuff – which I didn’t need.
That said, even the single-motor V corners exceptionally well. The steering across both models is positive, direct, and driver-focused. It’s a “point-and-shoot” experience that gives you the confidence to place the car exactly where you want to go. The ride strikes a great balance, remaining comfortable without being too soft or overly firm, soaking up imperfections well while still communicating what the road is doing underneath you. Grip is tenacious in both models, but especially in the AWD VZ, which feels incredibly planted and secure through tight corners.
There is, of course, a trade-off. The more powerful (250kW/135Nm front/545Nm rear) VZ has less range than the (210kW/545Nm) V, (499km vs 534km) but you get more performance for your compromise. The stated usable range of around 400km feels accurate and perfectly fine for most users’ needs. Ultimately, this is a car you have to experience. No amount of slides or specs can replicate the feeling you get behind the wheel; you simply have to drive a Cupra to understand it.
Tarmac Takeaway
The Cupra Tavascan is a bold and welcome injection of personality into the electric SUV market. It’s a vehicle that refuses to be boring, from its aggressive, concept-car exterior to its radical, driver-focused interior. It successfully translates the brand’s “Spanish obsession with design” into a package that is not only visually stunning but also genuinely engaging to drive.
While it has its minor quirks, like the haptic controls and window switches, they do little to detract from the overall experience, which is sporty, comfortable, and unique. The Tavascan V offers a stylish and compelling entry point, but the VZ, with its adaptive chassis and potent dual-motor performance, feels like the most complete expression of Cupra’s vision.
Does the extra performance and equipment of the VZ constitute the extra money? That’s down to you, but one thing is clear: with the Tavascan, Cupra has delivered a car that fully embodies its philosophy. If you get it, you’ll absolutely love it.
