Cupra Launches its First SUV Coupé BEV

Seat’s performance BEV brand, Cupra, has unveiled its first SUV coupé claiming up to 335bhp and a 0-62mph sprint time of under six seconds.

The Cupra Tavascan follows on from the brand’s concept presented at the IAA in Frankfurt 2019. It promises a sports driving experience, despite being an SUV, and features DCC Sport dynamic chassis technology, sport suspension and progressive steering.

Based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, the SUV coupé will be available with two power outputs: 282bhp and 335bhp with the top power version boasting dual-motor all-wheel drive and a sprint time of 5.6 seconds. It also claims a maximum range per charge of 341 miles thanks to the 77kWh net capacity battery pack. The Cupra Tavascan can add an additional 62 miles of range in just seven minutes of charge. The battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in under half an hour using a 135kW charging point.

Inside it features the largest infotainment screen so far in the brand’s lineup at 15-inches with a new human machine interface (HMI). The system also integrates for the first time a high-fidelity 12-speaker audio sound system developed in collaboration with Sennheiser. Designed and developed in Barcelona, the Cupra Tavascan will be produced at the Volkswagen’s Anhui factory in China and will be launched in 2024, with a yearly target of more than 70,000 cars sold.

Speaking at the automaker’s Exponential Impulse event in Berlin, CEO Wayne Griffiths, said: “Cupra is still a young brand and yet, in just five years we have hit one record after another at a remarkable pace, thanks to our drive and determination. Since the launch of the brand, Cupra has sold over 300,000 cars and is the fastest growing brand in Europe. The brand achieved record sales in Q1 2023 with over 46,500 cars sold, driving the profitability of Seat.”

— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_