CUPRA Raval: Made in the Streets

The new CUPRA Raval is set to become the heartbeat of the streets. At just over four metres long, the new small electric car is a welcome reminder of the pleasures of thinking small. It has the stance, the sharp bodywork and, in VZ form, the chassis hardware to get a hot hatch enthusiast’s attention. It also happens to be electric. A fresh take on something British drivers have appreciated for decades: a compact car with enough character to make an ordinary journey worth looking forward to. Especially in the city. 

Its name comes from the El Raval district in Barcelona, but you’ll recognise the spirit of it on streets all over Britain. You can’t force street culture. It grows through people caring about what they do, finding their own style and giving others a reason to join in. The Raval takes its cue from that independent streak. There’s room for a bit of individuality in everyday life, including the car parked outside.

Most of us pass a blank wall without giving it much thought. Katie Scott sees somewhere to start. The street artist works in bold colour, turning overlooked surfaces into something worth crossing the road for. Her canvas is part of somebody’s everyday route, which gives even a familiar street the chance to surprise. Parked cars are part of that view, too. With its taut creases and muscular proportions, the Raval gives the eye rather more to get involved with than the average parking space requires.

Take the optional Plasma Iridescent paint. As the light changes, so does its character, picking out different parts of the bodywork. Then, as the daylight disappears, the car starts supplying its own: a 3D coast-to-coast rear light signature, illuminated flush door handles and, on selected trims, Matrix LED headlights with tri-LED daylight lamps. The handles light up and extend as you approach. A small piece of theatre before you’ve even got in. There are VANDAL and REBEL alloy designs, too, which tells you something about the mood in CUPRA’s design department.

To a BMX rider, even the most familiar route can be full of possibilities. Professional rider Kaine Mitchell’s craft is in making a complicated sequence look wonderfully casual. Behind that are the repeated attempts and tiny adjustments that turn a good idea into a clean landing. It’s why, on two wheels or four, response matters so much. You want the machine beneath you to do what you ask of it. Then you can start enjoying yourself.

The Raval’s sports chassis sits 15mm lower than the platform’s standard set-up, with progressive steering to sharpen the response. The VZ adds adaptive damping through Dynamic Chassis Control and an electronic limited-slip differential, helping the front wheels make use of the available grip. And there’s plenty for them to get on with: 225PS, 290Nm and 0–62mph in 6.8 seconds.* Those 19-inch REBEL wheels aren’t doing all the work of looking sporty, then. There’s proper chassis engineering underneath, designed to make changing direction as interesting as gathering speed. Something to appreciate when the buildings thin out and a British B-road starts to wriggle.

Of course, the quickest way to change the mood in a car is often to put the right track on. For Strategy, the street has always had its own soundtrack. The rapper and producer has built a career by moving between genres without losing his own voice. It’s an approach that reflects the Raval itself: shaped by new technology, but never defined by it.

The Raval gives that music somewhere to stretch out. From V2, a Sennheiser AMBEO system brings 12 speakers and 475W into the cabin, including a dedicated subwoofer. It’s been developed specifically for this interior, with adjustable immersion and listening modes to get the sound how you like it. The V2’s ambient lighting and projections across the front door panels set the scene. Suddenly, arriving halfway through a favourite track becomes a small inconvenience. That’s an appeal which travels well beyond any one music scene. Whatever’s on your playlist, there’s pleasure in hearing it properly. 

And yes, the Raval is still a small EV that does the sensible stuff. Five seats, a segment-leading 441-litre boot and, in 52kWh V1 form, up to 275 miles of WLTP range.** Charging? 24 minutes for a 10–80 per cent charge on 52kWh versions using a suitable 105kW DC charger.*** It’ll do the day-to-day, then. What you do with the rest of the day is up to you.

Discover the new CUPRA Raval at cupra.com.

*VZ figures. Maximum power is available for up to 30 seconds and depends on battery charge and temperature; these also affect acceleration. Equipment and finishes vary by trim; some options cost extra.

**WLTP figure for the 52kWh V1. Actual range varies with driving style, route, weather, vehicle load, battery condition, equipment and use of heating or air conditioning.

***Estimated charging time under suitable conditions. Actual charging speed and time depend on charger output, battery temperature, age and condition, and other factors