The Cupra Tavascan is the impulse of a new generation

In fashion, the best collections spark debate before they’re celebrated. In architecture, landmarks divide opinion before they define a city. The CUPRA Tavascan channels that same disruptive energy. Rather than repeating the usual EV design formula it reshapes it entirely, caring less about consensus and more about confidence.

In a world of amorphic EV shapes, the Tavascan stands out like some sort of sci-fi sculpture. Precision-cut, copper-toned, illuminated and unapologetically bold, this is not the kind of electric SUV that blends politely into traffic. It is, as CUPRA’s Design Director Jorge Díez insists, a car that refuses to please everyone.

“That would mean losing your identity” he says. “And that’s not what we do at CUPRA. As designers, we’re obliged to push the boundaries without thinking about what people might say, to follow our own way. That’s exactly what we did with the Tavascan. It’s not a response to change; it’s the vehicle that creates it.”

And this fighting talk comes with credibility. Díez isn’t just a disrupter; he’s earned an impressive reputation in the world of automotive design. His CV includes the second-generation Audi TT as well as key SEAT and CUPRA models from the last decade – creating not just recognisable cars, but entire design languages.

That spirit runs through every line in the Tavascan. Its ‘dark mask’ front end, like something worn by a superhero, is paired with a V-shaped bonnet pointing to a glowing CUPRA badge, proudly illuminated front-and-centre – for the first time on a CUPRA model. The headlights too: each has three signature triangles forming animal-like eyes, beaming matrix LEDs into the distance. It’s a face that commands attention. And at the back: a coast-to-coast rear light bar framing the entire width of the car.

And it’s all wrapped in a choice of atmospheric exterior colours, from deep Tavascan Blue and crisp Silver White, to the warm tones of Atacama Desert, moody Basalt Grey, or the under-the-radar Century Bronze Matt. The colours are complemented by a range wheel designs including 21-inch Katla alloys in satin black with signature copper accents and enhanced aero, and 21-inch machine-forged ETNA alloys with parametric copper inserts, delivering both aero efficiency and standout style.

The design story continues inside with a brave, futuristic cabin. At its heart is a striking, tapered central spine: a sweeping structural feature showing the skeleton that supports the entire width of the dashboard. Accentuated with copper highlights, it’s part support beam, part sculpture – an idea from modernist architecture, where structure is not hidden but confidently displayed; form and function inseparable.

Same with the sporty CUP bucket seats, which are designed to support and look good while doing it. And they come in various finishes including ‘Hero’, featuring ventilated nappa leather to help hold you when corners come thick and fast (VZ2 trim), and ‘Dark Knight’ (V2 & VZ1 trims) stitched in CUPRA’s trademark copper thread, debossed detailing and upholstered with up to 50% recycled microfibre.

Technology is integrated without overwhelming: a driver-centric centre display hovers within reach. Surfaces glow with light, from perforated door panels to cupholders and ambient strips across the dash. This is design with purpose, but also atmosphere – immersive, dramatic, and distinct. And it’s backed up by some serious systems.

Travel Assist combines adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping for smooth, semi-automated driving. Park Assist memorises your regular parking manoeuvres and lets you guide the car into a space remotely via your phone. A cutting-edge augmented reality head-up display projects navigation, speed and safety alerts directly onto the windscreen. Connectivity is seamless thanks to the 15-inch screen with online traffic updates and route-planning to charging stations. And the My CUPRA app allows you to pre-set the climate and manage charging remotely.

The Tavascan, then, is a deeply useful daily driver. But it’s also a symbol of something deeper. It’s proof that attitude can be sculpted in metal, lit in neon, stitched in copper, and driven every day. Like the best design in architecture or fashion, it doesn’t just inhabit the world around it – it changes it.

For more information and to book a test drive, click here.