Cupra Raval review

The first of Volkswagen’s MEB+ platformed cars to be driven properly. So the ID. Polo is the sensible supermini, the ID. Cross is the more practical small SUV-thing, the Skoda Epiq is the value-for-money one, leaving some space for the Raval to be Cupra’s spicy-little-tearaway.

To that end, it’s a small electric five-seat, front-drive hatch with (in the top-end VZ spec) 222bhp and 214lb ft, 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds and a few choice go-faster bits of hardware. So you get an e-diff, DCC (dynamic chassis control), a 15mm lower ride height and 10mm increase in track width. You can turn off the ESC and play with modes. That’s quite the statement of intention from Cupra.

The only slight fly in the speedy ointment is that as mentioned, the package of more intentional bits only appears on the top-spec VZ and VZ Extreme cars. The others are more vanilla – and so far TG has only driven the VZ Extreme.

But all the physical dimensions are identical, as is the look, bar wheels and a couple of small items. It comes in two battery sizes, 37 and 52kWh (both usable capacities), the smaller LFP, the larger NMC, and ranges, er, range from 186-ish miles to around 277, though exact figures haven’t been released as yet. Still, it’s a compelling package from the off.

So what has Cupra done to the basic bits?

For a start, the Raval and ID. Polo are both largely built at SEAT/Cupra’s facility in Martorell, Spain. So this is the Spanish MEB+ version. Basic proportions are – as you might expect – all in the same ballpark, but Cupra’s gone to town on the body. So it’s a proper little geometric ode to triangles, making the Raval much more aggressive than the other cars on the same bones. It’s still small and stumpy though, so this is the proverbial toddler with a knuckleduster. Although we’re not actually sure that’s a proverb.

This is the proverbial toddler with a knuckleduster

Still, there’s a scowly little face, interesting designs for the various wheels which go up to 19 inches on the higher-spec cars, which sounds ambitious for the ride quality of a city-skewed hatch. The side profile is good, the wheelbase long and the overhangs short. At the back, there’s a lightbar (of course there is), a light-up Cupra badge and a little psuedo-venturi. It’s neat, not overplayed, but with some character. Good work, in other words.

The extra engineering tweaks to the VZ models are what stands it apart though; the ID. Polo GTX (or whatever it might get called) might well get such addenda in the future, but for now the Raval is where you’ll get your more pointy driving dynamics.

What’s it for though?

Technically it’s a city-biased small EV, but the 52kWh could easily go intra-urban if you aren’t too ambitious. Think Renault 5/Nissan Micra-type ranges for the big battery, so practical enough. And even though a max 105kW of charging sounds a bit rubbish, it’s a small battery, so going from 10 to 80 per cent only takes 24 minutes. The base ‘Origin’ only manages 50kW DC… which is naff… best leave that one for committed urbanites.

But the Raval feels like effort has gone into it. There’s a really nice interior, really usable space, some lovely colours and urban-useful dimensions – it feels bigger than it really is on the inside, but you realise how nippy it is when you parallel park.
Plus, it’s got some big-car features, so this feels like a size choice rather than a cost implication. You’re not buying a Raval because you can’t afford the bigger Born, but because it’s more suited to your lifestyle.

How practical is it?

Surprisingly. The ride is good, the wheelbase long, with the wheels pushed out to the corners. The 19s on the VZ don’t make it ride with any particular hatred, and the room for the two front seats is relatively generous. Okay, so the rear seats are a little tight, but given the length of the car, they’re pretty good.

The real surprise is in the boot – at 441-litres (including the underfloor, which sits under a moveable boot floor shelf-thing) it’s roughly 60 litres bigger than something like a VW Golf, so that’s enough for any amount of shopping. This is a car that’s only 46mm over four metres, so there’s a lot packed into a small space.

What’s the experience like?

As you’d expect from the off. It’s punchy from the lights (there’s even e-launch if you must), nippy in town, with decent regen from the paddles. Everything seems to work like you expect, and that’s useful in an urban setting. It’s also easy to park, so the remote control parking system on the top models is largely redundant unless you want to wedge it into a space so small you can’t open the doors.

But the big standout for the Raval is when you have a VZ with all the toys. You can turn off the ESC (not always a given) and generally commit a bit more. A lot of that is down to the e-diff – in many electric cars, make progress into a tight corner and you’ll unweight the inside wheel and set it merrily spinning (that counts in both front and rear-drive formats). But in the Raval, you can maintain a line and traction. Okay, so you’ll get a fair bit of tug from the wheel if you’re going to go really fast, but it works.

The ride height and track changes are minimal, but they’ll make a difference – we just need to drive the lesser-order cars to see what the difference really is.

What’s the damage?

We don’t know fully yet, because Cupra isn’t sure how much grant it will qualify for. But for the time being it’s £23,785 for the entry-level one with small battery and pants charging, all the way up to £36,310 for the VZ Extreme. All told there are six (!) trims and four flavours of motor to choose from – head to the Buying section for full details.

As well as the Renault 5 and Nissan Micra, you could look at a Mini Cooper Electric, Hyundai Inster or Peugeot e-208 instead. But if the warm hatch thing appeals… there’s a JCW version of the Mini and Abarth’s 600e to consider.

A really positive first drive for Cupra and by extension the MEB+ based products. The Raval hits all the right notes in terms of practicality and day-to-day performance, but then, in the VZ version, adds a bit of spice to the driving experience. No, it’s not a hot hatch in the traditional sense – more warm than hot – but with the e-diff and choice tweaks, it’s the kind of car you can mess about with and not fear for your life.

The UK EV grants haven’t been confirmed as yet, but Cupra expects to qualify, bringing it right into contention for the ever-expanding small electric car market.

But more to the point, it feels like Cupra has managed to carve out an identity niche with a car that’s based on the same bits as everyone else. It’s really rather good.