It seems these days you are never more than six feet away from a car rolling on Volkswagen Group's MEB platform, the underpinnings of several popular electric vehicle models from Skoda, Audi, Volkswagen and Cupra.
Even Ford paid VW a license to use it for its Explorer and Capri. And any wonder - it works a treat. If you hop behind the wheel of any EV built on this drivetrain, you are guaranteed a smooth ride. It is what most motorists want, after all.
And the same is true of this, the Cupra Tavascan (or Tavashcan depending where you hail from ), a striking SUV coupé from the brand that continues to make a name for itself. Designed in Barcelona and built in China, the Tavascan takes its name from a village in Catalonia. Priced from €44,365 (including grant ), it is now offered in Ireland in multiple well-equipped trims in both Endurance and VZ spec.
Tested here was the €54,765 Endurance Type 6 model, which has a 77kWh battery producing 286hp and 545Nm of torque, and a claimed range of up to 545km. The latter figure proved far-fetched as I struggled to get close to 500km from a full charge. Cupra reckons the Tavascan's average fuel consumption is 16kWh/100km but in the real world you can expect somewhere over 19kWh.
Standard kit in the Tavascan range is decent, with the entry Endurance Type 4 getting 19-inch machined alloy wheels, bucket seats, an illuminated Cupra Logo (front and rear ), wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, rear camera, and a 15-inch infotainment system. Make the jump up to the Endurance Type 6 and you add 21-inch machined alloy wheels, electric heated front seats, a panoramic roof, a Sennheiser sound system and a top-view 360-degree camera.
The interior is home to a rather large Y-shaped carbon fibre spine which separates you from your passenger. Apart from housing the hazard warning button, this spine is simply a cosmetic feature, one that just did not grow on me during my week-long test drive. Directly above the centre spine is the equally large 15-inch infotainment system borrowed from Volkswagen Group. Nothing new but works well despite the lack of physical buttons. Copper accents adorn the dash, steering wheel, cup holders, door handles and even the seats.
Credit is due for the Tavascan's sporty exterior design which proved a head-turner. The front in particular stands out on the road, with its three-triangle eye signature headlamp and 'shark nose' features. At the rear you can find a full width light bar with twinkling LEDs whilst parked. A generous and wide 540-litre boot offers everyday practicality.
At the top of this review, I mentioned the Tavascan's smooth ride, which is all well and good but I cannot help but feel slightly disappointed by that. I really wanted the Tavascan to give me more driving pleasure – a bit more oomph. From the outside you would think it would. I am sure the VZ version ups the ante but for now the Tavascan is another electric vehicle that can that be filed under 'grand'.
I wonder has Cupra done enough with the Tavascan to cut through the noise of today's EV market? Only time will tell.
