The CUPRA Raval is a very complete little EV, thinks Jonathan Crouch.
Ten Second Review
The smallest CUPRA yet is perhaps the company's best. Though this compact stylish little EV is, like the brand's other models, a shared VW Group design, it's more 'CUPRA' than any of the marque's previous designs. If you're shopping in this segment, this car ought to be on your list.
Background
Arguably the VW Group's most important brand right now is CUPRA. And arguably CUPRA's most important car is this one, the Raval. This little EV is the smallest car the Spanish maker has yet made and it's the first one not be fundamentally a Volkswagen in a pretty Iberian frock.
That's because for the first time, CUPRA has led development of a family of similarly-sized and engineered VW Group models - Wolfsburg's so-called 'Electric Urban Car Family' which, along with the Raval, has produced the Skoda Epiq and two Volkswagens, the ID.Polo and the ID.Cross.
CUPRA has certainly earned the opportunity, managing to sell well over a million cars since the brand was first launched back in 2018. We waited a long time for a really compact one, despite the promise of the Urban Rebel concept in 2021, which was followed by the Raval concept car in 2023.
The 'Raval' moniker is borrowed from the name of a formally dodgy but now trendy neighbourhood in Barcelona which now has a fashion-conscious vibe CUPRA hopes is reflected by this little electric urban runabout. So, style with substance? Let's find out.
Engines and Tech Spec
As its name suggests, this Raval's MEB+ platform shares much with the MEB chassis used by the brand's larger Born EV. The fundamental difference here though is that the electric motor is mounted at the front, rather than at the back. And, as with the Born, no matter how fast your chosen Raval is, it'll only have one motor. Which puts out either 115PS or 135PS with the base 37kWh battery, a Lithium-ion Phosphate pack that takes the car a modest 186 miles.
Unless you're exclusively urban-based, you'll probably prefer to choose this CUPRA in its longer-ranging 52kWh form, where there's a quite different Nickel-Manganese Cobalt battery with a quite different range figure - up to 279 miles. The larger battery models get a more powerful 210PS front motor to compensate for the extra weight. This is tuned up to 225PS with the top VZ version, though that drops range to about 248 miles.
That VZ variant features wider tyres and a limited-slip differential (that key final feature lacking from some important rivals like the Alpine A290). There's also a 'sport chassis' with DCC adaptive damping, along with a 10mm wider track and a bespoke steering tune. A unique 'Sport' mode on the VZ engages traction control and the provided 'E-Launch' launch control system, along with a special sequence of driver display animations, interior lighting and start-up sounds. VZ is short for 'veloz' in Spanish ('speed' in English) and, sure enough, 0-62mph in the VZ takes under 7s en route to 109mph.
All Ravals get brake regen steering wheel paddles, with near 'one-pedal' driving possible on the fiercest setting.
Design and Build
Given that the B-segment for EV superminis is so full of style statements, you might at first wonder if the Raval has quite as much as it needs to stand out. But there's still plenty of streetside presence here, with a prominent 'shark nose' and a sloping roof line borrowed from the originating 2022 Urban Rebel concept car.
The dimensions conform to the segment norm - 4,046mm in length, 1,784mm in width and 1,518mm tall. And there's an interesting use of light and shade across the bold and razor-sharp panelwork creases. The rear features a full-width '3D Infinity' light bar and an illuminated tailgate badge (paired with an illuminated badge at the front with upper-spec versions). And the Raval has the lowest drag coefficient of any CUPRA to date thanks to its active aero front grille, flush-fitting door handles, various vents and aero-optimised wheels. Tri-LED headlamps feature at the front.
Inside (a little frustratingly for what is supposed to be a fresh design), there's a mixture of old and new. CUPRA hopes the new stuff will more easily catch your eye - like the intricate detailing on the dash and the 'dynamic' cabin lighting system that includes clever projector lights on the doors. These combine with the ambient lighting to project light in different patterns and colours on the area around the armrest on the door.
But ground-breaking tech is notable by its absence when it comes to the screen displays. Yes the 10.25-inch instrument layout is the biggest yet seen on a CUPRA, but it's clearly from the VW Group parts bin. And Wolfsburg has denied CUPRA access to its latest infotainment monitor tech (as used on the equivalent ID.Polo); which is why the Raval features the 12.9-inch monitor borrowed from the Born, which has to be paired with the fiddly climate and audio touch-sliders now banished from other areas of VW Group design.
At least (unlike the Born) there are proper physical buttons on the grippy three-spoke steering wheel. And sustainable materials feature heavily around the interior - including on the lovely Cup bucket seats fitted to the top VZ version, which use a lightweight-weave fabric similar to the breathable 'flynit' material used on an up-market pair of trainers.
Rear seat space is impressive given the compact dimensions, particularly in terms of headroom. And legroom isn't too bad, even if you're in a VZ version stuck behind the bulky Cup seats. The packaging benefits of the MEB+ platform mean a decently-sized 430-litre boot (45-litres bigger than the Born despite the Raval being 278mm shorter). This is thanks to a large under-floor compartment similar to the Gigabox in a Ford Puma GEN-E. Specifying the Sennheiser sound system reduces capacity by 21-litres. There's no under-bonnet 'frunk' space.
Market and Model
Pricing here starts from around £24,000, but most Ravals will be sold much closer to the £30,000 price point than that. There are four trim levels, starting with 'Origin' for the small 37kWh battery. The mid-level 'V1' and 'V2' trims most customers will choose are available with a choice of 37kWh (135PS) or 52kWh (210PS) battery options. At the top of the line-up is the top sporty 'VZ' version.
The UK government Electric Car Grant is available at the £1,500 level, but only with the larger 52kWh battery. All 52kWh variants benefit from it, including two special launch derivatives, the 'V2 Launch Edition' and the 'VZ Extreme'. Both come with many options boxes already ticked. Raval 52kWh prices after grant deduction start from around £28,500, with the sporty 'VZ' variants starting from around £33,500 after grant deduction.
Depending on the spec you choose, you'll be able to select from a range of interior upholstery types. Including a vegan leather package and an intricate fabric weave on the sporty Cup bucket seats that are standard in the VZ. CUPRA hopes you'll like the selection of available exterior paint colours too, which include satin shades like the greenish-grey 'manganese' and the tint-shifting 'Plasma Iridescent' that shifts between purple, light blue and a pinkish-red, depending on how the light is hitting it.
Cost of Ownership
Let's start with DC charging speeds. The smallest 37kWh battery can be charged from 10 to 80% in 27 minutes, but can only DC-charge at up to 90kW. The larger 52kWh battery can be DC-charged from 10-80% in 23 minutes and charges at up to 130kW. As you'd expect, these are the same figures as you'd get with the equivalent Volkswagen and Skoda versions of this MEB+ design.
Home AC charging from a single phase 7.4kw wallbox takes around 10 hours with both battery sizes for a full charge. Customers can choose a CUPRA-branded domestic wallbox for home charging, which can be controlled via the company's 'Easy Charging' smartphone app.
The Spanish maker says that its aim is to make sure that the battery pack lasts as long as the car and, sure enough, that battery pack is warrantied to have at least 70% of its usable capacity after eight years or 100,000 miles. CUPRA Care service plans offer up to three years of servicing cover for a monthly cost - or (as we would) you can negotiate this into your upfront price deal. Unlike other VW Group models, this CUPRA offers a five year / 90,000 mile warranty.
Summary
We always wondered what kind of car CUPRA might make were it to design one from scratch. The Raval shows the Spanish brand is well capable of world-class engineering. And it brings a welcome sportier spin to the growing segment for small EVs.
Whether you should choose this rather than the Skoda or two Volkswagen versions of this 'Electric Urban Car Family' MEB+ design is a matter of personal preference. There's certainly a lot of truth in CUPRA's claims of style and sportiness, but much will of course depend on the deal you're offered.
But even if this Raval doesn't end up being the cheapest model on your shopping list in the small car EV segment, you might still end up wanting one. It's a CUPRA with character. And that can only be a good thing.
