Cupra Raval: Urban City Car Unveiled with Prices and Specs

As reported back in February, this year will see a flurry of small electric cars entering the market and the Cupra Raval is a first for the Spanish brand.

Cupra claims its their most striking and rebellious car yet and has released some dimly lit pictures to show off it’s striking design with maximum mood effect - and it certainly does come across as extremely un-boring. In fact, it looks really appealing.

Signature details are found with Matrix LED headlights and hidden flush illuminated door handles with the illuminated Cupra logo at the front and rear. These are nice touches to have and it will help make the small hatchback stand out further against it’s competition and a growing crowd.

At 4,046 mm in length and a 2,600 mm wheelbase with a 430 litre boot, it will rival petrol cars such as the new Renault Clio for space, technology, design appeal and an engaging drive.

Customers can choose from up to eight designs: one 17”, two 18” and up to five 19” wheel options, plus seven exterior colours, including exclusive matte and iridescent options.
Further customisation extends to the roof, with a choice of Manhattan Grey or Midnight Black, creating a striking bi-colour effect on selected exterior finishes.

Entry Trim
Based on Volkswagen’s latest MEB+ front-wheel drive platform, the specs are pretty decent, too. With a starting price of £23,785 in Origin trim, this base model receives a 37 kWh battery pack and an electric motor delivering 115 PS. Cupra claims this battery pack is good for 186 miles of combined driving range from a full charge.

V1 and V2 Trims
Both mid-level trims are available with the 37 kWh battery and a 135 PS motor, or a 52 kWh battery with a beafy 210 PS motor. The latter battery pack provides for a very decent 280 miles of estimated range, which is nearly 30 miles more than the retro-inspired Renault 5 with the same size pack.
And this 52 kWh battery pack can be rapid charged from 10% - 80% in just 23 minutes, which is very competitive.

VZ Trim
The top spec Cupra Raval VZ gets a little more power with 252 PS and 290 Nm of torque, but range is compromised with this warm-hatch version being able to travel 250 miles on a charge, 30 miles less than the mid-spec Raval’s on the larger battery option.
However, to make up for this, Cupra has made the VZ more fun to drive with an electronic limited slip differential and Dynamic Chassis Control with sports suspension and E-Launch. It also has a vegan leather interior and CUP Bucket Seats, plus larger 19-inch alloys.
Cupra claims the VZ will sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in under 7 seconds, which should provide for an entertaining experience, but test drives will determine whether this is a hoot to drive, like Cupra states.

Inside

Inside, the driver receives a 10.25-inch digital cockpit dashboard and an Android-powered, 12.9-inch, central infotainment operating system.

As with Volkswagen Group’s new directive, there are physical buttons mounted on the steering wheel, plus physical buttons for driving modes elsewhere.
Behind the steering wheel are some flappy paddles to adjust the regenerative braking which can also accomodate for one-pedal driving.

Marcus Gossen, managing director of SEAT and CUPRA UK, said: “Raval is the pinnacle of all things CUPRA – advanced, forward thinking, dynamic. It pushes the boundaries in automotive and encourgages drivers to form a real emotional connection to the drive itself. The combination of striking design, electrifying performance and unconventional features, reimagines what an urban EV can be for a new generation of drivers. This is a fully electric car designed to redefine urban mobility with CUPRA’s emotional and challenger DNA.”

Charging Technology
All versions have an onboard 11 kW AC charger with the smaller battery able to DC charge from 10% - 80% in 27 minutes at 90 kW max.

The 52 kWh battery has a 130 KW DC charger for a 23 minutes rapid charge.

But, one trick up Cupra’s wheel arch is the Raval features Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), allowing customers to power external devices like laptops or e-bikes directly from the cars charge port. Expect the adapter to be a cost option, though.

This will be managed via the MyCUPRA App on your smartphone or via the Raval’s infotainment system.

The infotainment system has integrated smart features such as the e-Route Planner and Plug & Charge functionality for public charging without the need for physical cards or apps.

Arriving in the U.K. in the summer, prices for all versions will be released nearer the time as Cupra submits it’s application for the Electric Car Grant.

———

About the Author

Graeme Cobb is a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for writing about cars, EVs, industry updates and more.

You can find Graeme on 𝕏 at @graeme_cobb or YouTube @REV-EV.