Cupra Tavascan launch brought forward to December

This relatively unknown carmaker has struggled to gain a foothold in the local market but a raft of new models could change all that.

Cupra has moved forward the introduction of its all-electric Tavascan by several months as it prepares to unleash a barrage of updated and all-new models next year.

First examples of the Chinese-made, Spanish-designed Tavascan mid-sized SUV will now arrive in December as the fledgling brand looks to muscle in on the market dominated by Tesla.

The sleek five-seater is tackling the sweet spot of the electric car market, with the Tesla Model Y the single biggest target.

Cupra admits the Model Y is one of the Tavascan’s rivals but says the “emotional and expressive” nature of the coupe-inspired SUV has it looking further afield.

“We’ve got a really exciting new offer in the Tavascan,” says Ben Wilks, director of Cupra Australia.

The Tavascan will be available in single a dual-motor versions. Picture: Supplied.

The Tavascan shares its electrical underpinnings with vehicles from parent company Volkswagen and will offered as an entry-level single motor Endurance and pricier dual-motor VZ.

Prices are yet to be finalised but the company is hinting it will kick off at about $70,000, making it more expensive than the entry-level Model Y.

It’s also likely to cost more than the soon-to-arrive Kia EV5, which is expected to be priced from about $60,000.

The Tavascan Endurance is powered by a 210kW engine driving the rear wheels and is claimed to travel 534km between charges.

The VZ gets two motors to make 250kW and range drops to 499km.

Electrified models make up more than half Cupra’s local sales. Picture: Supplied.

Cupra sees the Tavascan as one of the key new arrivals as the brand looks to reverse a recent sales slide.

For the first six months of this year Cupra sales dropped by 27.5 per cent. The all-electric Born was the only model to grow sales.

More than half the brand’s sales are electrified models – either battery electric or plug-in hybrid.

Cupra’s single top-selling model is the plug-in hybrid version of the Formentor, with 313 so far in 2024, accounting for 52 per cent of overall Formentor sales.

The Born EV is the second-best seller, with 259 sales.

The brand will take on some luxury brands with its latest offerings. Picture: Supplied.

Wilks says the Tavascan will join the Formentor and soon-to-arrive Terramar – set to become the largest car in the showroom – as sales pillars of the Cupra brand.

Next year, the brand will launch a sportier VZ version of the Born and update the Formentor and Leon. A wagon version of the Leon is also due.

Later in the year the brand will bring out the all-new Terramar, a larger five-seat SUV powered by hybrid engines, including a plug-in hybrid with about 100km of electric range.

However, despite the model onslaught the brand is walking back from predictions it will sell 7000 cars in Australia in 2025.

Australian sales haven’t lived up to the brand’s expectations. Picture: Supplied.

“We might adjust it,” says Sven Schuwirth, Cupra executive vice president sales, marketing and aftersales.

“We need to remain flexible. It’s a core recipe of the success of Cupra.”

Cupra could also come under increasing pressure from a raft of new brands, mostly from China. They include Zeekr, Xpeng, Lynk & Co, Geely, Leapmotor and the return of Smart.

Originally published as Cupra Tavascan launch brought forward to December