New Cupra Raval 2026 review: a true pocket rocket for the EV era

Verdict

The Cupra Raval is a proper little pocket rocket, and signals an exciting new era of brilliant baby EVs from the Volkswagen Group. The sporty styling disguises a small car that is efficient, practical and genuinely fun to drive. The only thing preventing it earning a full five-star verdict is the fact we’ve not yet driven the base car, or a cheaper trim with the long-range battery. At less than £30,000, that could be the sweet spot in the Raval range. 

Cupra’s rise as the Volkswagen Group’s youngest brand has been well documented. Year to date, Cupra is outselling its SEAT sibling three to one – and with a fresh line-up of petrol, plug-in and fully electric cars almost complete, the firm’s trajectory shows no sign of slowing. 

If anything, its march on the new-car market could even accelerate this year with the introduction of its most affordable model yet. The Raval is a five-door electric supermini aimed squarely at the Renault 5, plus a host of rivals including the Kia EV2, Skoda Epiq, Nissan Micra and VW’s own ID. Polo, when it lands in the UK this summer. 

Don’t be put off by the price, either. As is often the case, our first drive of the baby Cupra comes courtesy of the flagship VZ variant – complete with its bigger 52kWh battery and higher-power motor. More affordable versions will make up the bulk of sales; base models start from £23,785, and Cupra is hoping the car will soon qualify for the government’s £1,500 plug-in car grant.

Used - available now

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For that, you get a 37kWh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery with around 186 miles of range, plus a 114bhp front-mounted motor. Standard kit includes 17-inch wheels, full-LED lights and 3D rear lights, twin screens and single-zone climate control.

Above this sit the V1 (£26,995) and V2 (£29,580), both of which come with a slightly punchier 133bhp motor, plus the option of the larger Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) battery for £3k more. These versions can officially hit up to 279 miles depending on specification. 

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V1 brings 18-inch wheels, while V2 gets 19s; both feature tinted glass, twin-zone climate and heated seats, plus a rear-view camera. V2 gets electric bucket seats and a Sennheiser sound system, among other tricks and treats; the walk-up between the two trims is just over £2,500.

Which leads us to the car we’re driving here. The VZ might look expensive on paper, but with matrix-LED lights, vegan leather, dynamic chassis control and an electronic limited-slip differential – plus the bigger battery and 223bhp on tap – it has the potential to fit the bill as a bonafide electric hot hatch. Especially if Cupra’s managed to sprinkle some of its sporting DNA on this new MEB+ architecture.

Proportionally, it’s just right. Squat enough to look sporty, but with sufficient length in the wheelbase to cater for those forced to sit in the back – something we’ll touch on in a moment. In true Cupra fashion, there are plenty of styling flourishes and copper details, and even the option of satin paint. At first glance, it’s clear the VW Group’s newest brand is unashamedly targeting younger buyers with its new electric supermini.

The inside feels even more familiar than the outside, with a minimalist layout centred around a large 12.9-inch touchscreen with illuminated sliders for the stereo volume and temperature control. It’s a big improvement on VW Group’s Covid-era screens, working well with an intuitive menu layout and all the necessary functionality. Of course, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included if, like most twenty- or thirty-somethings this car is aimed at, you prefer to link your phone for mapping and media.

Directly in front of the driver sits a racy steering wheel with a prominent copper Cupra logo emblazoned on it, plus quick-access buttons for the myriad drive modes. Through this, you view a set of sharp 10.25-inch digital dials, the contents of which can be easily altered to switch between trip info and other data. Despite the sheer number of (physical) buttons it’s another easy-to-understand layout, complimented by the column mounted gear-shifter straight from the larger Cupra Born.

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The cabin won’t be to all tastes; there’s an awful lot going on, and the contrasting colours, textures and finishes don’t universally compliment each other. But at least it’s distinctive, and quality on the whole is very good. The tall centre console helps the sense of solidity and adds to the driver-focused feel.

Make no mistake, the Cupra Raval – in VZ spec, at least – is a proper little pocket rocket. Acceleration is strong, and torque instant, rushing the car forward at the flick of your right foot. The VZ even comes with a launch control function that pulses vibrations through your seat; not something you’ll use on a regular basis, but a party trick all the same.

The steering is accurate and well weighted, but it’s the way the Raval turns in that impresses most. Almost regardless of speed, you just pivot the wheel and the car reacts; seemingly relentless grip carries you through the bends and slingshots you out the other side. This, matched to unflappable body control, comfortably gifts the Raval the title of the best-handling small car on sale.

Yet none of this comes at the expense of comfort or ride quality – although admittedly our car had that aforementioned dynamic chassis control, adjustable through 15 stages. Sure, it’s maybe a little bouncy in town, but that’s more a victim of the relatively short wheelbase than anything else. At speed, it flows well, with a compliance to the ride that ensures longer journeys are no hassle.

Indeed, during our time with the Raval VZ, we averaged almost four miles per kWh – equivalent to over 200 miles of real-world range. We weren’t hanging about either; we reckon you’d come close to Cupra’s quoted maximum range in normal driving, without much effort at all.

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When the time comes to topping up, while it might be straightforward, it isn’t quick. Base cars manage a peak speed of just 50kW – the same as the original BMW i3, which launched well over a decade ago. Mid-range models up this to 88kW, which might not sound like much, but given the size of the battery, is sufficient for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 23 minutes. The 52kWh cars boost that figure again to 105kW – about par for the course alongside rivals like the R5 and MINI Cooper – but the larger capacity means it takes slightly longer (24 minutes) to hit 80 per cent.

Despite being Cupra’s smallest car and the entry point to the Volkswagen Group’s electric-car range (for now), the new EV-dedicated architecture provides a decent amount of space inside. Even sat behind the Raval VZ’s chunky bucket seats there’s enough room for taller adults, and while you probably wouldn’t want to squeeze three across the back for long periods, the flat floor makes it easier than in most ICE superminis. 

Move around to the boot and that sense of space continues; by placing the motor on the front axle, Cupra has managed to offer more cargo space than you’ll find in the larger Born. Most of the time you’ll leave the floor in its standard position – offering a flat load area and enough room for soft bags or the weekly shop – but remove it and you’re granted access to a whopping 441-litre boot. It’s a deep space, so you’ll need to lift things over the load lip, but it makes you question the need for the various C-segment hatchbacks claiming to offer greater versatility.

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