Cupra Raval Review & Prices

The Cupra Raval is the Spanish brand’s latest small hatchback. It’s a little electric head-turner with a surprisingly spacious cabin, big boot and seriously good driving manners in high-spec models, but it’s a bit uncomfortable around town and top-spec models are rather pricey.

Like a shot of espresso compared to a big, syrupy latte concoction, the agile Raval feels like a little pick-me-up compared to some of the more sedate alternatives on sale. Not only could you consider it against the likes of the Renault 5, Nissan Micra and Mini Cooper Electric, but the larger Renault 4 and MG4 EV. The forthcoming Volkswagen ID Polo and Skoda Epiq are identical to the Raval under the skin and will be interesting alternatives too.

Yet for all of their retro or futuristic looks, only the Renault 5 and Micra are quite as handsome as the Cupra. The overly-aggressive headlights, big grilles, dramatic creases and shallow windowline are all outrageous - in a good way - almost making the little Raval a caricature of itself. It’s fantastic, especially in pearlescent purple or matte green paint.

Cupra Raval: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 186 - 275 miles
Efficiency: 4.5 - 4.6kWh
Battery size: 32kWh, 52kWh
Max charge speed: 50kW - 105kW
Charge time AC:
Charge time DC: 23mins (10-80%, 88kW), 24mins (10-80%, 105kW), 33mins (10-80%, 50kW)
Charge port location: Left-side, front
Power outputs: 113hp, 222hp

The cabin is just as striking, with a multitude of materials, ambient lighting solutions and funky details vying for your attention. It’s a bit much in places (the scale-like lower dashboard and smooth dash-top are broken-up by a 3D-printed mesh trim), but generally speaking it’s fun and vibrant, which suits the zany exterior styling.

You get a 10.3-inch driver display and 12.9-inch infotainment screen as standard in the Raval Origin. The main display is angled towards the driver, while the pleasant thin-rimmed steering wheel and sport comfort seats are comfortable to use. The top-spec VZ Extreme comes with excellent, body-hugging bucket seats in wild green, purple and grey fabric.

There’s plenty of room and adjustability up front, though it would be nice to sit a little lower in a sporty hatchback, while rear-seat space is impressive. Two six-foot adults can sit behind one another with ease, though three abreast is a squeeze. The 441-litre boot is hugely impressive, with under-floor storage and shopping hooks at both sides.

A 37kWh battery comes as standard on the Origin, V1 and V2 models while the larger 52kWh battery is optional. Sporty VZ and VZ Extreme models can only be had with the big battery and a more powerful motor. Range varies between 186 miles and 275 miles.

We only had the chance to test the top-dog VZ Extreme model on our test route in Spain, but in no uncertain terms the Raval is a fantastic car to drive. Around town the quick steering, small turning circle and solid forward visibility help progress, though it does jiggle and bounce you over rough roads.

On the motorway there was almost no tyre roar from the large 19-inch alloys, even if there was some wind noise around the side pillars. Where the Cupra impresses the most is on a twisty road, because in VZ trim it feels like a proper little hot hatch with lots of grip and little body lean. It's seriously good fun.

Verdict

The Cupra Raval is a brilliant small car. It’s just as much fun on a good road as a hot hatch with almost as much interior space and practicality as a larger, more expensive car. The Renault 5 and Nissan Micra may be brilliant, but the Raval is even more practical for everyday life and more fun to drive.

Have a look at the latest Cupra Raval deals to nab one of these brilliant cars, or Raval leasing offers instead. There are other new Cupras to consider, as well as used Cupras through our trusted dealer network. Carwow can help you sell your current car when the time comes, too.

Starting at just under £24,000, the Cupra Raval is a bit more expensive than the Renault 5 and Nissan Micra as standard. Considering how much more interior space you get and how much standard kit comes on the Raval, it’s actually good value for money.

The entry-level Raval Origin comes with a 32kWh battery for up to 186 miles of range, 17-inch alloys, LED lights with high-beam assist, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, ambient interior lighting and adaptive cruise control.

V1 cars get 18-inch wheels, tinted rear glass, heated steering wheel and front seats, front-and-rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and keyless entry-and-go. You can also choose the larger 52kWh battery.

V2 gets 19-inch wheels and sportier seats with copper trim accents, electric front seats and a Sennheiser sound system. VZ cars are the hot versions with a more powerful electric motor, bucket seats up front, adaptive sports suspension and an electronic limited-slip differential.

The Raval is quiet, easy to drive and fun on a twisty road, though it could be more comfortable

In town

Naturally a small hatchback is designed with the city in mind, and the Cupra Raval feels at home in urban environments. The tight, 10.6-metre turning circle and peppy acceleration help you dart in and out of tight streets, while standard-fit rear parking sensors (and the optional rear-view camera on the car we tested) make parking a breeze. This is handy given the mediocre rear visibility.

It could be more comfortable, though, as the Raval’s firm suspension does leave you a touch shaken about over rough roads, thudding through the worst potholes.

On the motorway

Even with its sporty suspension and on the 19-inch wheels there’s remarkably little tyre roar in the Raval. Wind noise is more prevalent, especially around the side pillars, but not annoyingly loud.

Getting up to speed is a piece of cake in the more powerful VZ version, but no matter the model, the thick rear pillars get in the way when looking over your shoulder. Lane changes can take a second glance as a result.

On a twisty road

Cupra is a sporty brand, and the Raval lives up to that expectation when you point it down a twisty, winding road. The VZ model in particular is a riot to drive on a country lane, with adaptive suspension and an electronic limited-slip differential which helps you turn into bends with confidence.

Chuck it into Performance or Cupra mode and the Raval is a blast. The sharp, agile steering, buckets of grip and nippy motor make the Raval VZ drive like a proper hot hatch, though we’ll confirm whether the lower trim levels are as good to drive once they reach the UK.

Loads of space for four and a big boot, but fitting five is a squeeze

It may be a small car, but the Raval doesn’t feel it from behind the wheel. The seats are highly adjustable (though more thigh support would be nice), as is the steering wheel, and the visually low roofline somehow masks the fact that there’s lots of head space up front.

The only giveaway that you’re in a small hatchback is your proximity to your passenger, because the cabin is a touch narrow. That said you’re not short on storage with very large door bins, cupholders, a phone pad and stand, hidden cubby beneath the armrest and a fairly small glovebox.

A great addition is the ISOFIX point in the front passenger seat, which is useful for adults travelling with three small children, or a parent on a solo drive with an infant.

Space in the back seats

Tall passengers rejoice, you’ll easily fit four six-foot adults in the Raval, with plenty of legroom and headroom on offer in the back. The bench is comfortable, but fitting three adults in the rear seat is cosy at best. There’s no flip-down cupholder in the back rest, nor are there storage pockets on the ‘Cup’ bucket seats in the VZ model. The door bins aren’t huge, but they’ll take a water bottle and some small odds and ends.

You’ll find ISOFIX points in the outermost seats behind zip-up slots, which are less fiddly than removable plastic covers or flip-down padding.

Boot space

Cupra has seemingly used the Tardis technique with the Raval, because it offers a mighty 441 litres of boot space. There is a sizeable lip to contend with when loading in heavy items, but that’s a worthy trade-off for all of the space, with a two-height floor and hidden storage, plus two bag hooks for shopping.

This is a huge chunk larger than the Renault 5 (326 litres) or Renault 4 (420 litres), but the Ford Puma Gen-E leads the pack with 523 litres of space. Leaving the boot floor in the higher position makes for a flat loading space in the Raval.

A bang-up to date driver display is at odds with fiddly climate controls

It’s not just the Cupra’s exterior that’s been hit with the wacky stick, because the Raval has a few choice touches inside which add a funky edge to its cabin. The dashboard and door cards are made from high quality plastic, the leading edges of which feature scale-like indentations.

V1 and V1 models have the Cupra-typical copper accents across the dashboard, seats and centre console, while VZ Extreme models get a 3D-printed trim across the dashboard in an iridescent green/purple finish.

It’s fun to look at but a little busy when paired with the rest of the green and purple trims, as well as the projected light patterns on the door cards and the ambient lighting on the dashboard. The top-spec bucket seats in green and purple look brilliantly boy-racer, but there’s an air of the Green Goblin about the colour combo.

The 12.9-inch infotainment system sits on the dashboard, canted towards the driver, which feels sporty. It’s very quick to respond to your inputs with a handy swipe-down shortcut menu, so you can easily set buttons to turn off the driver assistance systems - should you wish.

Cupra has opted for physical controls on the steering wheel, including two chunky drive mode buttons, which are great. You’ll have to make-do with touch-sensitive climate control sliders, though, which are a little annoying on the move.

Cupra claims a combined efficiency of 4.6mi/kWh in the entry-level Ravals and 4.5mi/kWh in the VZ. On our twisty, high-speed and mountainous test route - as well as some motorway mileage - we achieved 3.4mi/kWh, for 177 miles of range.

That’s about 76% of the claimed figure, so we reckon the Raval will easily manage the official numbers in sensible, city driving conditions.

The Origin version only comes with the small 32kWh battery, with a range of up to 186 miles from a full charge. The V1 and V2 can be had with the small unit or a larger 52kWh option, which extends range to 275 miles. The high-performance VZ is exclusively powered by the larger battery, while the more powerful motor and larger wheels drop range down a touch to 236 miles.

A Nissan Micra can travel between 196 - 257 miles between the smaller and large battery variants, while a Citroen e-C3 can only manage 199 with its sole power option. A Ford Puma Gen-E offers 233 miles on a charge, so the Raval book-ends the lot of them with its battery options.

The entry-level Origin can only charge at 50kW on a DC plug meaning a 10-80% top-up in 33 minutes. V1 and V2 Ravals equipped with the smaller battery can charge at a DC rate of 88kW, achieving the same amount of charge in just 23 minutes. The larger capacity model can charge at 105kW for a 24 minute 10-80% figure.

Every Raval comes in at under £50k, so it avoids the luxury EV supplement while also sitting in the lowest band of first-year road tax. Company car users will only have to pay the lowest Benefit-in-Kind rate, too.

The Cupra Raval has yet to be tested by crash safety experts Euro NCAP, as do the mechanically-similar Volkswagen ID Polo and Skoda Epiq. Every Cupra tested since 2020 has achieved a five-star rating, however, so we’re confident that the little Raval will achieve a good score.

Three ISOFIX points are a great addition for such a small car, on par with the Renault 5 and Nissan Micra, while a slew of standard-fit safety features such as automatic emergency braking, fatigue monitoring and lane-keep assist add peace of mind.

The Cupra Raval comes with a five-year, 90,000-mile warranty which ought to give you some peace of mind. A poor result in the 2025 Driver Power owner survey, however, will not - Cupra came 28th out of 31 brands for owner satisfaction. Ouch.