What is it?
The Raval is CUPRA’s first small EV, sitting below the Born and aimed at delivering everyday usability, strong efficiency, and the signature Cupra driving feel in a smaller footprint. Parked next to my current Ibiza, it is taller and slightly wider. Overall, it looks slightly bigger, but those upgrading from Ibiza will notice increased interior space and a larger boot. The Plasma Iridescent metallic paint gives the Raval a chameleon-like metallic finish that shifts between deep purple, graphite grey and black depending on the light, giving the Raval an almost holographic presence on the road.
This V2 Launch Edition is the current best trim for specifications as a launch model, with electric seats, dynamic interior lighting, Sennheiser audio, 19” wheels, all bundled at the same price as a V2. This will be replaced by the standard V2 trim, losing the drive pack and matrix LED lights, with different 19” Maverick alloy wheels, but the Vandal alloy wheels will be a £90 option.
Verdict
The CUPRA Raval V2 Launch Edition is one of the most balanced and efficient compact EVs currently entering the UK market. It blends Cupra DNA in a smaller package with an engaging drive and genuinely usable range in 52 kWh guise, a practical cabin and a trim ladder that spans Origin (115 PS), V1, V3 (135 or 210 PS) and VZ and VZ Extreme 226 PS. It is a mini born and sits as the perfect upgrade for those moving from an Ibiza as their first EV or wanting a more hot hatch esque experience. The Raval has slightly heavier steering than the Born with the same planted feel with the ability to change direction and put a big smile of your face on twister roads.
What we liked
- Confident front end which changes direction well
- Cruises well on a motorway
- Taut and controlled damping
- Familiar CUPRA handling and DNA
- Practical size with good interior room and a large boot
What we didn’t like
- 19″ wheels slightly hurt efficiency
- Indicator volume too loud
- Occasional infotainment quirks
Exterior Design
The Raval introduces CUPRA’s latest compact EV design language: sharp triangular lighting, a confident stance and a front end that echoes the Tavascan’s aggressive nose. The proportions are tight and purposeful, with a short overhang and a strong shoulder line.
The pop-out door handles are worth mentioning and can be set so that, as you walk up and away, the car will unlock and lock.
The V2 Launch Edition’s wheel design suits the car well. The 19″ Vandal wheels (235/40 R19) look great but are less cost-effective; the 18″ Defier wheels (215/50 R18) will add ride comfort and slightly improve range.
The rear features CUPRA’s signature full-width light bar, giving the car a more premium presence than its size suggests. The model name is integrated into the side of the rear lights, as on the Born.
The Raval’s rear bumper has a GT car vibe, with a deep, sculpted profile and an integrated diffuser that blends gloss black‑tipped aerodynamic fins with body‑colour sections. It gives the car a purposeful, planted stance, and the design would look even more striking finished in gloss black or a dark metallic grey.
Interior
Inside, the Raval feels quite premium, with soft-touch front door cards and a dash top dominated by a 12.9-inch Android OS touchscreen and a 10.25-inch driver display with multiple views. EV packaging offers more storage space and is more spacious. Rear seat accommodation offers plenty of headroom and decent legroom.
The copper accents and Cupra’s familiar design cues give the cabin a sporty, premium feel, and the material quality is overall better than the original Born and on par with the new Born. On the V2 and above, the new projection ambient lighting with several different animated designs to choose from and a tiny projection camera in the centre dash projects onto the front black PVC door inserts.
The V2 Launch Edition adds:
- electric seats
- dynamic ambient lighting
- Sennheiser audio
- upgraded interior materials
- Drive pack
Performance, Driving & Handling
The Raval isn’t chasing headline performance figures; it’s tuned for balance, predictability and everyday usability. And it nails that brief with a quick turn-in and is genuinely fun to drive on twisty roads, feeling more stable yet just as playful as an Ibiza. Whilst the 210 PS 0-60 of 7.1 is not slow, the throttle is lovely and linear, as is the power delivery. I never detected any torque steer during my drive, even in the wet.
It’s not a full‑blown hot hatch, but it carries unmistakable CUPRA DNA of being agile, playful and genuinely fun, bringing that small, sporty hatchback character to an EV platform. The Raval delivers the kind of poised, confidence-inspiring handling that will earn it serious praise, injecting real driving enjoyment into the EV market in much the same spirit as the Alpine A290.
The Android-based infotainment system is responsive, though occasional quirks appear in certain menus. Nothing major, but worth noting and like the new Born, will improve as updates are applied.
The seating position is excellent, and the bucket seats are firm yet very comfortable, with a premium look and feel. The cabin feels much more spacious than an Ibiza despite the same footprint. You sit higher due to sitting on the battery, but it gives slightly better forward visibility.
Performance
Acceleration is smooth and more than adequate for daily driving, including motorway or quick overtakes. Power delivery is predictable and the car feels composed even at higher motorway speeds. It performs pretty much the same as our Born V1 230 eBoost, just with greater agility.
Real‑World Range & Efficiency
- 4.6 mi/kWh mixed country and urban roads.
- 3.9 mi/kWh motorway
- ~205 miles range mainly on the motorway.
This places the Raval as an efficient EV. As an early build car, I would expect customer cars to have slight improvements with software and firmware refinement to get closer to the WLTP of 270 miles.
Trim Levels
The Raval’s trim ladder starts with Origin with a 37 kWh battery and 115 PS, then a choice of V1 and V2 with 37 or 52 kWh battery, finally the VZ being 52 kWh only.
Origin
- 17″ wheels
- Manual‑fold heated mirrors
- Single‑zone climate
- No Navigation
- Wireless Apple Car Play/Android Auto
- Pulse sport seats (shared with VW ID Polo)
- Rear parking sensors
V1 (adds over Origin)
- 18″ Defier wheels
- Folding mirrors and welcome light
- Dark tinted windows
- Dual‑zone climate
- Navigation and data plan
- Heated steering wheel & seats
- Front and rear sensors with rear camera
- Keyless Entry & Mobile Digital Key
- Wireless mobile charger
V2 (adds over V1)
- 19″ Maverick wheels
- Projection ambient lighting
- Sennheiser premium audio
- Immersive bucket seats with memory
- Mirror memory function
V2 Launch Edition (adds over V2)
- 19″ Vandal copper wheels
- Matrix LED headlights
- Drive Pack
VZ (adds over V2)
- 19″ Rebel wheels
- VZ styling (dark chrome and copper accents)
- Feel bucket seats (vegan leather)
- Dynamic Chassis Control
- Electronic Limited Slip Differential
VZ Extreme (adds over VZ)
- 19″ Rebel Ahead wheels (Sulphur accents)
- Ahead bucket seats (3D knit)
- VZ Extreme styling inside and out, copper replaced with green accents
- Matrix LEDs
- Drive Pack
Conclusion
The CUPRA Raval V2 Launch Edition is a genuinely impressive compact EV. It delivers strong real‑world efficiency, predictable motorway behaviour, and a planted driving feel in a smaller yet practical package that brings a smile to your face on twisty back roads.
The trim ladder makes sense, the Launch Edition spec is excellent, and the car feels like a natural evolution for anyone coming from an Ibiza to their first EV or considering a Born but wanting something more compact and agile.
As a daily EV, the Raval delivers exactly what it promises: practicality, space and CUPRA character. It is one of the best small EVs on the market with genuine grin-inducing handling and with the larger 52 kWh battery pack a decent motorway cruiser.
My first-ever car review. I am more akin to writing geek books on information security and security architecture, so please be gentle, but thanks, Scott, for trusting me!
What are your thoughts on the Raval and Cupra’s first small EV?
