What Do We Really Think of the New CUPRA Raval?

[emarsh7]

Just curious, are you two drivers or one? I just wonder how much a problem having just one physical key is going to be if you are the sole user, at least I can't say I've ever needed two keys with my previous cars but maybe I've missed something?

I bought a second key for my Raval simply because I did not want to be vulnerable to the possible consequences of losing my only key.

 

[emarsh7]

We've had the car for a few days now. I ordered one in preference to an ID.Polo because of the design features, the sportier suspension setup across the range and because of the tech features in the Launch Edition being included in the price.

First impressions were that we loved the car, the styling, especially the new instrument cluster, the handling, it's quiet and relatively comfortable and lower energy consumption than the Born we had previously. Then the software failed us. infotainment screen hung and the lovely instrument cluster just went black. Having had experience with the Born, I just left it overnight and it managed to recover most functions. A quick drive fixed the rest. Par for the VAG course.

What has really, seriously annoyed us is the penny-pinching lack of a second key and the false advertising of the mythical "digital key" nonsense. I was one of the first to pre-order the V2LE and at that time there was no online option to buy a second key. When I finalised the order I asked for a second key to be added, but VAG would not allow the dealer to add it because the original order would have to be cancelled and a new order submitted. At that point I wasn't too concerned because we expected to be able to use the Digital Key, we could always set up the Smart Keycard and we could order a second actual key later. Well, after taking delivery, we discovered that a second key would cost a total of £350.00, we can't use the Digital Key because neither of our Android phones is compatible and we can't set up the Keycard because you have to set up the Digital Key first, which we can't do, so Catch 22 applies.

The car itself is everything we expected and we both really enjoy driving it, but that enjoyment has been seriously dented by the second key/ digital key issues. Nowhere in the advertising blurb does Cupra tell buyers that they'll have to go and buy a £1000.00 phone if they want to use the digital key.

Do you, as dealers, let your customers know about this before they place their order, or at least recommend adding the second key as part of the order?

I totally get it. My dealer sold me a second key with programming for about €230. What they are asking of you sounds like an obscenity. When I got my second key the service manager casually dropped that a lot of people are doing that.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I bought a second key for my Raval simply because I did not want to be vulnerable to the possible consequences of losing my only key.

Are you able to open the door through the Cupra App though? And what about digital key, did it work for you at all or? I was under the impression most phones should be able to use at least NFC if they don't support the more fancy UWB option. My reasoning (don't have the car yet) I'm going to try cope with one key (too late now to get one for a 100€ extra when it's in production rn and don't fancy spending 450€ or whatever it costs as a post-launch order for something I might never end up needing) and would use digital unlock in the unlikely event of losing / breaking the only physical key until a new key has been recieved.

 

[Pmac16]

Well a new observation from myself up in Scotland, last couple of mornings ( leaving before 7) there has been frost on the car. I can obviously preheat which is good, but while driving I turned the heating on, to 19, and the guessometer predicted losing 40 miles of range by turning that on.

25 min journey, mixed roads 70,60,30 mph( I know short and car won't really heat up) got 3 miles p kWh previously getting 4 on milder mornings.

Initial impression is it's not a fan of short cold trips

 

[jezyg]

Well a new observation from myself up in Scotland, last couple of mornings ( leaving before 7) there has been frost on the car. I can obviously preheat which is good, but while driving I turned the heating on, to 19, and the guessometer predicted losing 40 miles of range by turning that on.

25 min journey, mixed roads 70,60,30 mph( I know short and car won't really heat up) got 3 miles p kWh previously getting 4 on milder mornings.

Initial impression is it's not a fan of short cold trips

I have noticed the same it uses quite a bit of power for battery conditioning as it will drop to about 2.3 kWh then steadily rise to 4+ kWh, almost like an ICE car that gets better after warm up and a longer run.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Wonder how heat pump will affect things. Being from colder climate (Finland) I decided to get the optional heat pump. I will likely schedule cabin heating automatically in the mornings, for 5 min or whatever is necessary.

 

[emarsh7]

Are you able to open the door through the Cupra App though? And what about digital key, did it work for you at all or? I was under the impression most phones should be able to use at least NFC if they don't support the more fancy UWB option. My reasoning (don't have the car yet) I'm going to try cope with one key (too late now to get one for a 100€ extra when it's in production rn and don't fancy spending 450€ or whatever it costs as a post-launch order for something I might never end up needing) and would use digital unlock in the unlikely event of losing / breaking the only physical key until a new key has been recieved.

I can open the car but the digital key doesn't work with my phone. I like my phone and don't think it's reasonable to find out that I am expected to buy something different after I paid for the car.

I have never lost a car key but if one is doing a risk analysis it falls into the low probability high consequences category.

 

[alanjs]

I totally get it. My dealer sold me a second key with programming for about €230. What they are asking of you sounds like an obscenity. When I got my second key the service manager casually dropped that a lot of people are doing that.

Well, we have Value Added Tax on top of the base price which comes in at about £260.00. Then an additional £90.00 to code the key to the car. Has your dealer quoted for that? Sure, I absolutely would have opted to pay for a second key at £90.00 at pre-order time, but it wasn't an option then. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[emarsh7]

Well, we have Value Added Tax on top of the base price which comes in at about £260.00. Then an additional £90.00 to code the key to the car. Has your dealer quoted for that? Sure, I absolutely would have opted to pay for a second key at £90.00 at pre-order time, but it wasn't an option then. Oh well, live and learn.

I was charged €135 for the fob, €50 for the programming and 21% VAT.

The learn part of live and learn I would probably get from what they charged you is to do business with another company in the future.

 

[alanjs]

I was charged €135 for the fob, €50 for the programming and 21% VAT.

Interesting. It comes as no surprise that we are overcharged in the UK.

The learn part of live and learn I would probably get from what they charged you is to do business with another company in the future.

Yup. Oddly, I believe that the ID.Polo comes with two keys so it looks like a Cupra initiative. It'll make for a more considered choice next time round.

 

[emarsh7]

Interesting. It comes as no surprise that we are overcharged in the UK.

Yup. Oddly, I believe that the ID.Polo comes with two keys so it looks like a Cupra initiative. It'll make for a more considered choice next time round.

Well, there was no real way to know. It sucks though.

 

[alanjs]

Well, there was no real way to know. It sucks though.

On the plus side, I must have been one of the first 100 people to order the Raval because they've just sent me a very fancy Harper Collective wheelie suitcase.
Swings and roundabouts I guess, although I'd rather have the second key!