Cupra Raval up close: the design, the screens and range calculated for your route
A first look at the new Cupra Raval, the 4.05 m MEB+ electric car: a distinctive design, 10.25 and 12.9 inch screens, a very detailed charging menu, V2L, a tow bar and a 441-litre boot.
The day before his three-day test of the Cupra Raval, Andrei from the "Mașina Timpului" channel stopped by the showroom to get to know the car. He got the key, opened every door and worked through the menus at his own pace. The result is the video below: a first look at what you get in an electric car that is roughly 4 metres long, built on the new MEB+ platform with a front motor and front-wheel drive.
A design that stands out
The first thing Andrei liked is that the Raval looks different. Every car has headlights and tail lights, but here they come in shapes that catch the eye; in his words, it is the kind of car that makes an impression in your rear-view mirror. According to the "CUPRA" technical data, the car is 4,046 mm long and 1,784 mm wide, with a 2,599 mm wheelbase. The car in the video ran 215/50 R18 tyres, one of three sizes on offer (17, 18 and 19 inch). The door handles are retractable but can also be pulled by hand in an emergency, and the doors unlock as you walk up with the key in your pocket.
A clean cabin with buttons where they matter
In the back the floor is flat and legroom is generous: at 1.80 m, with the front seat set for himself, Andrei sat comfortably behind. The rear bench has ISOFIX points. The dashboard is not crowded with buttons, yet the steering wheel keeps physical controls and there are keys for volume and temperature under the screen. "CUPRA" lists a 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit and a 12.9-inch centre display, and the way the screen is built into the dashboard is one of the neatest Andrei has seen. Materials are soft where your hands go most and nicely textured plastic elsewhere, and the windows have one-touch operation.
The steering wheel has two buttons for driving profiles: one for Drive (Comfort, Performance, Cupra) and a dedicated Cupra/Range button. The displayed range shifts slightly between modes, from 212 to 217 km at around half charge. Andrei also found a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, two-zone climate control with Sync, a Smart menu with programmes such as quick heating or fresh air, and stationary climate control, handy for anyone who wants to sleep in the car.
The charging menu is the highlight
This is where the Raval won Andrei over. Besides the charge limit, with a recommendation to stay at 80% for daily use, there is a Battery Care Mode that returns to the recommended limit by itself after a full charge. The most useful screen shows the fast-charging power available right now: at 53% charge, the car said it could take 71 kW and needed 16 minutes of preconditioning to reach its optimal 94 kW. Andrei would love the same feature on his Tesla. Officially, the battery holds 52 kWh net and a DC charge from 10% to 80% takes 24 minutes at up to 105 kW. The menu also confirmed Vehicle to Load (V2L), which the "CUPRA" catalogue lists as well.
Range calculated for your route
Andrei's favourite feature: the range is recalculated for the route you choose. At 52% charge, the dashboard showed about 218 km. With a destination set towards Câmpina, taking wind, traffic and traffic lights into account, the estimate dropped to 156 km and the navigation planned the charging stops by itself. On an easier route, towards Pașcani, the estimate rose to 202 km. The technical data lists 413 to 446 km WLTP for the Endurance.
Boot, tow bar and price
The boot holds 441 litres and has an adjustable double floor, with the tyre compressor underneath. With the rear bench folded and the floor in its upper position, the load area is flat enough for a mattress. The car on display also had a tow bar; officially, the Raval can tow up to 1,200 kg braked. On price, Andrei estimated about 29,000 euros to start in the video. According to "Economica.net", the Romanian price list starts at 25,985 euros for the Raval and 29,167 euros for the Raval Plus, while the Endurance starts at 35,252 euros.
What it means for drivers
- Route-based range tells you realistically how far you will get, not just a generic number, so planning charging stops gets easier.
- The live fast-charging power screen helps you decide whether it is worth preconditioning the battery before you reach the charger.
- V2L and a tow bar make a 4-metre city car useful for weekends, camping or a light trailer too.
- Configure with care: Andrei's advice is to start from the base version and add only the options you really need.
