Compact CUPRA is coming: this is the Raval

CUPRA Raval

On the IAA trade show floor this year, the Volkswagen Group is packing quite a punch. Models such as the Skoda Epiq, Volkswagen ID. Polo and ID. Cross are in the spotlight for the first time at the German auto fair. CUPRA is shoving the Raval next to them – the sportier of the bunch. Where its name comes from? That one is a reference to Barcelona, the city CUPRA considers home. El Raval is a bustling neighborhood there, and the brand wants to capture that feeling in this model.

Compact but not small

At just over four meters long, it is one size smaller than the Born, and the Raval falls neatly into the compact segment. But it is more than a city car; count on a range of 400 kilometers. The technical basis is the Volkswagen Group’s MEB+ platform. The electric motor is at the front and drives the front wheels.

Performance

The Raval gets a sporty suspension that is 15 millimeters lower than other models on this platform. It also gets extra sharp steering and ESC with a sport mode. This should make the car noticeably more agile than other MEB+ models. The top version, the CUPRA Raval VZ, goes the extra mile: 166 kW (226 hp), bucket seats, adjustable damping, 235 millimeters wide tires and an electronic limited slip differential (VAQ).

Symbolic launch

In 2026, CUPRA will celebrate its eighth anniversary and launch the Raval as its eighth model. Production will start in Martorell, near Barcelona, where soon the Volkswagen Group’s other compact EVs will also roll off the assembly line.

Also read: Volkswagen ID. CROSS – Everything you need to know