More Info Arrives On 223bhp Cupra Raval Ahead Of 2026 Launch

2026 is set to be a big year for small EVs from the Volkswagen Group, and the one that’s caught our attention more than any other is the Cupra Raval. Twinned with the enormously important VW ID Polo, it’ll be the smallest, most affordable car yet from the sporty offshoot of Seat.

First previewed with 2021’s UrbanRebel concept, it thankfully gained its current, much less cringeworthy name in 2023, and we first saw a disguised near-production car at the Munich Motor Show earlier this year.

While Cupra’s still not quite ready to show us the undisguised car, it has provided details of the Raval’s range at launch, topped off by the hot VZ Extreme. Sharing its whooshy bits with the ID Polo GTI, we found out in Munich it’ll be getting a 223bhp front motor, bucket seats and an electronic front diff lock for extra front-end pointiness.

We also now know it’ll be treated to a sports version of the VW Group’s excellent DCC adaptive damping system, a five per cent stiffer suspension setup and a 10mm wider track than standard, and beefy 19-inch wheels shod in 235mm front tyres. It’ll have a different steering knuckle compared with the standard car, too.

In this guise, the Raval will produce 214lb ft of torque, and hit an estimated 109mph top speed. Range, meanwhile, is estimated at around 249 miles.

The lower-rung models that sit below it – at launch, the Dynamic and Dynamic Plus trims – still sound like they’ll be fairly spritely. They’ll make do without the VZ’s e-diff and more aggressive suspension setup, but they’ll still get a healthy 208bhp and a less sporty version of the DCC system. They should feel different to the ID Polo, too, thanks to Cupra-specific suspension and steering setups that see them sit 15mm lower than the VW. They’ll also beat out the VZ on range, offering up an estimated 280 miles.

It’s all sounding quite promising, then, and even more promising is that Cupra says that when the Raval goes on sale in Europe next year, it’ll cost from €26,000 – around £22,750. If the prices stay that low in the UK – especially if it qualifies for the EV grant – it’ll put the Raval within punching distance of the Renault 5, while offering up a healthy dose of extra performance. Is it time for the reigning champion of EV superminis to start worrying?