The 2025 Cupra Raval is coming – Spain's answer to the Alpine A290 spied
The Renault 5-based Alpine A290 is the hot electric supermini of the moment, but Cupra's about to launch its own take with the Raval
The constraints of EV packaging have made the electric supermini market a small one, but with the new Renault 5, its Alpine A290 relative and the Abarth 500e all now on sale in the UK, things are hotting up. To bring even more competition to the segment, Cupra is set to launch the Raval later this year as its own compact EV, and we’ve already spotted it testing on the road.
Expected to be based on the MEB platform underpinnings of the incoming Volkswagen ID.2, the new model was first previewed in 2021 as the Cupra Urban Rebel concept. While this was an aggressive, aero-clad special, it offered our first look at the Raval’s basic design, with much of the same design language making it through to the Raval concept shown in 2023.
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The original Urban Rebel concept boasted an impressive 429bhp peak output for a rapid 3.2sec 0-62mph time, but a later iteration knocked this power figure down to a more manageable 223bhp, which will be much more representative of the production car we’ll see later this year. This power figure also happens to be near-identical to that of the 217bhp Alpine A290 GTS, putting it quite some way ahead of the 148bhp Renault 5. Whether or not Cupra will offer more than one powertrain is yet to be seen.
Designed to bring a new demographic to the Cupra brand, the Raval has a similar footprint to the Seat Ibiza, making it considerably more compact than the likes of the Cupra Born and its Volkswagen ID.3 counterpart. At the car's announcement in 2023, Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths said: 'The CUPRA Raval is not just another car. It is an invitation to a new generation, which expects something better. An urban, rebellious and 100% electric car, with its own character and linked to 'Gen Z’. Something that’s more emotional.'
These latest spy shots offer our best look yet at the production article as it undergoes cold weather testing in Scandinavia. While it’s disguised in a light coat of camouflage, similarities to the Urban Rebel and later concept are clear to see, with that Born-esque short nose and tail making a return – flush, aero-conscious door handles and a sporty diffuser trim piece at the rear can also be seen, but details such as the lighting units are hard to distinguish.
Set to enter production at Seat’s Martorell plant, the Raval will rival the likes of the Mini Cooper SE, Alpine A290, Renault 5 and new electric Fiat Grande Panda when it enters production later this year. Pricing details are under wraps for now, but with the Renault 5-based Alpine A290 its most fierce competitor, expect Cupra to target its £33,500 starting price.
