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New models - Cupra - TavascanSharp cash, lease deals for Cupra TavascanIn-house novated lease lets salary-sacrificers run a Tavascan while avoiding FBT 24 Mar 2025 By TOM BAKER CUPRA might pitch itself “between the mainstream and the prestige segment” – in the words of Australian brand director Ben Wilks – but retail pricing of the brand’s “right-sized” all-electric medium SUV has landed closer to the former than the latter.
Priced from $60,990 (before on-road costs), the rear-wheel drive Tavascan Endurance shares its 210kW/545Nm driveline with the wagon-bodied Volkswagen ID.4 Pro ($59,990 + ORC) and Skoda Enyaq Coupe Sportline ($69,990 + ORC).
In Endurance trim, the Tavascan also lands slightly north of the refreshed Tesla Model Y Rear Wheel Drive ($58,900 + ORC).
While the Australian arm of the Volkswagen Group’s sporty Spanish marque fought to secure the final price, as well as reasonable supply from the Anhui, China factory, the launch of the electric crossover coincides with an additional focus on winning novated lease business from eligible salary-sacrifice buyers.
Local Cupra executives have kept a close eye on the developing price war in Australia’s electric battery electric SUV segment and acknowledge the Barcelona-based brand is not immune from its effects.
Mr Wilks told GoAuto that the marque “(has) to respond to the market we are in – it is important that we make an offer that is as strong as possible in terms of (price).”
Cash buyers are a relatively small part of the current Australian buyer set for battery electric vehicles (BEV) priced beneath the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold.
In mid-2024, more than half of corporate fleet manager FleetPartners’ new BEV lease writings were novated. Cupra will now be capable of directly marketing novated leases for Australian buyers through its in-house financial services arm.
A prime driver continues to be the Commonwealth government’s waiver of Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) for fully-electric vehicles purchased under a novated lease for employee use. The scheme commenced 1 July 2022, with a similar waiver for plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles set to close to new buyers on 31 March 2025.
“Comparing it to a combustion vehicle of the same price (on a novated lease), when you look at what you can potentially save from a FBT standpoint, a Tavascan VZ at $79,990 drive-away over five years can make a difference of $26,000 to the customer,” said Cupra Australia head of product and marketing Jeff Shafer.
Australian buyers of BEVs priced beneath the LCT threshold, and who work for an employer that allows novated leasing to be incorporated into salary packages, currently enjoy a full waiver from FBT.
The equivalent scheme for plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) ends on 31 March 2025. Earlier this month it was revealed nearly 100,000 Australians have taken up the offer – ten times more than forecast.
The first Tavascan examples drive into Australian Cupra Garage retail stores this for demonstrator test drive purposes, with initial customer deliveries expected in May 2025.
Entry-level Tavascan Endurance examples are adequately powered and reasonably equipped with 19-inch wheels, bucket seats, full proximity entry with sit-to-start, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto displayed through a 15-inch touchscreen, a 5.3-inch digital driver display, a power tailgate and extensive LED lighting, including illuminated front and rear Cupra emblems.
Driver assistance technology across the range takes in adaptive cruise control (with strong lane centring available in Travel Assist mode), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and autonomous emergency braking.
However, the entry car gets by with front/rear parking sensors and a basic reversing camera.
Most Endurance buyers are expected to specify an optional Interior Package ($4500), in which the base specification’s manual front seat adjustment is replaced with power-adjustable, heated units with memory while adding microfibre upholstery, 12-speaker Sennheiser premium audio, 360-degree camera system, further ambient lighting, and 20-inch wheels.
From there, it is a step to the Tavascan VZ ($74,490 +ORC) which gains all-wheel drive and a combined 250kW of power, thanks to a smaller 80kW/134Nm front motor joining the Endurance’s rear unit.
The VZ is also better equipped as standard, including the features of the Interior Package iwhile adding 21-inch copper-coloured wheels, Matrix LED headlights and a fixed panoramic glass roof with power sunshade.
In a few months, an even higher specification will become available to customers in the form of an $8000 Ultimate Package that can be fitted exclusively to the VZ.
This pack switches out the blue interior for Enceladus Grey Nappa leather and sportier Cup Racing front seats with ventilation, while the VZ’s 21s switch to a lighter design wrapped in performance tyres.
Missing from any specification is a modern connectivity suite. While the Tavascan’s operating system is reasonably slick – and includes manual climate preconditioning, wireless phone connectivity and four USB-C ports – Australian cars are not fitted with the modem or software to enable the Cupra Connect app, which overseas allows remote climate, unlocking, and other conveniences.
“The propostion from Cupra is not just to be an app on wheels … it is about drivability,” said Mr Wilks.
“There is definitely a use case (for the Cupra Connect tech suite), and the customers are requesting this, so the topic is certainly on our agenda with our team at headquarters. At the moment, we haven’t got a firm date for that but … we will certainly be advocating for (it).”
All Tavascan incarnations run a 77kWh (usable) nickel manganese cobalt traction battery, through WLTP rated consumption and range differ depending on configuration.
The Endurance officially consumes 14.4kWh/100km for 534km range, the VZ 15.4kWh/100km for 499km, and the VZ with Ultimate Pack 16.6kWh/100km for 463km, with the jump attributed to its stickier tyres.
Overseas, other Volkswagen Group vehicles that make use of same MEB modular electric toolkit platform as the Cupra are available with smaller or larger batteries, including 52.0kWh and 86.0kWh units, but neither have been slotted into the Chinese-built Tavascan as yet.
“We have been pretty clear about where Cupra sits in the marketplace, in the space between mass and premium, and the prices reflect that … We are never looking at being the basement driveaway price leader. It is not where we want to be long-term, so it is not where we would go,” Mr Shafer told GoAuto.
2025 Cupra Tavascan pricing*:
*Pricing excludes on-road costs.  Motor industry news GoAutoNews is Australia’s number one automotive industry journal covering the latest news, future and new model releases, market trends, industry personnel movements, and international events. |
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