Because of its sportier remit, the VZ also gets a different front suspension design with reworked knuckles, giving a larger negative camber angle and allowing it to handle higher lateral g-forces. This is paired with the Volkswagen Group’s Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) Sport adaptive dampers. The stability control system in the VZ can also be turned completely off, enabling greater adjustability.
Design appeal
The exterior design of the Raval remains faithful to the 2022 Urban Rebel concept, with a prominent ‘sharknose’ and a sloping roofline. Key changes compared with the show car include new vents in the front grille, which are backlit to highlight the Raval’s beak.
Cupra said it has paid particular attention to the on-board experience. For example, projectors are mounted inside the dashboard to shine animations onto the front door cards. Drivers can choose from various graphics, and they can be tied to the chosen drive mode.
“We use light almost like a material,” Cupra creative director Francesca Sangalli told Autocar. “Light gives more involvement – a more immersive experience for the customer. It has a strong power to make you feel very connected to the environment.”
The Raval also gets the largest instrument display of any Cupra yet, at 10.25in.
Whereas the incoming ID Polo has a new infotainment display and physical climate controls, the Raval retains the older, 12.9in infotainment screen used in the Born and the much criticised air-con temperature sliders and haptic controls. However, its new steering wheel is laden with traditional buttons.
The VZ is marked out inside with Cupra’s signature Cup bucket seats upholstered in a new ‘3D Knit’ – a complex yet lightweight weave of fabric similar to that on running trainers. This material is said to be more sustainable than conventional alternatives because it can be manufactured as a single piece so, when being recycled, there are no stitches to unpick as there would be on a traditional seat cover made from multiple pieces. It will later feature in the top-rung Tribe Editions of other models.
The Raval will be Cupra’s smallest and most affordable car and is seen as key to the brand’s expansion plans. Insiders hope that it will become the firm’s best-selling model by 2028, outstripping the Formentor, of which 104,400 were sold globally last year.