Tag Archives: Luxury

Coupe, CUPRA, electric, Motoring

Tavascan offers striking design and impressive range

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CUPRA Tavascan V2 77kWh

By Bill McCarthy

CUPRA originated as the performance division of SEAT. Both are part of the Volkswagen Group, with CUPRA now operating as a standalone premium brand focused on sportier design and enhanced dynamics. The Tavascan, the brand’s second dedicated electric vehicle, represents a key model in its transition to an electric lineup.

This coupé-SUV delivers a strong initial impact through its design and technology.

There is strong competition, notably from stablemates the VW ID.5 and the Skoda Enyaq, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, not to mention a host of new Chinese brands making their mark, including the BYD Seal and Omoda E5.

Design and Styling

CUPRA says the Tavascan is rare among production cars because it keeps most of its concept vehicle’s bold character. It introduces a new, confident design language. Marketing speak, but it does stand out with its three-triangle LED signature, an illuminated badge, and a coupé-style flowing roofline. This makes it more efficient and helps with the range thanks to a drag coefficient of 0.26.

Interior and Technology

The cabin presents a vivid contrast of copper and black. It features sporty bucket seats, built around a central spine and a floating dashboard, and a mix of hi-tech and more traditional controls. Soft-touch finish is prominent and the cabin has a sporty feel.

The centrepiece is a 15-inch touchscreen which controls major features like connectivity, infotainment, app selection and navigation. Physical controls include a backlit touch slider for climate functions and three physical ‘diamond-cut’ toggle switches on the centre console.

Real-time information is delivered to the driver with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Another classy touch is the selectable ambient lighting and a star-constellation-like pattern of small, individual light points scattered across the door panel. It feels well engineered and robust.

Equipment levels are comprehensive, as you’d expect for a £54k-plus car, and include a 360-degree camera and remote parking, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, a wireless smartphone charging pad and multiple USB-C ports

On the road

It looks like it would be quick and it is. This rear-wheel-drive V2 model uses a 286 PS electric motor powered by a 77 kWh (net) battery. Acceleration is brisk as it hits 60mph in about 6.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 112 mph. There are multiple driving modes such as Range, Comfort, and Sport, depending on what kind of driving experience you want.

It has a claimed WLTP range of up to 353 miles, which might be obtained in perfect conditions, but with mixed weather, around 280-plus seemed nearer the mark. Charging capability includes 11 kW AC (0-100% in approximately 8 hours) and rapid 135 kW DC charging (10-80% in 28 minutes).

A heat pump, which preserves range in cold weather standard on this vehicle.

Handling is excellent with a low centre of gravity, allowing the driver to push hard through bends on twisting roads with confidence. The steering is well weighted, offering good feedback about the car’s agility.

However, one letdown is with the brakes. They feel vague and soft and don’t respond sharply until much more pressure is applied, which is disappointing for a car that promises a sporty drive.

Practicality

Despite its coupé-like profile, practicality is respectable. The cabin accommodates four adults comfortably, with reasonable head and legroom. Boot space is good, among the best in fact, with 540 litres. This increases to a cavernous 1,565 litres when the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats are folded.

Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability, which allows you to power external devices (for example, a laptop or coffee maker) from the car’s battery.

Safety features

The vehicle is equipped with a comprehensive suite of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Standard features include Connected Travel Assist with adaptive cruise control and lane guidance.

Verdict

The letdown is the brakes, which feel a bit soft and vague. For a car that looks this sporty, you’d expect a sharper response when you hit the pedal. 

Factfile

  • Model: CUPRA Tavascan V2 77kWh 286 PS

  • Price: £53,845

  • Mechanical: Single electric motor, rear-wheel drive, 286 PS, 545 Nm, 77 kWh (net) battery

  • 0-62 mph: 6.8 seconds

  • Top Speed: 112 mph

  • Range (WLTP): Up to 353 miles

  • Insurance group: 36

  • CO2 Emissions: 0 g/km

  • BiK Rating: 3%

  • Warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles

Executive, Executive saloon, GENESIS

Genesis – the dawn of luxury brand

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GENESIS GV80

By Bill McCarthy

No-one really has heard of Genesis, well not many people anwyay, unless it’s referring to the Bible or Star Trek, but the company describes itself as an exciting disrupter in the premium segment.

Like other brands, Korean giant Hyundai has developed its own luxury brand with Genesis, designed to make an impact in the executive sector.

How do they do that? One way is to make this particular model look like a Bentley Bentayga, with its muscular stance, huge grille and the ‘similar’ winged badge the similarity is obvious.

That really is where the comparison ends, unless you want to throw around £100k to make up the price difference, and the hand-crafted excellence of the Bentley.

That’s not to say this is not a fine car, but it is aimed more at the executive end of the market, dominated by German brands, and offers something a bit left field. There are a number of SUV and saloon models, with both petrol and diesel power units and all-electric models imminent.

At more than £59k for this model, this is no bargain-basement brand and offers eye-catching styling, interior luxury and a raft of high-end technological goodies and a permanent four-wheel drive to give it a unique flavour. All models also come with a five-year warranty.

 It also features artificial intelligence that learns about the driver and builds on existing state-of-the-art advanced autonomous driver assistance systems (ADAS),

Some of the goodies could seem a little gimmicky, like the two main binnacle dials turning into cameras to show the road when the indicator is activated or the winged-style logo fading from view when the ignition is switched off, but otherwise, they are practical and enhance the driving experience.

It is a big car and in typical SUV style, sits high off the ground, with a muscular profile and featuring stylish alloy wheels and distinctive light clusters. 

The interior matches anything in its segment with a raft of leather, aluminium with thin air vents that run across the passenger compartment, ambient lighting and high-quality materials.

Prominent are the 14.5-inch HD infotainment screen and 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster with 3D display, which are the brains of the car controlling connectivity, infotainment and navigation functions, while the Genesis Connect system offers live updates and smartphone integration 

The centre console houses the slightly fiddly circular controller which allows selection of the same functions as the touchscreen,  while the glass-topped rotary gear selector, mimics the Jaguar XF.

Inside there is plenty of space with excellent head and legroom, while a power-folding third-row seating is optional as is the huge panoramic roof. The powered and heated and cooled front seats feature top-grade Nappa leather and incorporate a massage function.  

The new 278PS 3.0-litre diesel on this model delivers plenty of pace and reasonable economy for such a big car.

The six-cylinder layout is both exceptionally smooth and quiet in operation, and shifts this 2.5-tonne beast to 60mph in just 7.5 seconds. Gear changes via the eight-speed auto box are smooth, slick and barely perceptible. It also offers three drive modes for extra economy, or to sharpen up performance.

The ride and handling are excellent, leaning into corners with little wallow, while the brand’s ride preview technology and electronically controlled suspension soak up the worst of the potholes.

Safety kit is impressive with blind spot monitoring, evasive steering assist, smart cruise control, lane following assist, driver attention warning, forward collision alert with pedestrian and cyclist detection, plus advanced airbag technology. There are 10 airbags with front centre airbags that are deployed if there is a side impact and these prevent the front occupants colliding with each other.

The boot is huge, particularly in five-seater mode with the powered boot lid opening up a 735 litres of space, which expands to a huge 2,152 litres with the seats folded while the usual array of cubby holes, bins and holders are arranged throughout the cabin.

FACTFILE

GENESIS GV80 Luxury line D AWD 

Price: £59,700

Mechanical: 278ps, 2996cc, six-cylinder, diesel engine driving all four wheels via 8-speed automatic transmission

Max Speed: 143mph

0-62mph: 7.7 seconds

Combined MPG: 26

Insurance Group: 48

C02 emissions: 229g/km

Warranty: 5yrs/62,000 miles