Cupra Tavascan vs Geely Starray Em-I

What's the difference?

Timing is everything.

For instance, with all the bad publicity the man behind the brand is generating, right now might be the perfect time if you’re in the market for a Tesla Model Y alternative.

And that’s especially so if said alternative happens to be around the same price… such as the all-new Cupra Tavascan.

No, not an antacid for relief from indigestion, but the Volkswagen Group’s Spanish brand’s first medium-sized electric SUV.

Is it good enough to catapult Cupra into the big time in Australia?

Time to find out!

Hybrids are yesterday’s news.

If you’re looking for a combination powertrain in 2025 you want a ‘Super Hybrid’. This is the Chinese car industry’s term for what is more commonly known as a plug-in hybrid, but they are all the rage among car brands as they rush to simultaneously cut emissions and keep buyers.

The Geely Starray EM-i is the latest addition to a growing number of Super Hybrids available in Australia, joining the BYD Sealion 6, MG HS, Jaecoo J7, Omoda 9 and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (which doesn’t have the fancy name but has the same tech).

This is Geely’s second entry into the Australian market, following the similar-sized but all-electric EX5 earlier this year. While it’s a new brand to Australia, Geely is an automotive giant, it’s so big in China it has been able to expand its global reach. Its parent company, also called Geely, has an ownership stake in Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Zeekr, Proton, Smart, Lynk & Co. and Aston Martin.

But none of that really matters when you’re buying a car. So, how does the Starray stack up on its own merits? Is it a compelling new addition or just another forgettable offering in an increasingly crowded mid-size SUV market?