Cupra Tavascan vs Jeep Gladiator

What's the difference?

Like most Cupras, the Tavascan is affordable, stylish, practical, fun to drive and just that little bit different.

And it is clear the Volkswagen Group is trying hard to make the brand a success. That it can bring that formula to the medium EV SUV market with as much aplomb might just be enough to lure more than a few would-be Model Y buyers Barcelona’s way.

Definitely one to strongly consider.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Gladiator is far from the most practical, versatile, or sensible dual-cab on the market. Not going to lie, though. This is the most fun I’ve had in a ute in a long time.

Although this mid-sized SUV is full of German VW Group DNA underneath, there are unique Cupra styling elements that do strive to evoke Spanish expression.

Designed in Barcelona, standout points include an insectoid trio of LEDs making up the headlights and tail-lights, an aggressive nose featuring a V-shaped bonnet bulge and lower-bumper treatment, a rising swage line in profile and pronounced rear diffuser.

While we appreciate the Tavascan’s styling flourishes, with the Manga-esque vent ‘eyes’, copper trim and floating wing-look upper dash-pad all gelling together nicely, the unique central spine design looks downmarket if not cheap, with an alien look and sheeny reptilian scale finish. There are too many things going on at once.

Built on the VW Group’s MEB EV architecture, the Cupra shares its platform with the VW ID.4, Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4 e-tron SUVs within the VW Group, providing a sound engineering base, but also a tall, narrow appearance when seen rear-on.

Maybe that’s why the Tavascan achieves such an impressive drag coefficiency of 0.26.

Dimensions are 4644mm (length), 1861mm (width), 1597mm (height) and 2766mm (wheelbase), while ground clearance is a low 154mm.

For a so-called “Coupe Utility Vehicle” (CUV), all translate to quite acceptable interior space and practicality.

Despite a legion of trendy retro-styled off-road pretenders, from the Ineos Grenadier to the GWM Tank 300, there’s nothing quite like the original Jeep style which the Gladiator shares with its Wrangler sibling. Unless you’re Mahindra which has technically been producing Willys Jeep successors for longer, but that’s another story for another time).

The new Rubicon looks a bit more swish in 2026, with the body coloured wheel arches and a tweaked grille which is now wider and shorter. The two-tone roof which was previously optional is now standard.

It looks rugged, tough, and undeniably classic, with the mud terrain tyres sealing the deal.

Of course, you can’t forget the many so-called ‘Easter eggs’ Jeep hides about the place. In the case of the Gladiator, these include a silhouette of a Willys Jeep climbing up the driver’s side windscreen, a gorilla imprint on the opposite side signifying the windscreen is now constructed from the same stuff designed to make your phone scratch-free. The tray features imprints of dirtbike tyres where you might want to strap two in and even the recirculate button on the climate unit is in the shape of a Wrangler. Nice touch.

On the inside generally, it feels like a purpose-built vehicle in much the same way as an old Defender. It leaves you with a sense of how genuine it all is, with loads of physical switchgear and an overall shape meant to replicate the no-nonsense appeal of Jeeps dating back to the Willys.

Now, with all that CUV stuff in mind, the Tavascan manages to look and feel sporty whilst also offering a decent level of family friendly functionality.

Wide doors and a high hip point offer easy entry and egress, in a roomy and accommodating cabin, on seats that are brilliantly comfy and supportive – even in the base Endurance. These are of the integrated ‘tombstone’ variety with bolstered sides to help keep you snug and secure. They’re great.

So is the driving position, with its grippy little wheel, readily accessible switchgear (including the knobs on the spokes), clear view of the modestly sized digital instrumentation pod and angled touchscreen.

After all the criticism that the VW Group’s earlier iterations of this system had garnered – including in other Cupras – the Tavascan’s interface proved to be simple to navigate, fast to respond and pleasant to look at.

Furthermore, even with that rising window line, vision out is AOK and ventilation is fine, too.

The aforementioned central spine’s shape appears to come at the expense of storage, as there’s less of it than expected in an EV SUV. The small glovebox is disappointing. We’re not fans of the driver’s door power window switch bank, necessitating a distracting press of a ‘rear’ button to operate the back windows. And one of the test cars suffered from dash squeaks.

Moving on to the rear, with seating for five, there’s actually ample space for people up to about 180cm tall, while all the usual amenities apply, such as vent outlets, a pair of USB-C ports, a folding armrest with cup holders and overhead lighting. Nothing seems to be missing.

However, there is one important thing missing further back.

Yes, the Tavascan’s boot offers a handy 540 litres of cargo capacity, with a low, wide and flat floor capable of swallowing all sorts of stuff. And, of course, the 60/40 rear backrest fold down, boosting those numbers to between 1579L and 1604L depending on specification.

But, as with almost all EVs, there is no spare wheel. The aforementioned tyre mobility kit is bad news if you experience a severe puncture. Even a space-saver spare would be infinitely preferable.

However, also like an old Defender, the Gladiator’s interior is full of compromises to maintain its iconic design.

The seating position is awkwardly high, which is fine when off-roading, but can be limiting when you’re just driving around a city, and the footwell is half taken up by a transmission tunnel so there’s nowhere to rest your foot.

The door cards are pretty basic because the doors are removable (although Jeep stresses this is only legal on private property), but elsewhere there’s much-appreciated levels of functionality in an era of touch-based controls.

The centre control panel, for example, features physical dials for high-use functions and toggles or buttons for everything else. It’s mercifully easy to use and old-school motorists will also love the physical shifters for gear selection and the transfer case alongside. And an analogue handbrake is an increasingly rare sight.

There are even buttons we didn’t ask for, like the four pre-wired auxiliary switches, and while the dash trades away a fully digital panel for a digital supervision screen with analogue dials either side, it suits the character of the car.

It’s not the most comfortable space to be in, however. Not only is the seat base super high off the ground, but despite the Gladiator’s imposing dimensions the front seat somehow feels narrow.

Storage is okay, but not on the same level as many rival utes. The basic doors score nettings on each side, with two deep and useful bottle holders in the centre console. The armrest box is two-tiered which is handy, and there’s a small glove box. Outside of this, there’s not a lot of storage up front.

The rear seat is decent when it comes to space for the ute segment, although it is also very high off the ground and hard to clamber into thanks to the way the rear door is shaped. Once you’re in there, be sure not to smack your head on the frame, which seems like it could be an easy thing to do.

Again, nets feature in the doors, with two more nets on the backs of the front seats, which also feature luggage hooks. There are dual adjustable air vents back there and two bottle holders moulded out of the centre console. They're nicely-sized, but will eat into the legroom of any adult you want to put in the centre rear position, making it extra cramped if you have three across.

The back seat features some things I’ve never seen before, though. There’s a huge storage area underneath the seats with its own lid, and some limited storage space behind the seat backs which features a removable Bluetooth speaker which also automatically re-charges when it’s docked back there. Cool.

The rear window features an opening port, which is also rare, while all the main storage compartments are lockable for when you want to leave the car with the roof and/or doors off.

Capacities and payloads have never been a strong point for the Gladiator. The tray measures 1531mm long, 1443mm wide and 1137mm between the arches, making it unable to fit a standard-sized Australian pallet. The payload is also limited at just 693kg, far short of the close-to-one-tonne many work-focused dual-cabs can hit.

However the tray isn’t for show only, featuring an array of useful tie-down points and a built-in rail system to help secure all sorts of objects. There are even steps built into the rear bumper design for easier access and a full-size spare wheel underneath.

The braked trailer towing capacity is limited to just 2721kg which is also short of the industry benchmark 3500kg, all of which may limit its use as a work vehicle, or even its appeal as a touring vehicle. I could see how these capacities are easily exceeded with a rooftop tent, recovery gear, a fridge, supplies and at least one passenger.

For this update, the Gladiator has been trimmed down to just one variant, the fully-loaded, top-spec Rubicon.

While the lesser Night Eagle grade has been discontinued, the good news is the Rubicon is now more affordable, starting at $82,990, before on-road costs. Although this still pitches it against only the most expensive mainstream dual cabs.

At this price, for example, you could pick a Ford Ranger in luxury Platinum or sporty Wildtrak form, or even as a plug-in hybrid. However, this car’s classic vibe and purpose-built feel, with a big six-cylinder petrol engine, is more reminiscent of the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster, which wears a price tag well in excess of $100,000.

While it might be a pricey ute, the Gladiator Rubicon comes with all the gear plus extra stuff for this update, including new 17-inch two-tone wheel designs clad in pricey BF Goodrich mud terrain tyres, Nappa leather seats and a more powerful standard alternator with pre-wired auxiliary switches.

There are also body-coloured fender flares replacing the previous black plastic ones, 12-way power adjust and heating for the front seats, extended soft-touch materials throughout the cabin, a much larger and better-specified 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen (with built-in nav) as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. In addition, the LED headlights have picked up an auto high-beam function and the spray-in bedliner for the tray is now standard.

Standard overlanding kit includes the brand’s signature 'Roc-Trac' on-demand 4x4 system, which includes front and rear differential locks, an electronic sway bar disconnect (pretty rare), manually selectable low-range gearing (with a 4:1 ratio), as well as additional underbody protection and rock-slider side steps.

Not enough? This is the only ute on sale in Australia where you can remove the roof and pop the windscreen flat for a full-on Barbie (or maybe Ken) Power Wheels vibe.

Don’t go searching for more boot space under the bonnet – there isn’t any.

Plus, the main electric motor – a permanently excited synchronous unit – is located on the rear axle, driving the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission.

Tipping the scales at 2238kg, the Endurance makes 210kW of power, to offer a power-to-weight ratio of 94kW per tonne, as well as a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.8 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h.

Meanwhile, the VZ also has a smaller, asynchronous 80kW/134Nm electric motor over the front axle, channelling up to 30 per cent of the SUV’s total power to the front wheels as traction requires, and upping the combined power maximum to 250kW. Tipping the scales at 2284kg, the VZ offers 109kW/tonne, while the 0-100km/h time slips to 5.5s. Both offer a 545Nm torque maximum.

The 400-volt MEB platform consists of MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link rear end. The VZ adds adaptive dampers. Braked towing capacity is 1000kg in Endurance and 1200kg in the VZ.

There’s a relatively massive 3.6-litre non-turbo, non-hybrid ‘Pentastar’ petrol V6 engine under the bonnet, producing 209kW/347Nm. 

Sounds old-school because it is, and it remains the only option for this machine in Australia despite emissions regulations closing in and a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine available in the current Wrangler and overseas versions of the Gladiator.

The V6 is mated to a predictable ZF-sourced eight-speed (torque converter) automatic transmission and drives either the rear- or all four wheels depending on the mode selected.

The Tavascan employs an 82kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, offering a useable capacity of 77kWh.

Mounted down low in the structure to provide extra rigidity as well as balance, it helps the Cupra achieve a near-ideal 49/51 front/rear weight distribution.

The battery is also separated in 12 removable modules for easier repair and parts replacement.

When the accelerator is lifted or in ‘B’ mode, the electric motor acts as a generator to feed energy back into the battery. Three levels of brake energy recuperation is also available via the steering wheel’s paddle-shifters.

Cupra says that the Endurance RWD offers a WLTP range of 540km, while the circa-60kg heavier VZ AWD drops that to 499km, or 463km with the Extreme Package’s grippy high-performance tyres.

Officially, the combined average energy consumption figures are between 15.2 and 16.0kWh/100km in Endurance and between 16.5 and 16.8kWh/100km in the VZ.

Driving around Adelaide and beyond in the beautiful wine country, we managed between 15.0 and 22kWh/100km, as indicated on the Tavascan’s trip computer, which isn’t too bad.

The Cupra features an AC charging capacity of 11kW and DC charging capacity of 135kW.

Charging from empty to full when plugged in at home or work can take nearly 40 hours, or about 12.5hr with an optional 7.4kW wallbox, while a 10-80 per cent top-up using a standard 50kW fast charger needs about 75 minutes, or under half an hour if you find a super-fast 150kW outlet.

As you might imagine, the large naturally aspirated petrol engine combines with the over 2.0-tonne Gladiator to make for a relatively steep fuel bill.

Consumption is a hardly-impressive 12.4L/100km on the official combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle, with our car consuming even more - 12.9L/100km - on our three day test covering nearly 500km and with no shortage of freeway time either.

Brim the 83-litre tank and theoretical range is around 670km, dropping to just over 640km using our on-test figure.

Cupra prides itself as a builder of sporty, stylish and offbeat vehicles, and insists that the Tavascan is no exception.

With its design, interior presentation and powertrain supporting such expectations, the acid test is now how the Tavascan performs out on the road.

The really encouraging news is that, on our launch drive experience at least, Cupra’s coupe SUV serves up sportiness and a whole lot more besides.

Let’s start with performance.

Aided by a fine driving position, the Tavascan almost goes out of its way to normalise the EV operating experience, with the now-familiar VW Group column-mounted gear selector being reassuringly straight forward. You’re not left wondering if this thing is even on.

Choose the default Comfort drive setting, and the Cupra whooshes forward with eager yet measured forcefulness, so you’re spared unpleasant jerkiness. Speed builds up quickly and smoothly as the road opens up ahead. So far, so good.

Need extra muscle for overtaking or joining freeway traffic? There’s ample in reserve, revealing the real-world pace and response that even the least-expensive Tavascan offers. The Endurance is a deceptively brisk machine for the money. And that’s before the sportier driving modes are engaged.

Speaking of which, the steering is simply superb, offering sharp yet progressive cornering capabilities. You feel connected to the car, and that translates into very predictable handling and reassuring roadholding. Cupra is starting to shape up as one of our favourite non-German German-owned brands.

But the biggest shock is the Tavascan’s ride quality.

Now, though wearing 19-inch wheels and on steel springs, Cupra’s sporty leanings meant we expected the base grade to ride with tolerable firmness at best.

Instead, over Adelaide’s suburban streets leading into the hills (and then beyond), the suspension provided a sophisticated blend of suppleness and control, ably dealing with the rough stuff without any real abruptness.

Our only note here is that you can hear the suspension working underneath, in an endearingly old-fashioned mechanical way. Odd, but not to a distracting point.

Plus, while there are three levels of regen-braking assistance, we’d like the option of single-pedal driving capability.

Much the same dynamic flair applies to the Interior Package option that swaps out for 20s, except that the ride is clearly just that little bit firmer. But tyre and road drone do seem to drown out the suspension noise at times, but not to any alarming degree. Just in a typically German-engineered vehicle sort of way. No revelations here.

Switching to the VZ is equally revealing.

As you might expect, the extra power and additional (undisclosed) torque from the front electric motor are immediately obvious, elevating its performance significantly. Point, squirt, shoot. This thing really hustles along.

Yet it is the flagship’s balance and control of the chassis that came as a surprise.

Usually, the additional weight of two motors and 21-inch wheels detract from the driving pleasure of many an EV SUV with their shifting mass and heavier feel, but the VZ seemed to contain those tightly, and instead dishes up speed with agility and finesse.

Better still, the top spec’s standard adaptive dampers also seem to help deliver a supple and isolated ride, soaking up bigger potholes and that sort of thing, in a superior way that – we suspect – even the Endurance on 19s likely could not.

Factor in the beautifully nuanced and thoughtfully-tuned driver-assist tech systems, and – after months of driving at-times infuriating SUVs from China – the Chinese-made Tavascan feels anything but rushed or half-baked.

We’re impressed, at least on this first drive.

Ultimately, even after hours and hours behind the wheel, the Tavascan left us wanting more in a good way, not less. That’s a sure sign that the recipe is fundamentally right.

The Gladiator is interesting to drive for many reasons. Mainly, because as a purpose-built off-roader it's a little compromised when it comes to on-road manners.

For example, the high seating position and tapered bonnet shape might be great for visibility off-road, but the boxy design of the chunky A-pillars (designed to keep the car in one piece when the doors roof and windscreen are removed) make it a little difficult to see properly around corners at T-junctions or roundabouts in the confines of a city.

Even proximity of my head to the roof presented a problem when trying to see whether traffic was coming at an intersection with the vehicle angled downhill.

The next alarming trait is how vague the steering is while on the tarmac. It’s an unfortunate characteristic of the Gladiator’s rugged live front axle, making this ute a bit of a handful to steer at low speeds. And it tracks all over the place on the freeway, requiring constant vigilance and steering input from the driver at higher speeds.

It’s also noisy, despite this 2026 version featuring extended sound deadening in the cabin. It needed it. The knobbly mud terrain tyres make their presence felt through a resonant droning entering the cabin at all speeds.

Then, at freeway pace, the wind noise from the Gladiator’s blocky shape picks up. You can feel the sound waves leaking in through the removable doors and plasticky removable roof. There are even silly things like being able to feel reverberations of the sound system through the accelerator pedal.

So, I should hate the Gladiator, right?

Wrong.

This thing is ridiculous amounts of old-fashioned fun. The V6 engine is keen to rev and the transmission lets you ride the gears out, creating a throaty roar and lurching acceleration reminiscent of old Commodores.

While the mud terrain rubber is noisy and offers questionable levels of grip on tarmac or in the wet, the thick sidewall combines with coil springs and chunky Tenneco shock absorbers all-around to make for a pretty decent ride for a ladder-frame vehicle.

In addition, we took the Gladiator for a quick off-highway jaunt as its design intends and it performed as-expected. It has great approach and departure angles, with good visibility for peering over moguls and into ruts or dips.

The mechanical hardware feels up to the task, and while it might slip once or twice as the less sophisticated traction systems (compared to, say, a modern Defender) find their bearings, the Gladiator ate up the moderately challenging trails we found for it.

The chunky tyres come into their own, with the sidewall offering confidence, and the car clambers about with relative ease. Obviously, the enormous 3488mm wheelbase and resulting 18.4-degree breakover angle are the Gladiator’s Achilles heel, making me think twice about cresting certain hills or objects, and making this ute particularly prone to cringe-inducing underbody scraping.

Still, despite its comparatively unsophisticated approach and lack of environmental responsibility the Gladiator is a huge amount of fun to drive.

The previous Gladiator was awarded just a three- out of five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2019, although this updated version gets a few notable upgrades including side curtain airbags, seat reminder alerts and auto high beams.

On the modern active safety equipment front, the new Gladiator scores auto emergency braking, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, roll mitigation as well as front and rear parking sensors and a halfway decent reversing camera.

Not present is lane departure warning or lane keep assist, and given how long the Gladiator is, it would be nice to have a front parking camera, too.

It’s disappointing to see the Gladiator miss key kit like lane keep assist, but unlike a lot of modern vehicles, the Gladiator isn’t annoying to drive and I didn’t find myself needing to turn any equipment off to make it work off-road, either.

Here’s where the Tavascan loses some steam.

Each Tavascan is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is only average nowadays and below the seven and even 10 years that some other EV brands provide. Free roadside assistance is provided for five years.

Service intervals are every two years or 30,000km, at a listed cost of $485 per visit. Alternatively, owners can pre-purchase six-year and 10-year service packages from $1310 and $2190 respectively.

An eight-year/160,000km battery warranty also applies.

Finally, Cupra also provides owners with the option of organising home or workplace AC charging solutions via Jetcharge, offering an $1800 ‘Lite’ or $2300 ‘Maxi’ charger, including installation.

Are all these enough to get the Tavascan over the line for you?

It’s no secret ownership has long been an awkward topic for Jeep, with models like the Grand Cherokee previously causing all kinds of dramas for owners. A quick scan of forums suggests the Wrangler and Gladiator are less prone to issues compared to their more mainstream siblings in the Jeep line-up. So, food for thought.

Regardless, the Gladiator is offered with a five-year warranty which is distance-limited to just 100,000km, which is well off the pace, although a five-year capped price servicing pack is priced at a reasonable $399 per annual or 12,000km workshop visit.

The brand also offers lifetime roadside assist so long as you continue to service your Jeep in its authorised dealer network.