Cupra Raval vs Tesla Model 3

The Tesla Model 3 costs £10,995 more than the Cupra Raval. For that premium it adds 128 miles more WLTP range, 87 kW faster peak rapid charging and 241 litres more boot space. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Tesla Model 3 comes out ahead overall.

The Cupra Raval is £10,995 cheaper to buy. Running costs are almost identical - about £144 a year either way, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the Cupra Raval comes out roughly £10,955 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 139 miles for the Cupra Raval and 229 miles for the Tesla Model 3 - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The Tesla Model 3 goes roughly 91 miles further between charging stops.

The Cupra Raval is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 149 mm narrower than the Tesla Model 3. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 616 mm of total clearance for the Cupra Raval and about 467 mm of total clearance for the Tesla Model 3. The Cupra Raval also turns in a 0.7 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 90% battery health for the Cupra Raval and 92% for the Tesla Model 3. That gives the Tesla Model 3 a modest edge in retained real-world range. Both use LFP-type cells, which are happy charged to 100% every day.