Cupra Born review

The all-electric Cupra Born moves the Spanish sporting brand into new territory, but has Cupra managed to produce an EV that delivers on its sporting aspirations? Well, sort of. The Born is definitely a more striking car to look at than the closely related Volkswagen ID.3, while its interior feels more premium, is packed with kit and is full of character.

Range and efficiency have proven to be excellent, and despite its sporty styling, the Born is still more than spacious enough for family car buyers. However, while the Born is one of the sharper and more fun to drive electric hatchbacks, it’s not really a performance model.

About the Cupra Born

There was a time when SEAT was known as the sporty spin-off marque of the Volkswagen Group, offering buyers a taste of VW build quality, on-board tech and engine performance at a more affordable price. However, the Spanish manufacturer’s former sub-brand turned standalone carmaker Cupra has now taken up the mantle of producing cars that deliver a sense of sportiness and driving fun from the VW Group’s parts bin.

After sprinkling its engineering know-how on rebranded versions of the Leon hatchback and Ateca SUV, Cupra launched its first all-new model, the Formentor coupe SUV, in 2020. Featuring strong petrol and plug-in hybrid engines (some with more than 300bhp), it was an impressive debut, and Cupra is now under way with expanding its line-up.

The Cupra Born is the brand’s first all-electric car, with two more – the Tavascan SUV and UrbanRebel city car – already on their way. Underneath the sharp bodywork, the Born is the mechanical sister car to the VW ID.3 hatchback, although we prefer the Cupra because of its more premium-feeling interior, sporty personality and slightly lower starting price.

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The Renault Megane E-Tech is another key rival to the Born in the electric family hatchback segment. Its 280-mile range can’t match certain versions of the Cupra, but the all-electric Megane is more practical and features one of the best infotainment systems in any new car right now, which the Born simply cannot match.

Another major player in this arena is the MG4 EV, which is also a hoot to drive on a twisty road, yet still spacious, refined and practical. More importantly for some buyers, it costs several thousand pounds less than the Cupra, too. Born ownership starts from around £36,000, while you’ll need a further £7,000 to secure a top-spec 77kWh model in V3 trim, compared with the top-spec MG4 at circa £32,500.

There are three versions of the Born for sale, all of which use a single electric motor for rear-wheel drive. The base model has 201bhp on tap, while the mid-range variant can produce 227bhp thanks to an e-Boost function that temporarily increases the car’s power output. Both use a 58kWh battery for a range of around 260 miles, but the top-of-the-range Born gets a 77kWh battery that allows it to cover a claimed maximum of 343 miles from a single charge. An entry-level 45kWh powertrain was also announced at launch, but as of March 2023 it has yet to join the line-up.

It's not only the distinctive, copper-coloured accents that help the Born distinguish itself from the ID.3 and the rest of family EV crowd; it comes with a generous list of standard kit that includes 18-inch alloys, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control and a 12-inch infotainment display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. You can choose from either V1, V2 or V3 specifications, with the higher grade trims adding premium touches such as bigger wheels, rear privacy glass, upgraded upholstery, heated front seats with a massage function and a driver’s head-up display.

For an alternative review of the Cupra Born, visit our sister site drivingelectric.com...