Cupra Born review: Sporty and affordable EV with great range

The Cupra Born is the sporty sister car to the Volkswagen ID.3. But while they share plenty both outside and in, the Cupra somehow manages to be a much more interesting and desirable car. It’s a youthful car brand that’s on the up, and there’s lots to like about its first electric car.

The sporty hatch overtones make it a refreshing choice in a sector packed with family-focused electric SUVs. Cupra’s styling cues are appealing, from the aero-inspired front air intake, to a cool choice of alloy wheels, and all the copper-coloured Cupra detailing throughout. It’s offered in some very appealing colours, too.

Most models use the 59kWh battery, which helps make them affordable – the entry-level V1 costs from £35,495. Even this battery gives a reasonable range of 266 miles, with fairly speedy 165kW rapid charging functionality helping you top up more quickly than some on the move. Despite this affordability, equipment levels are generous.

The Cupra Born is also genuinely good fun to drive. The rear-wheel drive chassis has the sporty overtones to match its styling, while also delivering decent ride quality and refinement.

My first experience with the Cupra Born was at the impressive Gridserve Braintree Electric Forecourt, where I spent a day driving different versions from the range (intercepted with delicious coffee breaks in the ultra-modern facilities). I later spent a week testing it in more everyday conditions – less picturesque, but decidedly more real-world.

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Independent rating: 8/10

The Cupra Born offers a choice of three batteries. The core battery is a 59kWh unit, which gives a range of up to 266 miles. It is paired with a 231PS electric motor which, enthusiasts will be pleased to hear, drives the rear wheels. This means it has lots of traction (helping 0-62mph performance in a lively 6.7 seconds) and a more purist feel when cornering.

On posh Cupra Born V3 trim, there’s an alternative 77kWh battery, which is combined with the same electric motor. This sees the range extend greatly, to 348 miles, although the extra weight does dent performance ever so slightly, with 0-62mph taking 7.1 seconds.

The range-topping Cupra VZ has a more powerful 326PS electric motor, combined with a more efficient 79kWh battery. Despite having 0-62mph performance in just 5.6 seconds, it also has the longest range of all Cupra Born, with up to 372 miles between charges. To enhance the drive further, it also has standard adaptive suspension. Every Cupra Born is great to drive, but this one is the best of all.

The Cupra Born is able to use high-speed rapid chargers, at varying rates, according to battery size. The 59kWh battery can charge at speeds of up to 165kW, the 77kWh battery can take up to 175kW, and the largest 79kWh battery can take up to 185kW. This means they can charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in 24 minutes, 28 minutes and 26 minutes respectively.

The Cupra Born has an interior largely shared with the Volkswagen ID.3. This includes the quirky rotary gearshifter mounted on the side of the instrument binnacle, and only two electric window switches on the driver’s door – to lower the rear windows, you have to press an extra panel to reprogram the buttons from front to rear. It’s as infuriating as it sounds.

The Cupra Born does have a more upmarket feel than the Volkswagen, though. The materials seem a bit more premium, and we like the copper-coloured Cupra design details. Even entry-level Cupra Born get sporty high-backed front seats, and the Seaqual yarn fitted to some models is both fashionable and eco-friendly.

Rear seat space is ample, thanks to the space-efficient electric architecture. The only grumble those in the back might have is a restricted forward view, due to those high-backed front seats. Boot space is a decent 385 litres, on a par with a Volkswagen Golf, and the floor is height-adjustable. There is, however, no front boot, or ‘frunk’: charging cables are stored beneath the boot floor instead.

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All Cupra born feature a 12.9-inch central touchscreen, combined with a 5.3-inch colour driver’s display. The infotainment screen is larger and runs more user-friendly software than earlier Born, benefitting from ongoing developments within the Volkswagen Group. It’s still not the most intuitive of setups, but it’s much easier to use than before. The touch-sensitive climate control panel below the screen remains frustratingly awkward, though.

The infotainment system has the Cupra Connect remote access system built in. A three-year subscription to the various services is included for free, which include remote climatisation, remote timers, live traffic and over-the-air updates. Fully wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is standard, too.

The regular Cupra Born stereo is a seven-speaker in-house setup. The optional premium sound system is a punchier-sounding Sennheiser setup (the same people that make those highly-rated wireless headphones), which is optional on all core models (for an affordable £470), and standard on the VZ.

All Cupra Born come with a novel e-Boost button on the steering wheel. Pressing it releases an extra 27PS, for a brief acceleration boost. It’s a fun piece of technology that suits the sporty Born’s character. It also means the car isn’t too aggressive to drive in everyday conditions.

Cupra Born prices have become more affordable in recent years. The updated model, with tweaked styling and that improved larger-format infotainment screen, starts from a very attractive £35,495, in V1 grade. This includes a generous level of standard equipment that even stretches to glitzy 19-inch alloy wheels.

Insurance groups are pretty reasonable, with the 59kWh V1 starting from group 26. That’s only a couple of groups higher than the Volkswagen ID.3, and in line with other electric family hatch alternatives. Company car drivers will, of course, save a small fortune on Benefit-in-Kind tax, too.

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The Cupra born takes as little as 24 minutes to charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent.

Cupra Born prices start from £35,495. For a sporty-looking EV with a range of over 265 miles, this strikes us as good value.

Cupra Born batteries will be replaced where necessary, up to eight years of age or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

The Cupra Born is a really refreshing EV. It has the right amount of sportiness to add some interest to everyday drives, without spoiling its efficiency, practicality or comfort. The Cupra styling cues are fun too, and it’s now impressively affordable, particularly in entry-level guise.