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What’s it like?
After peeking out from the skirts of parent company SEAT, Cupra has flourished. And the Born – a sharply styled electric family hatchback that can trace its roots to the VW ID.3 – is a big part of that success. Easy on the eye, easy to drive and sporty inside, the Cupra is an altogether more interesting choice.
But it’s objectively very good, too. The range is ample for most drivers, and there’s a high-performance VZ version for those who want to recreate the days when Cupras were go-faster SEATs. Combine that with a cool interior and plenty of passenger space, all in a relatively compact footprint, and the Born has become one of the yardsticks by which all other electric hatchbacks are measured.
Which model to go for?
At launch, the Cupra Born came with a choice of three batteries, ranging from the basic 45kWh unit to the largest 77kWh option, via a middle-ground 58kWh version. And they came with a choice of motors, ranging from 150- to 204hp, all of which sent the power to the rear wheels. An e-Boost model adds 27hp to the higher total for short periods, but the fact of the matter is they’re all plenty powerful enough, and owners won’t have any complaints about performance.
But with such varying battery sizes, the question of range comes into play. The 45kWh models manage around 350km on the official economy test, although you’re unlikely to achieve that regularly in the real world, while the 58kWh cars up that to 426km and the 77kWh options go up to 551km.
Later, Cupra made some small tweaks to the line-up, ditching the 45kWh option and increasing the size of the middle battery slightly, up to 59kWh. And for the new, range-topping, high-performance VZ model, the 77kWh battery’s usable capacity increased to 79kWh, giving it a 599km range.
Every version charges fairly quickly, with public DC-charging speeds ranging from 100kW to 185kW, allowing the battery to be replenished rapidly on the move.
No matter which version you choose, the Born gets its own suspension set-up that makes it firmer and more dynamically capable than the ID.3 on which it’s based. So, while the ride comfort suffers very slightly, the Born models all feel more interesting to drive than their Volkswagen-badged equivalents.
Does anything go wrong?
The Born is not that old, having been launched in 2022, but it seems to have been fairly dependable thus far. The electric powertrain appears to be robust, with few issues reported, and the only problems seem to be with the infotainment system and other ancillary electrical systems. But the Volkswagen Group has been having problems with its infotainment tech in recent years, and it seems to be through the worst of it now, with much more stable touchscreens.
As a result, the only real thing to look out for with the Born is the general condition. These cars are often used around town and can carry the scars of such work. Check the bodywork and the wheels for signs of use and abuse and check the interior out too. But as the Cupra is a relatively common sight on the roads of Ireland, and they’re all relatively young, tidy examples should not be too difficult to find.