Cupra Born Review 2024

The Cupra Born is the second bespoke model from the standalone brand following its separation from parent company SEAT. It’s also the first electric car to feature Cupra branding, with more EVs to come in the following years. But as our Cupra Born review will explain, you might vaguely recognise it from somewhere else.

That’s because the Cupra Born is based on the same underpinnings as the Volkswagen ID.3 electric hatchback.

And like the VW, it’s battling for attention against some of the best electric cars on the market.

The Born and ID.3 share broadly similar dimensions, with a wheel-at-each-corner stance, short bonnet, similar glasshouse and bluff rear end. But whereas VW has gone with a curvy, unthreatening styling approach, the Born – named after a neighbourhood in Barcelona – looks decidedly more aggressive and edgy. 

That’s because the Cupra brand is being pitched as more sporty and youth-focused. To that end, the Born also sits lower to the ground with a more handling-focused tune, and has bigger wheels and tyres. 

Inside, you can again see a similar basic architecture to the ID.3, but with a slightly classier feel thanks to upmarket materials and copper detailing. In terms of the overall technology and practicality, though, the Born is just as modern and spacious as its sibling. 

There’s familiarity with the electric motor and battery choices, too. The initial launch versions of the Born were available with either 204PS or 230PS (the latter badged e-Boost) power output, with power from both going through the rear wheels only. 

The 204PS model comes equipped with a 58kWh battery pack, enough for a very competitive maximum claimed range of 265 miles. The 230PS car is also available with this battery.

If that isn’t enough, though, it is also offered with a bigger 77kWk battery, which promises up to 343 miles. That’s sufficient to give the pricier Tesla Model 3 a run for its money. 

Key rivals for the Cupra Born include the aforementioned Tesla, Kia EV6 and award-winning Hyundai Ioniq 5 (although these are larger, and more expensive).

At the other end of the scale, there are the distinctive Nissan Leaf, stylish Peugeot e-208 and recently launched Hyundai Kona Electric.

There’s also the Mazda MX-30 to consider, although its range is less than half that of even the cheapest Born.

We reckon the Cupra Born is an excellent affordable electric car, and in some ways it’s better than the Volkswagen on which it’s based. Read on to find out why. 

Looking for a second opinion? Why not read heycar's Cupra Born review.

Just as the VW ID.3 is similar in size and positioning to a Golf, the Cupra Born occupies a similar footprint to a SEAT/Cupra Leon. 

The Born is actually slightly shorter in terms of dimensions, at 4322mm long, 1908mm wide and 1537mm tall. But because there’s no engine up front, the wheelbase – the distance between the front and rear wheels – is over 130mm longer.

That results in plenty of space, particularly up front with no bulky transmission tunnel getting in the way of your knees. In some ways it feels like an MPV, with a really light and airy feel and room for even the tallest or broadest of drivers to get comfortable.

There’s plenty of adjustment in the seats and wheel, too, with a slightly raised driving position and a low dashboard giving a great view forwards. 

Six footers will find plenty of room in the back for their heads and legs. The floor isn’t all that high compared to some EVs with the batteries mounted under the floor, meaning there is some space to slide your feet under the seat in front. 

The middle seat is a bit narrow, but again, the lack of a transmission tunnel leaves room for your feet, while the doors open nice and wide to enable easy access for fitting child seats. 

The boot is the least impressive part of the Born in terms of space. At 385 litres it’s decent enough for an EV, but lags behind a Model 3, and the lack of any front boot to help add practicality is a pity.

Still, the opening is fine, and the boot is a nice square shape, but the seats only folds in a 60/40 split and there’s no ski hatch. 

Just like the VW ID.3, the Cupra Born’s interior quality is a bit of a mixed bag.

There are areas, however, where it looks and feels a bit nicer than the Volkswagen – in particular we like the copper detailing, the stitching on the soft-touch upper dash panel and the fabric-covered door and centre armrests. 

That contrasts, though, with hard and scratchy plastics elsewhere on the doors, as well as on the lower parts of the dash and centre console. It’s certainly nicer overall than a Nissan Leaf inside, but it isn’t on the same level for perceived quality as a Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Little cost-cutting touches like the lack of physical rear window switches in the front (a selector button switches between the fronts and rears) disappoint, too.

Overall, though, gloss over the minor details and it feels solid and built to last. 

Every Cupra Born comes with the same suite of infotainment and display tech. This differs to the ID.3, where some versions come with a smaller screen.

In the Born, you get a 12-inch central touchscreen mounted within your line of sight and skewed towards the driver. That’s complemented by a smaller digital dial display mounted on the steering column (meaning it moves when you adjust the wheel).

The infotainment screen itself is decent enough, with a crisp, bright display, not too much in the way of lag and a fairly sensible menu layout.

Sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are all standard. That’s welcome, obviously, but what takes some getting used to is that you rely on the screen so heavily, with no separate climate control stack. 

What’s more, Cupra (like VW) insists on using touch sensitive haptic ‘buttons’ for absolutely everything – from the light switches to the volume dials.

As in other VW Group products, the touch panel below the screen isn’t backlit (bafflingly) so is unusable at night, while the volume switches, which you have to massage with your thumbs up and down – a simple prod does nothing – are utterly infuriating.

It’s a shame, because some small tweaks and proper buttons and knobs would massively improve usability on the move. 

At the time of writing, the cheapest flavour of Cupra Born – the 204PS V1 model – is £36,475. However, there is a cheaper 150PS version coming with a smaller 45kWh battery. 

V1 trim is extremely well equipped, so really there’s no need to opt for the higher trim levels unless you simply must have bigger wheels and items such as heated electric seats and posher upholstery. Mid-level V2 trim starts at £38,395, rising to £41,975 for flagship V3 trim. 

However, if the 58kWh Born’s range isn’t enough for you, then the 77kWh battery version is only available in V2 and V3 form. Confusingly, you can get the e-Boost power gain on the 58kWh battery for an extra £800 or so. 

The 77kWh battery commands a price premium of around £2,800 over that 230PS model, which may well be worth it if you plan on using your Born for lots of longer journeys.

Another benefit that comes with the bigger battery is faster rapid charging. The 58kWh Cupra Born can take charge at a rate of up to 100kW, whereas the 77kWh model can take 125kW, meaning you can boost your range more quickly in a short pitstop. 

Getting those speeds out of the car and the charger depends on a variety of factors, though, and rapid charging isn’t exactly cheap – in fact, it can be no cheaper than filling up a petrol or diesel car.

To make the most of an EV’s super low running cost potential you’ll need to be able to charge it overnight at home. 

A domestic three-pin socket will take the best part of a day to charge your Born, so you’ll be much better off with a 7kW home wallbox – that’ll complete a charge of the 58kWh model in around nine hours. The 77kWh model will take a couple of hours longer. 

Happily, excellent efficiency combined with that big battery means a full charge brings plenty of range. WLTP estimates between 233 and 265 miles with the 58kWh model, rising to 308-343 miles for the 77kWh model. 

Those figures blow most affordable EVs into next week, although as is always the case do lots of motorway driving and those figures will drop.

Still, with very little road tax and what should be affordable servicing, it’s a very cheap way to do the miles. 

Cupra is a sporting brand, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Born gets a few key changes over the Volkswagen ID.3 on which it’s based. 

For a start, it has a reduced ride height (10mm lower at the front, 15mm at the rear) with a specific tune for the optional adaptive dampers.

Wider tyres specifically developed for the Born also feature, while the wheels go up to a larger diameter than they do on the VW. There’s also a Sport mode for the stability control.

None of these are huge changes, but they do make the Born feel a bit keener on turn-in and more able to control its fairly hefty kerbweight (it’s around 1800kg).

Well-weighted and accurate steering combined with loads of grip also means you can get into a nice, enjoyable rhythm on a twisty road. 

We’ll stop short of calling it a hot hatchback, though. For starters, despite it being rear-wheel drive, it doesn’t allow for any sort of playfulness in a bend, staying completely neutral. And there’s neither the feel nor the sharpness a good hot hatch (like Cupra’s own Leon) can offer. 

Having said that, the Born is a lot less wallowy than most small EVs. And, because it retains most of the ID.3’s excellent refinement and comfortable ride, it’s a great daily driver.

It’s superb around town with a tight turning circle and short overhangs, while out on the motorway it’s nicely controlled and not too firm. 

The Born also has more natural-feeling brakes than a number of EVs, meaning it’s easier to stop with confidence. In default drive mode, there’s not a lot of regenerative effect, but select Sport and it ups it a bit to simulate engine braking.

Select B mode and you get the full regen, which is strong without being neck-snapping. 

Our drive so far has been limited to the 204PS version of the Cupra Born. It puts out 310Nm of torque, and although neither of those figures are generous for a car of this weight, instant torque and response means it feels pretty nippy most of the time. 

0-62mph in this version is dispatched in a decent 7.3 seconds, but it’s the 0-30mph time of just 2.6 seconds that demonstrates the peppy performance off-the-line best.

Get up to motorway speeds and it feels less strong, as is often the case with EVs, but it never feels out of its depth.

It’s worth noting that the 230PS version (which drops the 0-62mph time to 6.6 seconds) has exactly the same amount of torque as the 204PS model.

We’d be surprised if it felt a great deal faster in real-world driving, although the e-Boost function (which can provide an extra boost of power at the touch of a button) will make overtakes even more easier.

Overall it’s some way from the gut-wrenching pace of a Tesla Model 3, but on busy, heavily speed-regulated UK roads there's plenty of performance here for the vast majority of needs. 

Safety body Euro NCAP has awarded the Cupra Born a maximum five stars for safety – not a huge surprise as the Volkswagen ID.3 was also handed five stars when it was tested back in 2020.

Every Cupra Born comes with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, a dynamic road sign display and drowsiness detection. What’s more, all-round parking sensors and a rear-view camera will help you avoid parking scrapes. 

If you need to go on the pull, look elsewhere. The Cupra Born is not rated for towing.

The entry-level Cupra Born V1 includes standard equipment such as 18-inch alloy wheels, auto lights and wipers, LED lights all-round, the full infotainment roster, adaptive cruise control, remote pre-heating and cooling, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera, ambient lighting, keyless start, sports seats, a heated steering wheel and 11kW AC charging capability.

Upgrading to the Cupra Born V2 only gets you a few extra niceties including 19-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, heated front seats, heated washer nozzles and an augmented reality head-up display. 

The flagship Cupra Born V3 upgrades the alloy wheel size to 20-inches, while also bringing Dinamica (faux suede) upholstery for the front seats. Those seats are also 12-way electrically adjustable, with heating and a massage function.