The Cupra Born or the ID.3, which is the one you would choose? They’re both basically the same car, one has spearheaded the VW group’s electric charge for the past 3 years and the other is a sportier and more athletic looking competitor/cousin.
Special mention : It looks phenomenal, hot hatch design is very attractive, CUPRA have the exterior aesthetics nailed. Slow charging is very good, 60-100% (ensuring full charge for a motorway journey the following day) only took 2.5 hours on 22kwh.
Needs work : The obvious issues with the infotainment unfortunately, if you can easily adjust and get used to it, then so be it. If only the VW Group would consider going back to outsourcing the infotainment design. Other than that, the seats are a little stiff but supportive.
| BHP 204 HP | Electric / Auto |
| 0-100 km/h in 7.3 seconds | Road Tax €190 |
| Price: from €48,110 | Boot space 385 litres |
The Born also competes with the MG4 EV, Peugeot e-208, and Renault’s Megane E-Tech.. The five-door hatchback body style makes it practical and gives it an advantage over smaller EV hatches such as Renault’s Zoe. By 2025, Cupra plan to launch the Terramar plug-in hybrid SUV, an all-electric Tavascan SUV and the Urban Rebel electric city car.
The Born comes with a choice of either a 58kWh or 77kWh battery, the 204 hp 58kWh model is advertised as getting up to 400 + kms on a single charge but I didn’t see much over 315km range, heavier options such as bigger tyres will reduce the juice as well as individual driving style, the type of road, cold weather etc.
If you go through juice quickly, the Born can fast charge up to 120kW (125kW for the 77kWh version) which will get this 58kWh battery from 10-80% charge in around 30 mins. If you’re using a slow charging 7kW home wall box it takes around 9 hours.
In the same way the Golf GTE is related to a GTI, it looks similar to but doesn’t really have the performance edge that the GTI has, the Cupra Born is a ‘sporty’ EV. It’s a little more dynamic than your average EV, it has that attractive athletic design with sharp lines and beefy wheels, but as quick as it is, it could be more dynamic. It’s an absolute breeze to nip through a city and fun to suavely run along a B-road. Cupra has however worked hard on giving their first electric car its own personality despite sharing many mechanical and electrical components with the ID.3. We wouldn’t call the Born hot hatch quick but with 201bhp and 310Nm torque available instantly, it’s certainly sprightly. At motorway speeds that responsiveness is more than accommodating when overtaking but it’s quick to tail off. The rear wheel drive setup of the Cupra does give it the edge over most front wheel drive EVs.
Cupra has done well in disguising its weight (1,736kg) which is fairly heavy for a car of this size. On the motorway the heavy battery can cause the ride to feel a little fidgety and it points out most potholes. The position of the driver’s seat is very good, it comes with rake and reach adjustment and with the excellent curved design of the seats, they leave you feeling relaxed after most journeys. You’ll find touch-sensitive controls everywhere throughout the cabin. The ones on the steering wheel are easily activated when you least want them, and most difficult when you do. The Born gets a 12-inch central touchscreen where most settings are accessed through. The story is much the same here too, ergonomics, much like those at Transport Ireland, are not high on the list at the in-house design department. You get sat-nav, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay with smartphone mirroring as standard. The number of menus need to be reduced and larger icons introduced to make it easier to navigate.
One of the cool functions you can get is e-boost, this can be activated by simply pushing the satellite button on the right of the steering wheel, you can tap into +20kW of additional power. You can also activate e-Boost by kicking down on the accelerator or through the CUPRA Drive Profile menu. It gives immediate acceleration any time you want it. The e-Boost package enhances the overall performance. You get the CUPRA steering wheel with satellite buttons which also allow you to switch your drive profile. Along with the steering wheel, the pack also includes improved front disc brakes and 19″ Aero wheels.
The on-board tech includes Cupra’s CAR2X technology which has the capability to wirelessly connect with other cars to share information like road works or other traffic updates. By constantly analysing traffic solutions, this functionality finds the fastest and safest route for you each time. Before opening your door to get out, Exit Assist gives off a visual and acoustic warning when there is approaching traffic. This technology is especially helpful to alert you of upcoming cyclists or motorcyclists, whose approach is usually so quick, it’s easy to miss them.
The Born looks and feels great, the steering wheel is wrapped in perforated leather with main touchpoints (centre console and arm rests) especially well trimmed. The Born incorporates all of the best features from the class-leading VW ID 3 but with a more refined interior and an upgraded infotainment system. Any buyer should consider the entry-level version as a well-equipped, class-leading small electric car.
There’s pretty good storage space throughout the cabin, the centre console is huge with lots of cubbies and cup-holders. The glovebox too is reasonably sized, as are the door bins which easily hold litre sized bottles. It’s a shame it doesn’t come with a sliding or reclining rear bench but it does have a 60/40 split as standard. There’s also a completely flat floor adding to rear passenger comfort. The boot has 385 litres of space and you get a small storage bin next to the emergency tyre repair kit for the charging cable.