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The CUPRA Born is an electric small family car that has been produced by CUPRA since 2021. As with other models in the SEAT/CUPRA families it's name comes from a Spanish location, this time it's the El Born neighbourhood in Barcelona.
It was initially previewed as the SEAT el-Born at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show before being confirmed for production the following year and renamed as CUPRA Born in February 2021. The CUPRA Born was then named Best Electric Family Car of 2022 by What Car?, a great success for the model, and cemented it as one of the first electric hot hatch models on the market. In 2023 it was rewarded again as the Best To Drive Small Electric Car by What Car?.
Our CUPRA Born review will guide you through the latest model to help you decide if this is your next electric car.
The CUPRA Born is built on the Volkswagen Group MEB platform that also forms the basis for the Audi Q4 e-tron, the Skoda Enyaq iV, and the Volkswagen ID range. The VW Group have said that this platform aims to "consolidate electronic controls and reduce the number of microprocessors, advance the application of new driver-assistance technology and somewhat alter the way cars are built".
The Born has a rear mounted electric motor which powers the rear wheels directly. The battery, however, is positioned in the centre of the car to maximise the interior space and avoid sacrificing any boot space.
Whilst it may share many of its dimensions and foundation with the ID 3, it's been given the CUPRA treatment, with an entirely different front end design, the steering has been adjusted, it's been given lowered suspension and ride height, copper accents and even offers a performance boost with e-boost versions.
Even at entry level the CUPRA Born is stylish and comfortable with front sport bucket seats in SEAQUAL yarn, a high quality recycled polyester yarn which contains approximately 10% SEAQUAL Marine Plastic. The seats also have integrated head rests which adds to the sports styling.
This is matched with ambient interior lighting, copper interior detailing, and wireless Full Link smartphone integration which means no more wires that don't always work or aren't long enough for you to set up your phone whilst its connected.
The interior of the CUPRA Born is great regardless of which trim level you opt for thanks to the digital set up that comes as standard. The 12 inch touch screen that sits in the centre console is a hub for all of your controls inside the car, not just the media and sat nav.
There's also a 5.3 inch digital driver's display which is attached to the steering column which means that adjusting the steering wheel for your driving position isn't going to obscure any part of it.
Passengers will have plenty of room to relax in the CUPRA Born, even those that are over 6 foot tall should be able to comfortably sit in any of the seats. Front seat passengers will have 1024mm of headroom whilst those in the back will have 956mm, both the same as the VW ID 3.
Your new CUPRA Born will give you 385 litres of boot space with all five seats in use, which is the same as the VW ID 3 and 30 litres more than the CUPRA Formentor. Folding the rear seats down opens this up to 1267 litres, again the same as the ID 3, which makes carrying all of your family's items or suitcases for a trip away easy.
Additional storage in the cabin comes from features such as a central storage unit between the front two seats, which can be covered by an armrest that is full adjustable. There's also a small phone holder space in front of that that you can also cover to avoid being distracted by your phone as you travel. Elsewhere you'll find typical cupholders and cubby spaces in the doors.
There are two different battery sizes available on the CUPRA Born with varying power outputs: 58 kWh and 77 kWh.
The first 58 kWh option offers 204PS and a range of up to 265.3 miles. On a standard AC charger you're looking at 6 hours and 15 minutes for a 0-100% charge and on a rapid DC charger up to 120kW you can charge up to 80% in just 35 minutes.
You can expect the same charging times from the second 58 kWh battery but more power at 230PS. The additional boost also shaves 0.7 seconds from the 0-62mph time to bring it down to 6.6 seconds with a slight increase in consumption to 15.5 kWh/100km compared to 15.3 for the 204PS battery pack.
The most powerful battery pack is the 77 kWh which also offers 230PS. Whilst AC charging up to 11kW will take longer than the 58 kWh batteries at 7 hours and 30 minutes, it can utilise a higher current of up to 170kW. This allows it to charge even faster at a rapid charging station with up to 80% only taking 30 minutes.
E-Boost is an option on your CUPRA Born to give you an extra boost of power when you need it. The package includes the CUPRA steering wheel with satellite buttons and enhanced front disc brakes. Pressing the satellite button or "kicking down" on the accelerator unlocks access to an additional 20kW of power whilst you can also access it from choosing the e-Boost option in the CUPRA Drive Profile menu.
CUPRA also offer the EV&me app which helps you to determine if making the switch to electric is going to be the best fit for you at the moment. It offers journey comparison tools which tracks your driving style and shows you a breakdown of distance, time, estimated battery usage, and the charging stations on your route. It allows you to compare this to your petrol journeys and see how an electric car would perform on the same journey.
There are three trim levels available on the CUPRA Born; V1, V2, and V3, which you'll recognise if you're familiar with the CUPRA range.
The entry level V1 CUPRA Born has 18 inch alloy wheels, LED headlights with welcome home and adverse weather functions, LED tail lights, rain sensing wipers, a rear view camera, sport suspension, a 12 inch navigation system, 5.3 inch digital cockpit, wireless Full Link smartphone integration for Apple Carplay and Android Auto, front bucket seats, drive profile selection, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, dynamic road sign display, and CUPRA Connect.
This gives a 10 year safety and service subscription which includes emergency call, breakdown call, and service scheduling. Meanwhile remote access is a 3 year subscription that includes battery charge, remote climatisation, remote profiles and timers, online infotainment, online traffic information, online map updates, online route calculation, dynamic POI, and online voice assist.
Stepping up to the V2 trim will add 19 inch "Typhoon" alloy wheels, a heated and leather wrapped steering wheel with satellite buttons, heated front seats, dark tinted rear windows, heated washer nozzles, and an augmented-reality head up display.
Upgrading to the top V3 trim level adds 20 inch "Hurricane" machined aerowheels, and Granite Grey Dinamica seats which are 12 way electrically adjustable, have pneumatically adjustable lumbar support, and a massage function.
Every CUPRA Born will also come with a mode 3/type 2 charging cable as standard.
The CUPRA Born has a five star safety rating from Euro NCAP which places it on par with the Volkswagen ID 3 and the Ford Focus and higher than the Kia E Niro or the Vauxhall Astra.
The independent review found that passengers had good protection form multiple angles in the crash test and good protection form whiplash for adult occupants. Meanwhile the autonomous braking system performed well for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles.
The standard safety equipment on the CUPRA Born includes adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, forward collision warning with automatic braking, a driver alert system with driver tiredness recognition, lane assist, and dynamic road sign display.
You'll also have a three year manufacturing warranty on the new CUPRA Born. There's no mileage restriction for the first two years but a cap at 60,000 miles in its third year. There's also the option to extend this further than three years which you can discuss with our CUPRA team at any time.
The entry level V1 CUPRA Born starts at £36,475, a little less than the VW ID 3 at £39,425, and increases to £38,395 for the V2 and then to £40,150 for the V3 trim level. Other mid range electric cars are similarly priced, such as the BMW i3 at £33,805, whilst others are still coming in much higher, such as the Skoda Enyaq iV from £44,825.
CUPRA offer several additional options for your Born model which will adjust the price accordingly. Examples include a panoramic sunroof for £970 or upgrading to a BeatsAudio sound system for £470. Opting for a larger battery size or changing from the standard Vapour Grey paint colour will also add additional costs onto your total price, such as upgrading to the top costing Aurora Blue paint for £880.
The CUPRA Born is an excellent choice for a family electric car. It's excellent selection of technology and high quality materials mixed with its powerful motor and speedy charging times make it a great choice for both town driving and heading further afield.
For more information, or to book your test drive, we have helpful teams at the John Clark CUPRA sites in both Aberdeen and Dundee who are always available to guide you as you choose your new CUPRA Born.
