Cupra Born e-Boost
FIRST UK DRIVE Electric hatchback is now hotter than ever
THE Cupra brand has carved out a niche as the sporty member of the VW Group family, but up to now its Born electric hatchback has only aped what we’ve already seen from Volkswagen with its ID.3. That all changes with this car, though: the Cupra Born e-Boost.
Born e-Boost models feature a 77kWh battery feeding an electric motor on the car’s rear axle that can temporarily deliver up to 228bhp when the Cupra driving mode is selected using a steering wheel-mounted button. With 310Nm of torque from low down, performance is fairly swift, with this big-battery model sprinting from 0-62mph in seven seconds flat. The smaller-battery model can complete the same sprint in 6.6 seconds thanks to the lighter 58kWh unit, but it doesn’t offer as much range.
Acceleration tails off as speed increases, and above about 50mph the Born doesn’t feel all that rapid. And given the mass of the bigger battery in this car, it feels limited in its dynamic performance, too. At least that mass is mounted low down, so despite the raised-up driving position in the Born there’s not a great deal of body roll.
The steering is fast and precise, too, while throttle response is suitably, well, electric. It’s just that the car’s reactions to your inputs are sluggish – and it’s all to do with that battery. In quick direction changes or over mid-corner bumps the Cupra’s chassis takes a moment to settle, which erodes the feeling of sportiness.
Dial it back from this faster approach and the car feels much more together, but it’s a shame that there are still obvious limitations to the MEB platform’s ability in this more powerful model.
In the default driving mode the e-Boost model is similar to any other Born, in that it rides relatively well, serves up solid refinement and gives just enough in the way of driver engagement at everyday speed.
However, it also offers the same drawbacks: ‘B’ mode doesn’t offer as much regenerative braking as we’d like and while the interior looks and feels sporty, some of the materials could be higher-quality. Also, the infotainment set-up is frustrating to use.
At least it comes loaded with features, with the 12-inch central screen offering sat-nav, the latest phone connectivity and a rear-view camera. It’d just be better if it was easier to operate.
There’s a good level of space in the rear, though, so along with the fair 385-litre boot it delivers enough practicality. A claimed range of 333 miles (our test car wouldn’t
have broken a real-world 300 on a full charge) and 135kW recharging capability that’ll top the battery up from five to 80 per cent in 36 minutes also boosts usability. A full recharge from empty to full using a home wallbox will take seven-and-a-half hours.
Top-spec V3 trim comes loaded with kit such as 20-inch wheels, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, full keyless go, dual-zone climate control and heated seats, plus all-round parking sensors and lots of driver assistance tech. But then it does cost nearly £42,000.
The price wouldn’t be as much of an issue if the e-Boost car clearly defined itself as something different. Only it doesn’t. Given that their power delivery is almost identical, this slightly more powerful Born (which is only three tenths of a second faster from 0-62mph than a standard 201bhp 58kWh car) doesn’t offer enough over and above the more affordable versions lower down the range.