Born pretty
Steve Teale’s long wait for a shapely flank on an electric car is finally over as he falls head over heels for the svelte Cupra Born and its excellent road manners.
AT last, a pretty electric car. I know looks aren’t everything but goodness, some firms really have left the designer out of the equation. Many new electric vehicles are – because of the engineering involved with cumbersome batteries – squat, heavy and bulky. Price, economy and environmental concerns may also hold sway, but I still maintain car customers are influenced by a shapely flank.
Seat and Cupra, it seems, agrees with me. Hence the Born, the first 100 per cent electric vehicle from Cupra, the posh wing of Seat. And frankly it wouldn’t be a Cupra or a Seat if it didn’t look svelte.
So here we have what could claim to be the neatest EV on the road and, thanks to a recent price cut, one of the more affordable models. The trim levels have been simplified and the entry-level Born now starts from £34,125 and rises to £41,385 for the top-of-the-line V3 77kWh e-Boost, as tested here. Not cheap but affordable relative to some of its rivals.
Factory orders and orders from stock mean that the price reduction and simpler model line-up make the Cupra Born a more attractive proposition against its twin sister, the Volkswagen ID-3, and other electric hatchbacks like the Nissan Leaf.
In large battery form, the Cupra Born brings a range of up to 342 miles from a single charge, while the most potent versions can go from 0-60mpg in 6.4 seconds.
Customers who order before March 31 will receive a complimentary Ohme home charger installation and a pre-paid £750 MasterCard for every retail purchase.
Cupra also wants to make EVs more accessible, so it offering the revised Born range before April 2 with 0 per cent APR for 36 months, or a £4,000 deposit contribution and 3.9 per cent APR for 48 months. Its eCare plan will allow customers to receive two years’ free servicing at any Cupra main dealer.
So that’s the “head” bit. What about the heart? Well, Born is a good all-rounder. It has a fabulous cabin, a good amount of space for passengers and luggage and excellent road manners.
It looks the part: it carries over the sportiness of a Seat but adds plenty of premium quality, which you expect from a Cupra. Born has been the choice for those wanting a Volkswagen ID-3 with a sportier look, appeal and driving experience.
There are three battery capacities and three trim levels to choose from. The batteries will be 45kWh, 58kWh and 77kWh, with the midspec capacity having a choice of two power outputs.
At launch there was just one battery option, the 58kWh capacity with a 201bhp motor. It was followed by the 45kWh battery with a 148bhp motor launched at a lower entry price, while 58kWh and 77kWh batteries with 228bhp motors joined the line-up later.
There are three trim levels, with the least expensive at launch being the V1. Standard equipment includes 18-inch alloy wheels, full LED headlights and tail lights, a 12-inch infotainment display and 5.3-inch digital dial display, adaptive cruise control and front bucket seats upholstered in sustainably sourced Seaqual yarn.
V2 models add extra equipment includes 19inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, headup display and heated front seats.
Finally, top-spec V3 models add 20-inch alloy wheels, bucket seats with Dinamica suede upholstery, 12-way adjustable front seats and a massage function.
The test model has an official range of 263 miles and offers sprightly performance, with a 0-60mph time of 7.0 seconds. It can be charged at speeds of up to 120kW, which provides a five to 80 per cent top-up in 35 minutes. Customers can add 62 miles (100km) of range in as little as seven minutes using a 135kW rapid charger.
It is a comfortable and versatile car which can be driven with real verve. The ride comfort and handling is enhanced with optional
‘It carries over the sportiness of a Seat but adds plenty of premium quality, which you expect from a Cupra.’
Dynamic Chassis Control – enabling the driver to tune the damper settings across five modes, Range, Comfort, Performance, Individual and Cupra.
With the battery positioned centrally between the axles, weight distribution is almost 50:50 with a low centre of gravity, imperative for a high-performance electric car.
Its compact dimensions also contribute to its dynamic ability; the Born is 4,322mm long, 1,809mm wide, 1,540mm high and has a wheelbase of 2,766mm.
The car is neat on the outside but it is the cabin which makes it stand out. The interior is honed to be a truly digital place. The floating 12-inch “infotainment” touchscreen is angled towards the driver, allowing easy access to a range of functions in a simple and intuitive style.
The platform maximises space and allows for the clever use of storage, such as the high centre console, which combines connectivity points with a large storage capacity. This space is finished in the same neoprene material as the bucket seats, giving greater cohesion to the design and enhancing the quality feel of the key touch points. The boot has a capacity of 385 litres, which is wide and easily accessible.
In addition, Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra, and incidentally a former Leeds student, confirmed two additional electrified models will join the line-up, starting with the electrified compact SUV later in 2024, available with both mild and plug-in hybrid technologies.
Cupra Born 77kWh: £41,385 (range starts at £34,125); 231ps electric motor; range, 339 miles; top speed, 99mph; 0 to 60mph, 7.0 seconds; emissions, zero; insurance group, 28E; three years warranty, 60,000 miles.