The Cupra Born is already one of the sweetest handling electric vehicles available for the money, but now the Spanish brand is about to up the ante with a far faster and more dynamic variant – the Born VZ.
With a significant power boost compared to the standard Born, it promises a far more enthusiastic driving experience, but still with the same charm as the original.
I mean, 240kW + RWD = good recipe, right?
How much does the Cupra Born cost?
Cupra Australia hasn’t confirmed pricing for the Born VZ yet, but it will cost more than the existing model, as you’d expect.
Currently, the sole 77kWh Born variant sold in Australia retails for $59,990 plus on-road costs, which makes it a fairly pricey electric hatch, no matter how pretty or practical it is, especially considering the cut-throat retail approach of some rival electric vehicles in the segment.
It seems like every few weeks there’s a pricing adjustment for the MG 4, for example, and the high-performance version – the 320kW all-wheel drive XPower – currently dips under $60,000 drive-away.
So, it’d be fair to argue that Cupra will need to be mindful of its rivals on pricing. But who knows, it could be well into the $70K range for the VZ. Is that too much? Have your say in the comments.
To see how the Cupra Born lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
What is the Cupra Born like on the inside?
If you’ve sat in the existing Born, don’t go expecting massive changes – and that’s okay, because it has a lovely cabin design, usability and trim options.
In the VZ, there’s a microsuede finish on the Cup bucket seats that separate this variant from the lower version, and they’re a terrific set of chairs – both for comfort on longer drives, and control in more demanding settings.
You’re still getting a perforated leather steering wheel with a Cupra mode button and a drive mode selector button, too, but annoyingly there are haptic controls on the steering wheel that are easy to bump when you’re manhandling the tiller in the twisties.
The gear selector is mounted on the steering column, freeing up space between the seats for additional storage, including cupholders, a wireless phone charger and other nooks.
The centre dashboard is dominated by the 12.9-inch touchscreen media system, which has a revised software system that greatly improves the usability of the menus.
There is a section at the top for favourites like car settings, battery specs and drive modes, and you can pull down at the top of the screen to get to a selection of fast controls – like the lane keeping system, which you might want to switch off.
At the bottom of the display is a climate control panel that stays put, but you still need to go into another screen menu to adjust the fan speed by touch. There are haptic sliders for the volume and dual-zone climate below the screen as well.
It’s a comfortable experience and practical enough up front, but in the back there’s a big omission – the Born still doesn’t have directional air vents, which could make it a no-go for some parents.
Also counting against it as a mum or dad car is the fact that the Cup bucket seats don’t have map pockets on the back of them.
But the space in the back seat is good for a 182cm/6’0” adult to sit behind their own position with knee room to spare, and there’s no transmission tunnel to intrude into space, so three across should be possible.
However, it’s not clear if we’ll get the Born VZ as a four- or five-seat model, which is also an option on the base grade.
The model I drove had five seats, with the middle section offering a fold-down armrest and cupholders, plus a ski-port.
Other inclusions comprised USB-C charge ports; bottle holders in the doors; the obligatory ISOFIX points in the window seats; and top tethers for all three rear positions.
Born 77kWh shown
Boot space is 385 litres for the Born, and that’s enough room for a pram and some shopping, or a weekend’s worth of luggage.
There’s an adjustable boot floor that you can lift up to level out the load-in (and stow your charging cables underneath), or lower it down to open up more capacity. The cargo zone also has partitioned areas at the side for other items, while under the floor there’s no spare wheel – you get a tyre repair kit.
To see how the Cupra Born lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
What’s under the bonnet?
The Born VZ shakes things up in terms of the performance factor for this hatchback range, and below we’ve listed the two models side-by-side so you can see just how significant of a seismic change this new version is.
| Specifications | Cupra Born | Cupra Born VZ |
|---|---|---|
| Drivetrain | Single-motor electric | Single-motor electric |
| Battery | 77kWh lithium-ion | 79kWh lithium-ion |
| Power | 170kW | 240kW |
| Torque | 310Nm | 545Nm |
| Driven wheels | Rear | Rear |
| 0-100km/h – claimed | 7.0 seconds | 5.6 seconds |
| Energy consumption – as tested | – | 18.1kWh/100km |
| Claimed range – WLTP | 511km | ~500km+ |
| Max AC charge rate | 11kW | 11kW |
| Max DC charge rate | 175kW | 185kW |
To see how the Cupra Born lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool.
How does the Cupra Born drive?
This version of the Born is far more focused, faster, and more fun.
That’s a big call, because the original Born was already such a lovely thing to drive – but with the powertrain changes increasing power by over 40 per cent and torque by 75 per cent, the results are clearly evident. It’s a weapon!
It’s way quicker in terms of acceleration, and while it’s not at the same level as some of those Ludicrous vehicles you might otherwise be thinking of, it slings you at the horizon with more than enough pace to make you feel the speed.
The fact it’s rear-wheel drive and this quick separates it from some members of the EV pack, too. It possesses a level of intrinsic handling and dynamic prowess that dual-motor all-wheel drive models simply cannot come close to.
That’s physics, right? If the front wheels have to get power down and steer, there’s a compromise. But in the Born VZ, the steering is pure and unadulterated, and the power feels like it pushes you out of corners, rather than pull you out.
There’s an ESC Sport mode that allows you to loosen the reins a little, and it will step out a bit, allowing you to really feel your way through a corner by steering it on the throttle.
Just be mindful, though – this little car weighs a lot. The VZ hits the scales at 1999kg without a driver, and that’s a heavy hatchback in anyone’s language.
What is important, though, is the Dynamic Chassis Control system that allows you to adapt the drive experience to suit that situation, and I was very impressed with the ride comfort in a mix of situations when the dampers were in their softer setting.
On twisty roads, a combination of relatively firm damper settings and a lighter steering feel was what I gravitated towards in the Individual mode, but there are Cupra and Performance modes as well, and both have slightly different calibrations.
My main criticism of the dynamic element is the brake pedal feel, which I felt just needed a bit more of a bite to it – that’s particularly evident in faster stopping situations.
But the ‘B’ mode for regenerative braking is great for other situations, where you can let the car quickly slow you down and add some energy back to the battery. The thing that’s missing? In my opinion, it’s too quiet.
Some rivals may cop criticism for having artificial sounds in the cabin or outside, like the Ioniq 5 N and Abarth 500e.
But, anyone who has driven those vehicles will at least have an opinion about the sound, whereas it’s hard to have a stance on what is essentially silence.
What do you get?
Cupra Born highlights:
- 77kWh battery
- 19-inch black, copper ‘Typhoon’ alloy wheels
- Heated, power-folding exterior mirrors
- LED headlights, tail lights, fog lights
- Automatic headlights with auto high-beam
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Rear privacy glass
- Rear roof spoiler
- 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Wireless phone charging
- DAB+ digital radio
- 4 x USB-C ports
- Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Front bucket seats
- Keyless entry and start
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror
- Dual-zone climate control
- Aluminium pedals
- Sports suspension
- Progressive (variable-ratio) steering
Born VZ adds:
- 79kWh battery
- 185kW DC charging (+10kW)
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Specific exterior design changes
- Augmented reality head-up display
- Sennheiser premium sound system
- Cup bucket seats
- Power adjustment
- Lumbar support
- Memory function
- Microsuede interior trim
- Dynamic Chassis Control
A full list of standard equipment for the Australian-market VZ will be provided at a later date.
Is the Cupra Born safe?
The Cupra Born achieved the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2022.
| Category | Cupra Born |
|---|---|
| Adult occupant protection | 93 per cent |
| Child occupant protection | 89 per cent |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 73 per cent |
| Safety assist | 80 per cent |
Standard safety equipment includes:
- 7 airbags
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Pedestrian, cyclist detection
- Adaptive cruise control
- Lane keep assist
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Driver attention monitoring
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Surround-view camera
How much does the Cupra Born cost to run?
There’s a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty for all Cupra models in Australia, including the Born.
Concerned about battery health? The high-voltage battery warranty is eight years/160,000km, and it will be a guarantee for 70 per cent state of health by the end of that period.
Prepaid servicing is available for buyers, with a choice of three years/45,000km for $990, or five years/75,000km for $1590 – those numbers are based on the existing plan offered for the Born 77kWh.
You get five years roadside assistance for a Cupra in Australia, too.
CarExpert’s Take on the Cupra Born
The Born VZ certainly turns things up to 11 compared to the standard car, with a far more fitting drive experience that makes this car seem like a proper electric hot hatch.
The price will be a considerable factor for its success in Australia, but it definitely fills an intriguing space in the EV market.
Interested in buying a Cupra Born? Get in touch with one of CarExpert’s trusted dealers here
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