Cupra Born on display at Cupra Garage Artarmon. Source: Tim Eden
The Born is Cupra’s first fully electric car in Australia and also the first car based on Volkswagen group’s Modular Electric Drive matrix (MEB) platform.
The MEB platform underpins VW’s ID range of electric cars, Skoda’s Enyaq iV and the Audi Q4 e-tron although none of these are expected here until 2024.
The Born is selling reasonably well so far, with 86 sales in July making it the 7th best selling EV for the month. With a starting price of $59,990 before on-road costs it falls under the threshold for state EV rebates, but well above the cheapest EVs such as the MG4, BYD Dolphin and GWM Ora.
Cupra is offering the Born with an 82kWh (77kWh usable) battery pack, good for up to 511km of WLTP driving range in base specification. This drops to 475km if you select the optional Performance Pack ($2600) which includes Dynamic Chassis Control, larger 20” wheels and wider tyres.
There’s also an Interior Package ($2900) which adds heated massage seats in the front, microfleece seat material and a premium sound system. Selecting either of these packages removes the middle seat in the rear making it a 4-seater. DC fast charging tops out at 170kW, while AC charging is up to 11kW via 3-phase power or 7kW on single phase.
Test driving the Cupra Born isn’t as simple as booking an appointment online like you can with Tesla or Polestar. Instead you need to request a test drive and then wait until a Cupra Specialist contacts you, gauging your interest with a series of qualifying questions before scheduling a time.
The Cupra Garages are nicely fitted out with cars and merchandise on display and areas to relax while you’re waiting.
The Cupra Born is a nice looking car from all sides and stands out on the road with a mean looking front. Cupra’s signature copper colour features on their logo front and back, plus highlights other areas of the design such as the lower front grill.
Practicality is not a strong point for the Born, with a relatively small 385L boot and no usable frunk. Opening the stubby bonnet reveals access to the 12V battery and windscreen washer fluid.
In terms of the interior, the cabin looks and feels fairly premium. The copper highlights continue in various places and there are generous cup holders and centre console storage bins. The rear doors open wide for easy access to the rear but the view from the back is somewhat restricted by large bucket seats, even for adults or taller kids.
Out on the road, the Born’s single motor RWD setup with 170kW and 310Nm means it feels quicker and sportier than most other FWD EVs.
Multiple driving modes such as Eco, Sport and Cupra can be selected via a button on the steering wheel, but the difference between them wasn’t huge.
The suspension felt well tuned and handled bumpy roads and speed bumps nicely, without being too firm or soft. Steering feels fairly direct and the car handles well around corners, although the test drive was mainly conducted on suburban roads at city speeds.
The Born has a few quirks that are worth mentioning. Firstly, creep mode cannot be switched off, which is disappointing for those having grown accustomed to it on other EVs that offer one pedal driving.
Secondly, due to technical reasons, Cupra hasn’t been able to include connectivity in the Australian models yet so the car misses out on built-in satellite navigation and automatic trip planning with charging stops which really should be included in all EVs. The car supports wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although plugging in your phone before driving every time could get tedious.
Lastly, the capacitive swipe buttons on the steering wheel and dash are widely regarded as counter-intuitive and hard to use and this was confirmed during this test drive experience. In 2022 the VW boss admitted these design mistakes and said they are working on both software and hardware fixes.
Summing up, the Cupra Born is worth considering if design and driving dynamics are at the top of your list. Time will tell if the recent arrival of sub $40,000 EVs takes market share away from the Born, particularly the MG4 which offers a similar sporty driving feel.
Cupra may need to introduce the smaller 58kWh battery version that’s available overseas to entice price conscious buyers. If the connectivity and infotainment quirks are deal breakers, then consider waiting for future model years when they’ve been fixed.
Key features and specifications for the Cupra Born are below:
| Price | $59,990 plus on-road costs |
| Optional Packages | Performance Package – $2600
Interior Package – $2900 Aurora Blue metallic paint – $475 |
| Battery size | 82kWh gross, 77kWh usable |
| Range | 511km WLTP 475km with Performance Package |
| Power / Torque | 170kW / 310Nm |
| Charging Speed | 170kW DC, 11kW AC |
| Charging Socket | CCS2 combo |
| Service Interval | 15,000km / 12 months |
Tim has 20 years experience in the IT industry including 14 years as a network engineer and site reliability engineer at Google Australia. He is an EV and renewable energy enthusiast who is most passionate about helping people understand and adopt these technologies.
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