android, cupra born 2023 review: track test

The backrest is comfy, its headrests nicely soft and pillowy.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test

The optional Interior Package brings stylish sports buckets that hold and support you in all the right places.

Likes

Eye-catching design Sporty chassis Value pricing

Dislikes

Fiddly multimedia and electronic switchgear Some cabin plastics sub-standard No V2L capability – for now

We wondered why. Why would Volkswagen launch two new brands in Australia in the space of 15 years, especially when most models simply replicated what was already on offer.

Skoda was first back in 2007 after a 25-year hiatus locally, and while its path hasn’t been easy, most would agree the Czech carmaker is now well-established.

Cupra, though? It might have seemed just a frivolous expansion of the VW GTI portfolio, in Balenciaga-type tracksuit and trainers aimed at influencers.

But that was before the Born. An attainable electric vehicle (EV) with impressive range, the latter doesn’t have to contend with any other VW Group clone just yet, but instead get down to the job of conquering a growing army of alternatives.

The Born doesn’t arrive until March or April, but after a brief taste around a Victorian race track, we can stop wondering why Cupra is here.

Price Guide

$59,990

Based on new car retail price

This price is subject to change closer to release data

Price and features – Does it represent good value for the price? What features does it come with? 9/10

Right now, from $59,990, before on-road costs, the Born is the sixth least-expensive new EV in Australia ­– and the second-cheapest after the BYD ATTO 3 to use a dedicated architecture, rather than ride on a modified internal combustion engine (ICE) platform.

For now, the Cupra only comes in a single, high-spec grade, with a big 77kWh battery pack and up to 511km of WLTP range (less if you choose the optional bigger-wheeled version), making the base grade the cheapest long-range EV for now, too.

Less expensive models with a smaller battery pack are expected to arrive later on.

The Born is also the first EV to be positioned as a hot-hatch, with performance on par with recent (2013-2016 Mk7) VW Golf GTIs, though not the latest iterations.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
From $59,990, before on-road costs, the Born is the sixth least-expensive new EV in Australia.

All these facts place the Born in a unique position in Australia, and for many EV buyers, that justifies its existence.

The $60K Cupra costs around $4K more than BMW’s Mini Cooper SE ­– which is substantially smaller, less powerful and unable to go nearly as far on a single charge – as well as $4K less than the Polestar 2 Standard, offering broadly similar outputs and ballpark range.

Every other cheaper EV like the MG ZS EV, Hyundai Kona Electric and Nissan Leaf are either derived from an ICE-based platform or lack the Born’s range, while alternatives that can match its distance between charges are more expensive.

Advantage, Cupra.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
Less expensive models with a smaller battery pack are expected to arrive later on.

On the safety/security front, there are seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), lane assist, park assist, blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert with exit warning, rain-sensing wipers, a top-view 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitors, adaptive cruise control, an alarm, auto on/off LED headlights with auto high beam, front fog lights and heated/powered exterior mirrors.

You’ll also find keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate control, a 5.3-inch digital instrumentation cluster, a 12-inch multimedia system, digital radio, wireless smartphone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay, wired Android Auto, a heated leather steering wheel, four USB-C ports, ambient lighting, rear tinted windows, a rear roof spoiler and 19-inch alloys (but no spare wheel, just a tyre repair kit). Metallic paint adds another $475.

While on options, buyers can pick the $2600 ‘Performance Package’, ushering in 20-inch alloys on wider Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres (dropping range down to 475km), as well as adaptive chassis control including adaptive dampers and a stability-control-off function.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
Inside is a 12-inch multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto.

The other choice is the $2900 ‘Interior Package’, with imitation suede-like seat fabric, heated and powered front seats with a massaging function, heated washer jets and a Beats premium audio system.

Note both packages have a different, two- rather than three-person back seat, turning the Born from a five-seater to a four-seater proposition. Best to stay basic, further underlining the headline value of the cheapest version of Cupra’s breakout EV.

It’s a pity, though, that the Born does not support vehicle-to-load (V2L) car-to-building charging for now.

Design – Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10

The Born is about the size of the VW Golf, or maybe a bit smaller, making it a C-segment sized hatchback.

Built on VW’s MEB all-electric EV architecture, it is a version of the coming VW ID.3, and that’s most obvious in profile as well as rear on. That said, the monospace design is well proportioned, as well as very modern, angular, glassy and Teutonic in flavour. This could only be a VW Group vehicle.

All-in-all, this is a handsome car. Just note that if you’re cross-shopping this with the wildly successful Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6, know that you should be considering the coming, larger VW ID.4 instead, since this is quite a bit smaller and lower to the ground as per a traditional hatch.

That will be very clear the moment you step inside a Born.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
The Born is about the size of the VW Golf, making it a C-segment sized hatchback.

Practicality – How practical is the space inside? 7/10

Like the Nissan Leaf, the Born is a taller-than-usual five-door hatch, meaning that, for a small car, it’s a bit easier to get in and out of compared to normal.

And like the pioneering Japanese EV, the Cupra has exceptional forward vision, aided by thin pillars and deep glass areas, the upshot of the monospace silhouette.

Now, space-wise, the Born is a bit of an anti-Tardis, in that it seems smaller on the inside than outside, with a sense that it actually sits somewhere between a VW Polo and Golf in size. And that’s a bit surprising. It’s no bad thing, just a bit more compact than expected.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
The Cupra Born has exceptional forward vision, aided by thin pillars and deep glass areas.

Maybe that boxy shape and the Ioniq 5 have shifted our expectations and turned us all into size queens.

Second impressions? Clean, if a bit cold and quite minimalist, the dashboard is generally as you’d expect a modern VW to be, particularly if you’re used to the latest Golf.

This means it’s very stylish and contemporary, with eye-catching details and textures, but you also have to familiarise yourself with how to operate some of the basic things, like the climate control and multimedia systems. Annoying.

There is all-digital instrumentation, as you’d expect from an EV. It’s clear and configurable, so you should find something you like aesthetically. There’s also a twist-action gear lever, sited to the right of the dash, and that works quite naturally. In fact, the whole driving position is well realised.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
The all-digital instrumentation is clear and configurable.

Our test car was fitted with the optional Interior Package, which brings stylish sports buckets that hold and support you in all the right places, especially when driving hard. These have an electrical adjustment as well as heating and massaging functions when required. They feel as good as they look.

Other highlights include an attractive steering wheel, effective ventilation and plentiful storage, including the huge door bins.

And out back, it turns out that the Born isn’t quite as compact as it seems looking at it from the front, with ample legroom as well as headroom for your 178cm tall tester.

The backrest is comfy, its headrests nicely soft and pillowy, and thoughtful amenities include a folding centre armrest with cupholders, USB outlets and hungry door bins.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test

The backrest is comfy, its headrests nicely soft and pillowy.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test

The optional Interior Package brings stylish sports buckets that hold and support you in all the right places.

It’s a pity, then, that silly little things let the Cupra down a bit inside.

That multimedia system is difficult to fathom beyond the home screen, and can be downright flummoxing to figure out. The slide controls for heating and cooling are fiddly, some of the plastics aren’t of a quality you’d expect from a VW Group product, and you won’t find a spare wheel anywhere, just a tyre repair kit.

At least the latter helps boost cargo capacity, to a reasonable 385 litres (VDA), and that’s helped out by a split/fold backrest with a ski-port.

This allows the Born to play the role of a nifty and practical four-seater EV for smaller families.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
There is a reasonable 385 litres (VDA) of cargo capacity.

Drivetrain – What are the key stats for the drivetrain? 8/10

Like the original VW Beetle, the Born drives the rear wheels via an engine/motor that is placed out back. But that’s where the similarities end.

VW’s vaunted MEB all-electric EV architecture is a skateboard platform, with that rear-mounted permanent magnet synchronous electric motor delivering 170kW of power between 5300-7000rpm, and 310Nm of torque between 0-2000rpm, and all to the rear wheels via a single-speed reduction gear transmission.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
The Born’s rear-mounted permanent magnet synchronous electric motor delivers 170kW of power and 310Nm of torque.

Though it weighs in at around two tonnes, the Born can bolt to 100km/h in seven-seconds flat – and needs just 2.8s to 50km/h – handy for zipping in and out of traffic. Top speed is 159km/h.

Like the ID.3, the Born’s suspension consists of MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link rear end. But it boasts unique motor, steering and suspension tuning, with the wick turned up ever-so-slightly for a more-athletic experience.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
Though it weighs in at around two tonnes, the Born can bolt to 100km/h in seven-seconds flat.

Energy consumption – How much does it consume? What’s the range like, and what it’s like to recharge? 9/10

Small car. Big battery pack.

With a sizeable 82kWh-actual but 77kWh-net lithium-ion battery underneath, the Born’s WLTP range is a deal-making 511km. Great for the out-of-town blasts that are a constant allure for most hot hatch owners.

Now, we don’t have full Australian information pertaining to charging a Born just yet, but overseas data suggests the average mild-weather energy consumption is around 15.8 and 17.6kWh/100km, though in the real world that would be closer to 20kWh/100km.

That’s the good news. The bad news is, as with all big-battery EVs, it will take a while to recharge a Born with the 77kWh battery pack.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
The Born’s WLTP range is a deal-making 511km.

Plugged in at home in a 10-amp regular socket, it might take more than 39 hours, but investing in a Wallbox for around $2K extra slashes that to between eight and 12 hours, depending on output.

Out on the road, find a 50kW DC fast-charger and that should need no more than 70 minutes from empty to full, or under half that time using a rare 150kW super-fast charger.

AC charging is via a Type 2 port with an 11kW capacity, while DC fast charging is via a CCS2 port with up to 170kW capability.

Finally, regenerative braking, offering some level of single-pedal deceleration that also helps recharge the battery a bit, is also part of the Born’s identity.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
As with all big-battery EVs, it will take a while to recharge a Born with the 77kWh battery pack.

Safety – What safety equipment is fitted? What safety rating? 8/10

There is no ANCAP crash-test rating as yet for the Born, but over at EuroNCAP, it has been awarded a maximum five-star result this year.

Safety items for Australian-bound models will include seven airbags (front, side, curtain and front-centre), autonomous emergency braking (operational from 5.0km/h) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane assist tech (operational from 65km/h), park assist, blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert with exit warning, a top-view 360-degree camera and tyre pressure monitors.

The Born is also fitted with electronic stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry/start, an alarm, auto on/off LED headlights with auto high beam, rain-sensing wipers, front fog lights and heated/powered exterior mirrors.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
Over at EuroNCAP, the Born has been awarded a maximum five-star result.

Note, however, that drum, rather than disc, brakes are fitted out back.

We expect the Born to include two ISOFIX latches for child seats and at least two latches for child-seat tether straps.

This is all that we know so far. More information pertaining to Born safety will be revealed closer to the car’s local launch date.

Ownership – What does it cost to own? What warranty is offered? 7/10

Whether the Born will be offered with Cupra’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty scheme is not yet known. No Australian-specific information has been announced about battery life warranty, either.

Similarly, we are yet to find out about the Cupra’s servicing and running costs, as well as service intervals. But other models are offered with pre-purchased discounted servicing, so don’t be surprised if the Born does as well.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
It is not yet known if Cupra will offer their five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty scheme for the Born.

Driving – What’s it like to drive? 8/10

There are three things you need to know about our time with the Cupra Born.

Firstly, it was for several laps around the tight Haunted Hills racing track in Victoria’s Gippsland region, in wet conditions despite being during mid-December, and with no public-road driving tests allowed.

Secondly, the Born features a unique motor, steering and suspension set-up compared to its ID.3 twin.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
Off-the-line acceleration is smooth yet forceful, building up speed quickly.

Thirdly, the car we sampled was the first local-spec version especially flown out from Spain for the Australian media. It featured the Performance Package, meaning it rode on the 20-inch wheel and adaptive damper set-up.

First impressions? Like most electric cars, off-the-line acceleration is smooth yet forceful, building up speed quickly. Even in ‘Eco’ mode, it is exhilarating to drive hard, let alone in ‘Sport’ mode.

The track’s tight turns and off road camber can challenge cars in the wet conditions we experienced, but in the Cupra’s case, they only served to highlight the depth of engineering going on underneath.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
The Performance Package includes a 20-inch wheel upgrade and the addition of an adaptive damper set-up.

Even when driven hard, the Born’s chassis feels planted, taut and controlled, aided by sticky and grippy tyres, as well as a stability control system that is quite nuanced in the way it intervenes. Given this is a rear-drive vehicle with quite a lot of torque channelling through to the back, the handling remains crisp and controlled.

Likewise, the steering is beautifully weighted, precise and linear, while the brakes don’t feel too grabby in the way that many EVs and hybrids do.

The Born, like most EVs, has regen braking, but they don’t bring the car to a full stop. It does provide some level of slowing down, but it’s not like a one-pedal drive that will bring the car to a halt, like, say, an Ioniq 5.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
The track’s tight turns, plus the wet conditions was no challenge for the Cupra Born.

Finally, not only did our Born feature adaptive dampers, the smooth track surface flattered the suspension, meaning it was difficult to accurately assess ride comfort. There wasn’t as much as a bump or pothole to upset the car’s balance.

So, is the Born our first-ever EV hot hatch?

Driving it hard, it’s easy to love this car’s brisk responses, steering poise and planted body control: it’s all so involving and confidence building; and, if you’re up for it, even with the safeties on, the driver can kick the tail out a little bit. This Cupra can be a lot of fun.

android, cupra born 2023 review: track test
It’s easy to love this car’s brisk responses and steering poise.

These, along with affordability, are the fundamentals of a hot hatch, and so our experience left us wanting more.

Of course, the inevitable answer to that question is that we need to drive the Born on public Australian roads to truly ascertain whether it is our first EV hot hatch.

But, on first impressions, the Cupra looks very promising, indeed.

Keyword: Cupra Born 2023 review: track test

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