Cupra Born review

They say people fear what they don’t understand, but there was never really any reason to act cautious toward the Cupra Born. Sure, it was the Spanish brand’s first fully electric car (EV), but if you’ll pardon the pun, it was born of a familiar model. 

In other words, the Born is closely related to the Volkswagen ID 3 (that went on sale around two years before). Like the ID 3, the Born is a five-door electric hatchback that's about the same size as a Toyota Corolla. Considering the ID 3 is a previous class leader, that should bode well for the Born – and it’s not a simple case of the two cars being styled differently, either.

That’s because Cupra has positioned the Born as the sportier option, giving it sharper steering and brakes, firmer suspension and more supportive front seats. There's also a hot VZ version, where those elements are dialed up a notch further.

Cupra Born video review

The Born has other rivals beyond the ID 3, including the MG4, Peugeot e-308, Renault Megane and Vauxhall Astra Electric. Plus, if you're considering models in the Born VZ's price range, there's the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

Read on to find out how the Cupra Born squares up against the best electric cars…

What’s new

- July 2024: Born VZ on sale with 321bhp, 79kWh battery
- April 2024: 5-year/90,000-mile warranty replaces previous 3-year/60,000-mile guarantee
- January 2024: Born wins What Car? Best Small Electric Car of the Year
- April 2022: e-boost models join range: 227bhp motor with 58kWh or 77kWh battery options
- January 2022: Born wins What Car? Best Small Electric Car of the Year
- December 2021: UK orders open for 201bhp Born with 58kWh battery. V1, V2, V3 trims
- May 2021: Cupra Born is unveiled

Every Cupra born is rear-wheel drive and they all (bar one) have 228bhp, but there’s a choice of two battery sizes – 59kWh and 79kWh (usable capacities). The smaller battery’s lighter weight makes it the quicker Born of the two – 0-62mph in 6.7sec vs 7.1sec – but both versions offer sprightly acceleration. Either one will outaccelerate most rivals, including comparable VW ID 3s. 

The ‘bar one’ is the Born VZ. It may use the 79kWh battery, but with 322bhp, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 5.6sec – near-enough a match for the rival ID 3 GTX. It’s sprightly, even if the MG4 EV XPower (3.8sec) is much quicker still.

The Born's official range is 264 miles in 59kWh form, increasing to around 346 miles in 79kWh form. We should mention that these figures vary ever-so slightly between trims. The VZ has the longest range, at 366 miles. It’ll be difficult to get that far in the real world, but to give you an idea, a VZ model managed 294 miles in our summer real-range test.

The Born is a reasonably comfortable electric car. It does a good job of absorbing lumps and bumps in the road. The ride height has been lowered slightly compared with the VW ID 3, so it's a little firmer but the difference is minimal. It's still more settled than an MG4, for example.

The VZ gets adaptive suspension as standard, allowing you to adjust how firm or soft it is by switching driving modes. As such, the VZ remains respectably comfortable, despite its larger 20in wheels.

The Born has accurate, well-weighted steering, minimal body lean and a confidence-inspiring composure on twisty roads. It’s sharper to drive than the ID 3, which is saying something, because the ID 3 is already a tidy handler. 

Additionally, the Born outhandles the MG4 and Renault Megane, both of which feel that bit clumsier and less rewarding when pushed hard on challenging roads. 

The only thing to note about the Born’s handling is that, despite its impressive capabilities, it’s still more efficient than it is thrilling. The VZ is a bit more exciting, but still, other hot hatches – like the VW Golf R – will paint a bigger grin on your face. If you need an EV (and have a larger budget), take a look at Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

The Born is very quiet at town speeds, with just a bit of suspension noise to note. At 70mph, there's a bit more road and wind noise than in a Megane, but the Born is still impressively hushed – and far more so than the MG4.

The brake pedal is heavier and more naturally weighted than the set-up in the ID 3 and Megane, making it easier to judge how much pressure is required to slow down smoothly. That said, the pedal feels a little spongier than the Tesla Model 3’s.

The Born VZ’s brake pedal is slightly better, with a more progressive feel, but it’s by no means as easy to modulate as a petrol hot hatchback. That's largely because electric cars' combination of regenerative braking and mechanical brakes can make the pedal feel a bit spongy.

"The Born manages to show its fun side without compromising everyday comfort too much, which is a combination I'm very keen on." – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

The driver’s seat, steering wheel and pedals line up nicely, making for a natural-feeling driving position with no odd quirks. The well-bolsted seats are comfortable, too, especially those found in the VZ – they’re extra supportive.

Every Born gets a small but clear 5.3in digital driver's display that shows your speed and remaining range. The display is tiny compared with the one in the Renault Megane and it’s unable to offer a range of lay-outs – in those respects, it does feel a bit basic.

Annoyingly, like in many VW car models, you adjust the air-con using fiddly touch-sensitive sliders below the infotainment touchscreen. They're illuminated in the Born VZ but not on other versions so they're even more of a pain at night. Likewise, the touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel are fiddly to use and their inaccurate response can be very annoying.

Seeing out of the front of the Born is pretty easy. Its deep windscreen and slim front pillars afford you a largely unobstructed view of the road ahead, although they're heavily angled so taller drivers might find they get in the way a little at T-junctions.

The rear pillars are wide and the rear screen is a little shallow, so it's helpful that you get front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera as standard. Opting for the Pilot (L) pack adds a 360-degree view camera and a system called Park Assist (PA) that can steer the Born into spaces.

The Born has bright LED headlights with an auto-dipping feature, but not matrix LEDs (which automatically shape their beam to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers).

A 12.9in infotainment touchscreen comes as standard on all Borns, with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring included. The MG4 gets smartphone mirroring too, but it's not wireless. 

The screen itself is bright and clear, with a fairly logical operating system, although some basic settings are awkwardly buried in sub-menus. We prefer the more logical lay-out in the Kia EV6 and Renault Megane, which are even easier to use. That said, at least the Born’s system offers a few customisable shortcuts at the top of the screen to help out with usability.

The Born's interior has the same basic lay-out as a VW ID 3 but it's not just a copy-and-paste job. Its slightly different mix of materials means it looks and feels classier inside, especially around the centre console and arm rests.

Victory over the ID 3 is by a slim margin, though, and you’ll still find some hard, cheap-feeling plastic in places. The overall feel of quality inside the Born is much better than in an MG4, but the Megane feels slightly better.

"I like that the Born's interior feels a little more premium than that of the ID 3, with a broader mixture of materials and colours, although it’s darker overall." – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Even if you’re blessed in the height department you won’t find yourself struggling for space in the front of the Cupra Born. Indeed, even those measuring more than 6ft tall will have plenty of head and leg room.

On top of that, the Born feels surprisingly wide inside, which means you won’t be rubbing shoulders with your front-seat passenger, even if you’re both quite broad.

There’s pretty good storage space available too. A large chunk of that is in the centre console, which has various cubbies and the ubiquitous cup-holders. The glovebox is a decent size, as are the door bins.

The Born is roughly the same length as a VW Golf and is just as roomy in the back. There’s space for at least a 6ft passenger to sit behind someone equally tall without feeling squished, although there's not a lot of head or leg room spare.

To give you some context, space in the back is very similar to that in the VW ID 3, while the Peugeot e-308, Renault Megane and Vauxhall Astra Electric are tighter in the back, especially when it comes to leg room. If you’re after an electric family car with plenty of rear passenger space, take a look at the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

With three rear adult passengers on board, there won’t be a lot of shoulder room to spare, but the middle passenger will appreciate the flat floor. All Borns now get three rear head rests (the MG4 has two).

There’s not a huge amount to report here. You get 60/40 split rear seats as standard, which – while not as useful as having 40/20/40 split seats – is par for the course in smaller electric cars.

You don’t have the option of sliding or reclining rear seats, which you can get in some slightly pricier electric SUVs including the Hyundai Ioniq 5. To get a Born with a ski hatch and a fold-down rear centre armrest, you’ll need V3 or VZ trim.

The Born's 385-litre boot space is about the same size as that of a VW Golf or ID 3 and will be fine for transporting a small buggy, doing your shopping for the week or going on a weekend break. There's no front boot.

We managed to squeeze six carry-on suitcases into the Born's boot, one fewer than in the Megane and one more than we squeezed into an MG4. An optional height-adjustable boot floor removes any load lip when placed in its highest position and has space underneath for smaller items.

"The Born's boot volume is on a par with the ID 3's, but its different shape meant I was able to cram in an extra carry-on suitcase, which was useful on a couple of airport pick-ups." – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

The entry-level Cupra Born 59kWh is more expensive than most versions of the MG4 and Renault Megane. Like-for-like, the Born is on a par with the VW ID 3 but there are more affordable versions of that car – they use a slightly smaller 52kWh (usable capacity) battery. The Peugeot e-308 and Vauxhall Astra Electric also have a slightly lower list price.

For private buyers, we reckon the 59kWh Born in V1 trim makes the most sense, while those who cover lots of miles can opt for the bigger battery without it costing much more. That’s especially true for company car drivers, because the relatively small increase in P11D price makes a negligible difference per month when paying via salary sacrifice.

The 79kWh battery is also now available on entry-level V1 and not just the pricier ones. Like any electric car the Born will attract very low BIK tax rates, especially when compared with an equivalent Seat Leon. 

The 59kWh Born has the ability to fast charge at up to 165kW while the 79kWh Born can charge at up to 185kW, which means a 10-80% top-up will take around half an hour for both versions. With a 7kW home EV charger you’re looking at empty to full in around nine hours in the 59kWh version, and 12 hours in the 77kWh.

Entry-level V1 trim gets you LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, parking aids, adaptive cruise control and 19in alloy wheels. It's all you really need, and if you want more, you can add various option packs.

V2 comes with privacy glass, heated windscreen washer nozzles and a head-up display. It also gets heated seats and a heated steering wheel, so it’s worth considering if you like your creature comforts.

V3 is too expensive to recommend, but comes with 20in wheels and electric front-seat adjustment with a built-in massage function.

Top-of-the-range VZ represents an even larger step up in price, but it adds bespoke 20in wheels and sports bucket seats up front, as well as the extra power and performance-enhancing goodies we’ve referenced. It’s only really worth considering if you have the budget and have your heart set on the quickest, sharpest Born available.

Cupra did reasonably well in our 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing 13th out of 30 car makers – a big improvement on its last-place finish in 2023. The Born itself placed mid-table in the electric car class, with a respectable (but not outstanding) 92.5% – better than the ID 3 but not the Megane. 

For peace of mind, Cupra now gives you a five years/90,000 miles warranty (until April 2024 it was three years). That’s better than many rivals, although Kia gives you seven years. The Born's battery is covered for eight years (like with most electric cars).

The Born gets an extensive suite of safety kit. That includes automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping assistance, a driver fatigue monitor and traffic-sign recognition, which shows you the speed limit of the road you're driving on. 

Just like the closely-related ID 3, the Born scored a full five stars when it was tested for safety by Euro NCAP. Looking deeper into the results, the Born actually scored better than the ID 3, but as the Born was tested more recently and in harder tests, it’s impossible to directly compare.

The Renault Megane was tested by Euro NCAP at the same time and scored less than the Born in every area.

"I reckon the Born should work out a few hundred pounds cheaper than an ID 3 over three years due to its slightly lower predicted depreciation and electricity costs." – Claire Evans, Consumer Editor

Buy one if…

- You enjoy punchy performance

- You like sharp handling

- A spacious interior and good boot space 

Don’t buy one if…

- You want the cheapest electric family car available

- You want a really simple, easy-to-use interior controls

- Ride comfort is paramount (the closely related ID 3 is slightly more comfortable)

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