CUPRA Born review: Field report after six days of everyday use

The CUPRA Born is the only electric car from Seat's sub-brand and is based on the same platform as the ID. 3 from Volkswagen. I was able to date him for just under a weekprobeer

A VW ID. 3 has certainly seen everyone at least once. It is the first vehicle from VW in which the MEB platform is used and was presented for the first time in 2019. He's one of them most popular electric cars in Germany, there were 16.421 new registrations in 2022. This puts it slightly behind the ID. 4 and ID. 5.

Then there is the CUPRA Born, the only all-electric model from CUPRA with a strong visual resemblance to the ID. 3. I was able to ride the Born for almost a week and covered around 800 kilometers. You can read about my experiences in this test report.

Design

In short, the CUPRA Born looks like an ID. 3 in a sporty guise. Although the cars share the same basic shape, the CUPRA stands out with a few small details. There are a total of six subtle finishes, with my test vehicle being moonstone grey. I really like it and it has the practical advantage that dirt is not so easily visible. However, I have to say that the lava blue metallic, which I happened to see in a parking garage, appeals to me a bit more. There are also gray rims with either silver or gold accents.

The appearance may be too flashy - too "fancy" - for many, but that's exactly what the CUPRA brand stands for. In my opinion, you have found the perfect middle ground between a simple and at the same time sporty look. If you can’t get used to it at all, you still have the ID. 3 as an alternative. For my taste, only the tires don't fit so well into the picture, they actually look a little big.

Let's take another look around the car, starting at the rear. There we have a continuous rear light, which has a small Born lettering on the sides. We know it in a similar way from other CUPRAs. The logo acts as a trunk opener, the flap does not open automatically. I have a small criticism of the rear window, it is relatively small and at the top. In addition, there are no side windows behind the C-pillar, which makes it a bit difficult to see when driving back. Depending on your driving skills and self-confidence, you will be happy if you selected the reversing camera when configuring the car.

The charging connection is installed on the right side. The C-pillar was provided with a pattern, which looks good again. The door handles are illuminated when it's dark, and a CUPRA logo is displayed in front of the driver's door when it's dark proinjected – nice gimmick.

The front is unremarkable so far. The CUPRA Born does not have a frunk, which means that the charger has to be kept in the trunk. Depending on the equipment, there is a double floor for this. However, I think that should be included in the standard equipment.

Interior, speakers and infotainment

Now we open the doors to the front row and sit down on the recycled microfiber seats. These are electronically adjustable, offer heated seats and a massage function, and they are very comfortable - not too hard and not too soft. It doesn't get uncomfortable even on longer journeys. In the center console there is a cup holder, a small storage compartment and a spacious center console. The lid to this can be easily pushed back, making it easier to get to the two USB-C ports. An area for wireless charging of a smartphone is also at the start. This occasionally needs a few attempts (which may also be due to my cell phone case), but then works faster than in some other cars.

There is no physical climate control, instead everything is controlled via the display. As usual, the mirror and window controls are on the driver's left. I found it strange that you only have window regulators for one row and have to switch between the two rows with a button. Wouldn't there have been more space for two more keys? The steering wheel is equipped with touch surfaces, which react well and give feedback similar to 3D touch in older iPhones. A steering wheel heater is also on board, which was good for my already cold hands after visiting the Salzburg Advent market.

Overall, I think the right amount of minimalism was chosen here. There are buttons and levers for the most important features, everything else can be controlled via the display.

The rear row of seats offers three more seats, although it can get quite cozy when all are occupied. If that's not the case, you can use the cup holder in the middle seat and quickly reach into the trunk from the back row. The space is generally very good, in everyday life you will get along well with it even as a family. It might be a little cramped for vacations, but that's certainly doable.

The speakers were designed in cooperation with Beats. They bring more oomph and a better sound than the ones in the Volvo XC40 Recharge, so I was very happy with it.

The infotainment operating system is very similar to that of Volkswagen. The performance is smooth and good and essential functions like the display of charging stations work very well. However, the operation is not always very intuitive. It often happened that the app bar was inactive but still visible and I was a driver firstprofil had to confirm, which was not always immediately apparent. I also missed an accurate display of the charging power of the charging process (at least I couldn't find one anywhere). But there is wireless Android Auto and CarPlay and a nice message before exiting, which reminds you to take all important things with you.

The display in front of the driver shows the current speed, recognized signs, lane departure warning and any status symbols. The detection of signs was not always reliable due to special road traffic regulations in Austria. For example, it was not recognized when entering a place and a speed limit higher than 50 km/h was not lifted. All this information is also visible in the head-up display, which also marks recognized cars when the adaptive cruise control is switched on and points to the lane lines when the assistant reports.

driving experience and range

The test car that was made available to me is the e-Boost variant of the CUPRA Born with rear-wheel drive. In my case, it has 231 hp and 170 kilowatts. The maximum speed is 160 km/h and the weight is around 1800 kilograms. The WLTP range is specified as 420 kilometers.

Let's stay with the range. When the car is fully charged, the prediction says it will go 320 miles. A route from Graz-Seiersberg to Salzburg with a length of 276 kilometers could be covered in one go, despite the motorway and country roads with different gradients. However, if temperatures are in the double-digit minus range, consumption increases quickly, which would also be the case with any other electric car. Otherwise, the consumption is around 20 kilowatt hours pro 100 kilometers, which is really good. You can charge the car with a maximum of 160 kilowatt hours, if it weren't for the common minus temperatures.

Recuperation can be fully activated or deactivated via gears B and D. With D you drive without recuperation, with B the Born recuperates up to 5 km/h and then rolls out. Personally I like this mode more, but I would like the car to remember the last gear used. The recuperation is not as strong as in the Volvo I tested, I had to brake much more often. But I learned to appreciate, especially in traffic jams, that you can simply roll along at 5 km/h and the right distance without having to constantly step on the electric pedal.

In terms of comfort, driving experience and stability on the road, I am completely satisfied. However, it is possible to make some adjustments to the driving behavior using different driving modes. For example, you get soft steering in comfort mode, while in performance mode the steering is stiffer and the acceleration curve is steeper.

In addition, some assistants are available while driving:

• The adaptive cruise control maintains a set speed while maintaining a certain safety distance. In my opinion, keeping a safe distance on country roads comes a little too late. However, this works well as soon as the car levels off or on the freeway. In addition, the cruise control accelerates very pleasantly when driving below the defined speed.
• The reversing camera and distance sensors are activated automatically in reverse gear and in narrow situations. The camera has a sufficiently good resolution, but it has to be cleaned regularly, especially now in winter. Also, it is only equipment specific.
• Last but not least, I would like to address the fatigue detection. This prompts you to take a break when signs of fatigue are detected. However, once when it was dark and visibility was poor, she meant well for me for my liking.

Prices and availability

The CUPRA Born is available from 43.990 euros. With equipment such as the double loading floor and a few others, however, it can quickly become more expensive.

CUPRA Born: Conclusion

When it comes to the basics of a car, I have almost nothing to complain about with the CUPRA Born. The rear with the high window might be impractical for some, for example, and the infotainment software is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the range of functions is good, on the other hand, it is not always clearly structured. Otherwise everything is consistent: the interior, the range and the driving experience convinced me. I also liked the design, the Beats speakers, the spacious center console and the adaptive cruise control, among other things. I sometimes have to criticize that there is no good way to carry a charging cable by default, controlling the windows is more complicated than probably necessary and some important things are only available as an additional package.

All in all, the Born left a positive impression. I'm looking forward to following the further development of the car.

We would like to thank Porsche Austria for providing the CUPRA Born!