New Cupra Born upgraded to 326hp, keeps RWD
The old Born was too slow by half. The new Born seeks to fix that with 75 per cent more torque
Cupra was very excited about its first all-electric model back in 2021. And it had every right to be: what better way for the brand to launch its battery-powered lineup than with a (sort of) electric hot hatch? It looked sporty enough because it was much lower to the ground than its VW-badged sibling, boasted a healthy 231hp in flagship format and was priced to (sort of) compete with more conventional go-faster stuff - job done, right?
Well, no. The Born was (sort of) fine to drive, but it was also about as exciting to be in as a packed commuter train. The problem, inevitably, was that 231hp and 229 lb ft of torque didn’t feel like very much when it had two tonnes to shift. So while it was spritely enough around town, any sojourn in the countryside was accompanied by the nagging suspicion that the hedgerows were growing faster and in a more dynamic fashion than you were moving. The model’s 99mph top speed said pretty much everything you needed to know about the tapering that occurred beyond 60mph.
This fact likely occurred to Cupra at the time, but only now has it ventured a solution. Predictably - and not unwelcomely - that solution is more power. The new Born VZ (from the Spanish word ‘veloz’, which means ‘fast’) delivers a 40 per cent increase in horsepower and fully 75 per cent in peak twist, taking its output to 326hp and 402lb ft respectively. That, clearly, is quite a lot more and, unsurprisingly, the quoted 0-62mph time has shortened by nearly a second to 5.7 seconds - placing it in roughly the same ballpark as the outgoing Toyota GR Yaris.
Of course, the Yaris managed the same feat with only 261hp (and will do 143mph compared with 124mph for the new VZ) but, on the basis that the rear-drive Born is likely 500kg heavier - and, in fairness, significantly larger - we’ll brush over that fact. Especially as Cupra has sought to do better with the Born’s other main problem (lack of range) by marignally improving net battery capacity to 79kWh, which it reckons ought to be good enough for 335 miles once the car has been homologated. That too is a healthy uplift from the 263 miles the original model definitely couldn’t manage.
There’s more. Cupra says there have been upgrades to the chassis hardware to make the handling ‘dynamics match’ its new power output. Specifically, the springs and dampers of the DCC Sport suspension have been redesigned, the anti-roll bars overhauled in the pursuit of better body control, and the steering revised for a ‘sportier’ feel. You get wider tyres, too, on a new 20-inch alloy wheel design, and the manufacturer reckons it has improved brake pedal feel with new software.
Inside you get a larger 12.9-inch infotainment system, although it’s the lower-mounted standard bucket seats - shared with the Formentor VZ5 and Leon VZ Cup - that speak to the vibe Cupra is looking for here. Additionally, it has fitted regenerative shift paddles to the steering wheel - another item that tended to feature on the long list of wants voiced by anyone who drove the earlier Born. Cupra, it seems, has been listening. Let’s hope the firm perseveres with its thoughtfulness when the time comes to apply a starting price to the VZ. Expect that to be confirmed in the summer, ahead of an official launch in Q3.
Seems like a nice increase in power compared to the current 77 eboost, that will make TC work quite a bit more being RWD only
This one definitely looks to be a lot better(on paper anyway) performance wise for sure.
really hope this one has a way to perm disable lane assist though - every single owner i've ever spoke to absolutely hates it and it's a ball ache to manually turn off every journey
really hope this one has a way to perm disable lane assist though - every single owner i've ever spoke to absolutely hates it and it's a ball ache to manually turn off every journey
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