Cupra goes big on new Born refresh
Cupra's first EV is now four years old - time for a new look, fresh tech, and one-pedal driving
In many ways, the Cupra Born did exactly what the old SEAT Cupras managed to do: i.e. take VW underpinnings (in this case the MEB electric toolkit under the ID.3), and make them more appealing to customers with snazzier styling, cool equipment features and a price that matched or undercut the Volkswagen equivalent. The Born wasn’t the most thrilling EV in the world, that's for sure (even if the rear-drive VZ was a welcome step in the right direction), but it did most of the things Cupra’s first EV ought to have done. They seem to be everywhere, for one thing.
Now it’s time for an update, Cupra promising ‘new striking design, improved interiors and greater technology’ from what must be one of its more popular models. The interior is probably the most important change, given it’s been a bugbear of so many cars on the MEB and MQB Evo architecture: too cheap feeling, too illogical, too temperamental.
For this latest Born, Cupra has added actual buttons on the steering wheel (huzzah!), paddles to adjust the regen (double huzzah!) and a driver’s display almost twice the size of before (10.25-inch against 5.3-inch) that is much more neatly integrated into the dash. The door cards have been redesigned to feel a bit plusher and ‘echo the geometry of the dashboard, reinforcing design unity across the cabin’; more pleasing again is 100 per cent more window switches, with the stupid two-button solution ditched in favour of what everyone else has done with four electric windows for decades now - i.e. one switch per window. Still, better late than never. Copper accents abound, of course.
There isn’t actually a great deal changed in terms of powertrain and chassis. Power outputs remain at 190hp, 231hp and 326hp, with a 58kWh battery on the baby Born and 79kWh for the senior models. Max DC charging is 185kW, and range is anything up to 373 miles. The most significant upgrades are the introduction of one-pedal driving (another useful feature that probably should have been there from the start), plus Launch Control. Which is perhaps less useful. The VZ gets a unique soundscape now. Cupra believes that the introduction of these technologies should ‘deepen the emotional connection between car and driver’. A bit much perhaps, though given a criticism of the MEB cars has been their appliance-like nature - without a sound, or anything for the driver to do - these all sound like worthwhile changes.
A cosmetic refresh brings the Born more in line with the rest of the Cupra family, the slightly strange lighting signature of three triangular LEDs as recognisable here as on a Leon or Formentor. There’s also a fresh look for the grille and the bumper that sit beneath them, altered enough to ensure you’ll never mistake this for an old Born. Likewise, the rear gets a new look for the bumper and boot as well as a ‘more prominent’ diffuser that ‘reinforces the Born’s sporty DNA’. There are a pair of 19-inch wheel designs, a trio of 20s (including the copper-coloured Firestorms seen here), alongside another grey in the colour palette: Timanfaya Grey joins Dark Forest, Vapour Grey, Aurora Blue, Midnight Black and Glacial White on the palette. Maybe not a perfect facelift, then, but it keeps the Born looking modern. And nicer, surely, than cars like the VW, the MG4 and the BYD Dolphin.
Cupra suggests the new Born ‘remains an unconventional challenger, but now with a more cohesive and gratifying way to connect, drive and experience Cupra.’ Production is scheduled to start at some point in the second quarter of this year, with cars on sale in the summer. A great time to bag a bargain on the original, then, even if it has the old interior and goes without the illuminated door handles you’re now going to get. Early ones are available from £12k, and the VZ (the best Born by a mile) can be had with a third off at just a year and 6,000 miles old…
I have a lot of time for the Born and I rather like this update. The 300bhp one is a bit mental though, the 200/230 felt perfectly fine.
Solid all round EV.
The VZ was our first choice last year when replacing one of our EVs but still found it a bit boring and not that fast,in part as it’s so heavy for a compact hatch (2 tonnes!!?).
But this will be worth another test drive later in the year.
But will the dealer network improve? Long waits to get booked in if there are any issues.
But range & charging speeds are good and the fact it is a resolutely RWD chassis is a big plus. All EVs should be RWD as torque steer is an issue on FWD EVs.
Love the car all in all and can put up with the crap controls. I imagine the new bigger screen plus some buttons will solve that problem.
Also really don’t get the issue with only two window buttons. A pretty minor update overall. It sounds like the ID3 facelift later this year is going to be a much bigger change.
just tap them and the always worked absolutely fine!....
I called SEAT Assist to our Ateca a few months ago and, as we're midway between two dealers, the patrolman asked which dealer I used - told him and it was fine, he said they can't take vehicles to the other one (which also does Cupra - the one we use doesn't) as they have no SEAT trained mechanics.
.
Having said that, how long were the waits? Local Skoda dealer for wife's ICE Karoq is 6 weeks for anything other than servicing - I think all dealers ration how much non-servicing work they do as servicing is fantastically profitable.
I'll be honest and say that whilst I like the idea of an EV I do struggle with charger anxiety rather than range anxiety. For example some I do semi-regular trips to the north of Scotland. There are plenty of public chargers available but not many that deliver more than 50kW. Most are either 7 or 22 kW which means length charge times.
I haven't driven a Born but I would be interested in hearing from owners about the ride quality. A 2 tonne herb weight and 19/20 inch wheels sound like a challenging combination to achieve decent ride quality.
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