2023 Cupra Born video review: Australian first drive

2023 Cupra Born

Cupra is a Spanish offshoot brand of parent company Seat. Seat itself is part of the Volkswagen Group, so there may be a few similarities in parts, but the 2023 Cupra Born is the new brand’s first all-electric offering in Australia.

If you’ve never heard of the brand, I wouldn’t blame you. It only launched in Australia midway through 2022, but the carmaker has already carved out a niche by offering uniquely styled sporty hatches and SUVs.

Not only is it Cupra’s first electric vehicle as it treads down a path to become 100 per cent electric by 2030, but it’s also the Volkswagen Group’s first attainable electric vehicle. It’s built on the same MEB electric platform that underpins the Volkswagen ID.3, a similarly sized electric hatchback, which is also set to make its way to Australia at a later date.

Cupra representatives are keen to point out the fact the Born’s electric range and price tag both begin with fives – undoubtedly a notable boast to be launching with.

How much does the Cupra Born cost in Australia?

Speaking of that price tag, it only just scrapes in the $50,000 category – it’s priced from $59,990 before on-road costs. There is state-by-state drive-away pricing you can view through this link.

The Cupra Born is sold locally in just one variant – it’s the one with the most powerful electric motor and the longest vehicle range of the variants available globally. Specifically, its outputs of 170kW/310Nm have the brand suggesting it’s a pseudo hot hatch, but we’ll see about that. In any case, the 77kWh battery sends power to the rear wheels, so that’s a good start.

Cupra’s insistence to highlight the model’s 511km range and its $59,990 price tag means there are no rivals that can do the same. It conceivably competes against small electric hatchbacks such as the Nissan Leaf 60kWh ($61,490 plus ORCs) and Polestar 2 ($63,900), or the slightly larger Tesla Model 3 RWD sedan (which starts around $65,000).

The brand claims the Cupra Born will become the best-selling European-sourced EV in 2023, though it’s one of only a few electric vehicles to be sourced out of Europe. Others include the Mercedes-Benz EQA and BMW i4.

There were to be an initial 400 examples of the Born slated for Australian buyers, though demand has been such that an extra 200 cars were added at the beginning of the year. Cupra says it has orders for roughly 500 of those cars, while the extras will be loaded into the company’s stock search imminently. Cupra remains confident it can secure extra examples as demand requires.

Size-wise, it’s comparable to the Volkswagen Golf small hatchback. It seats either five people, or four, depending on whether the buyer selects one of the option packs. Select either the $2900 Interior Package or $2600 Performance Package (adaptive dampers, 20-inch wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport tyres) and seating capacity reduces to four.

Key details2023 Cupra BornPrice$59,990 plus on-road costsColour of test carRayleigh RedOptionsPerformance Pack – $2600
– 235mm Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres
– 20-inch alloy wheels
– Adaptive dampersPrice as tested$62,590 plus on-road costsDrive-away price$67,590 (Vic)RivalsTesla Model 3 | Polestar 2 | Nissan Leaf

How much space does the Cupra Born have inside?

Intertwining with the Cupra Born’s sustainable electric theme, the car is upholstered with a synthetic fabric trim called Seaqual, which is comprised of recycled ocean plastics. It looks and feels exactly like traditional fabric trim and is tested to the same rigours as its non-recycled alternatives.

Upgrade with the $2900 Interior Package and it brings blue Dinamica seats with heating and power adjustment, massage function, a nine-speaker Beats audio system, and heated windscreen washer jets.

I spent the most amount of time inside a regular car, which feels well-appointed and uses nice materials for the price. The front row’s sports seats have an excellent amount of support between the side bolsters and the seat base, while there’s more than enough space for legs and arms side-to-side. There’s decent adjustability for the seat, but the steering wheel doesn’t quite go high enough for taller drivers.

With the absence of a traditional gear selector in the centre console (it’s mounted alongside the digital instrument cluster), there’s a large, lidded centre console storage space for drinks, keys, and wallets. There is also a wireless phone charger in front of the regular centre console bin.

Annoyingly, the Born uses touch-sensitive controls for things like volume control, air-conditioning, steering wheel buttons, and even the power windows. They’re tricky to use while you’re on the move and don’t always register a press.

For what is a small hatch on paper, there’s a huge amount of space in the second row. I’m 194cm tall and my long legs fully clear the seat backs in front, while there’s also good head room and space for your feet. Amenities-wise, there are just two USB-C ports, no air vent, and two map pockets. There’s also a fold-down centre armrest with two cupholders inside.

Interestingly, despite there being a gargantuan 77kWh battery underneath, the Cupra Born can count more boot space than a Volkswagen Golf by 11L. The 385L space in the Born has a flat load floor and no tricky load lip, though there is no spare tyre underneath.

2023 Cupra BornSeatsFiveBoot volume385L seats upLength4324mmWidth2070mmHeight1540mmWheelbase2766mm

Does the Cupra Born have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Headlining the Born’s infotainment system is a 12.0-inch screen that sits proud of the dash and is skewed slightly to the driver. As mentioned, there are no physical controls for it, which can be frustrating. There’s a top line of shortcuts to things like climate controls, while there are icons for the car’s settings in the bottom corner.

Features to get excited by include the digital radio connection, satellite navigation, and a handy 360-degree camera system.

The ability to run Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and bypass Cupra’s infotainment system entirely is enabled through a cable. There are two USB-C ports to plug devices into.

In addition to the main infotainment screen, there’s a smaller 5.3-inch display to run the instrument cluster details. It’s quite small by today’s standards, but shows all the basics such as vehicle efficiency and cruise-control status, as well as displaying a speedometer – naturally.

Is the Cupra Born a safe car?

The 2023 Cupra Born has achieved a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

The Cupra Born recorded results of 93 per cent in adult occupant protection, 89 per cent in child occupant protection, 73 per cent in vulnerable road user protection, and 80 per cent in safety assist technology.

2023 Cupra BornANCAP ratingFive stars (tested 2022)Safety reportLink to ANCAP report

What safety technology does the Cupra Born have?

This top-marks score is bolstered by an array of active safety equipment including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane assist, park assist, driver fatigue monitor, side assist (blind-spot monitoring) with rear cross-traffic alert and exit warning, pre-crash assist, and a 360-degree camera.

On launch we had the opportunity to give the adaptive cruise control a go, where it kept a safe gap to the car ahead.

How much does the Cupra Born cost to maintain?

A five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty applies to all Cupra products, including electric ones like the Born. The Born’s EV battery is covered by an eight-year, 160,000km warranty

According to Cupra, services should be completed every 12 months or 15,000km (whichever is first). A three-year service pack costs $990, while a five-year plan costs $1590.

A comparative insurance premium quote came in at $2024 based on pricing for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

At a glance2023 Cupra BornWarrantyFive years, unlimited km
Eight years, 160,000km (high-voltage battery)Service intervals12 months or 15,000kmServicing costs$990 (3 years)
$1590 (5 years)

Is the Cupra Born energy-efficient?

Cupra claims the Born will travel 17.0kWh per 100 kilometres without the Performance Pack equipped, while the Born with the Performance Pack gets a 18.2kWh/100km rating.

During our time with a Performance-packed car, I achieved a better 17.2kWh/100km consumption than Cupra’s claim.

The Cupra Born can charge AC at up to 11kW, or you can DC fast-charge the car at up to 170kW. Cupra supplies a Mode 3 cable with the car and you can buy a Mode 2 cable as an accessory. You can also purchase JET Charge home charging solutions directly from a Cupra dealership.

What is the Cupra Born like to drive?

Cupra has shot for the stars with the Born. Not content with simply launching an electric hatchback, Cupra instead promises a hot hatch for its first-ever electric vehicle.

With outputs of 170kW/310Nm from a single electric motor, it’s on the way there, but falls within the ‘warm’ range of performance, behind other VW Group alternatives such as the Cupra Leon VZ’s (and VW Golf GTI’s) 180kW/370Nm outputs.

On the plus side, the electric power is available instantaneously, and it’s from a standstill where the Born feels most punchy. Power does taper off as you climb up to a speed limit.

Obviously there’s a lack of engine noise, but where the absence of an engine usually magnifies all other sounds (wind, tyre noise), the Born remains impressively quiet and well-insulated from the outside world. However, sound is an important factor of a performance car, and the Cupra Born could do with more aural feedback.

There’s an ample amount of grip from the Michelin Pilot Sport tyres on the Performance Pack-equipped Borns, while even the regular Bridgestone Turanza tyres (on regular Borns) offer a good amount of purchase on the road for tight cornering.

The Born’s 1926kg tare weight (five-seat versions) does make itself known when threading it through back-to-back corners, but Performance Pack cars (with adaptive dampers) do firm up in Performance and Cupra driving modes to help it scythe through corners easier.

Its steering feel does offer a nice amount of feedback to the driver. Whereas it’s light around town to make for easy manoeuvring, the system changes up in the sportier driving modes for a direct feel that offers information on the levels of tyre grip. It has a deep front dash with associated elongated A-pillar, which makes it difficult to see beyond certain corners.

Around town, the Cupra Born offers a VW-like ride comfort whereby large impacts such as speed humps are absorbed with little fuss and even minor imperfections aren’t translated through to the cabin. It’s not like a normal hot hatch, in that it doesn’t deprioritise everyday ride comfort.

Braking performance isn’t a Born highlight – you get a different brake pedal feel whether it’s doing regenerative braking or regular friction braking. There are brake callipers up the front, while the back wheels make do with drum brakes.

Key details2023 Cupra BornEngineSingle permanent-magnet brushless motorPower170kWTorque310NmDrive typeRear-wheel driveTransmissionSingle-speed automaticPower-to-weight ratio88.3kW/tWeight (tare)1926kg (five-seat)Spare tyre typeTyre repair kitTurning circle10.15m

Should I buy a Cupra Born?

Cupra might be a relatively unknown brand to most, but it’s injecting some impressive cars with some solid character into our local market.

The Cupra Born is another great prospect and puts a good foot forward for electric cars. It’s generously equipped, provides an impressive electric range, and remains affordable in the realm of electric cars.

But it’s not a proper hot hatch, at least in our books. It lacks the power and emotion we’ve come to love in a brattish hot hatch, plus the outputs fall within warm territory.

View it as a well-equipped and well-presented electric small hatch, and you’ll come away with a far better appreciation of what the Cupra Born can do.

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