The 2023 Cupra Born is a fun and practical warm electric hatchback that is priced similarly to the Tesla Model 3. All Cupra Born models sold locally come with a 77 kWh battery pack, driving a single electric motor at the rear axle with 170 kW (228 hp) and 310 Nm (229 lb-ft) of torque. The Born is good for 511 km (317 miles) on a charge and supports DC fast-charging of up to 170 kW.

The interior is less overt but equally fun, with a sporty steering wheel that feels superb in the hands with comfortable notches in the 9 and 3 position and two physical buttons for the Drive and Cupra mode selectors. A small 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster displays vital driving information like speed, navigation, range, and current efficiency figures. The carmaker’s playful touches continue throughout the cabin, with bronze elements and a mixture of materials.

The Born has most of the safety systems expected, including autonomous emergency braking, a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, and rear cross-traffic alert. However, the VW Group’s Travel Assist system, a semi-autonomous highway driving assistant with lane-centering, is not present.

The Born feels like a warm hatch, albeit one that is electric. It can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7 seconds and pulls particularly well off the line, capable of hitting 50 km/h (31 mph) in just 2.8 seconds. The Born does not have a one-pedal driving mode like many other EVs, and regenerative braking is triggered by toggling the shifter to B.

Efficiency is solid, with Cupra quoting 17 kWh/100 km, but it is tough to recommend over the Tesla Model 3, the impending BYD Seal, and the forthcoming Volvo EX30.

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