The Cupra Born Is A RWD EV Hot Hatch With Golf GTI Performance

Caring is sharing in the VW Group. Multiple iterations of the same car are available across the car giant’s main four brands, and that includes all the new electric stuff. VW, for instance, will sell you an ID.3 EV hatchback, while over at Cupra, there’s now this: the Born.

From the sides, it looks much like the ID.3, and overall, it’s scarcely different from the Seat El-Born concept revealed a couple of years ago. With the exception of the badges, of course, since it’s been released under the recently separated Cupra brand. This is an interesting move, as not all of them are quick.

There’s an entry-level version using a 45kWh battery pack and a 148bhp motor mounted on the rear axle, making for a range of up to 211 miles and a 0-62mph time of 8.9 seconds. This gives the derivative the dubious distinction of being the slowest thing to ever wear Cupra branding.

There are pokier versions, though. You can pair a 58kWh battery with a 201bhp motor, upping the range to 260 miles and dropping the 0-62mph time to a mere 7.3 seconds. That’s as powerful as the ID.3 gets, but for now, the Born gets power bragging rights - it has a 228bhp range-topping motor option which provides a 0-62mph time of 6.6 seconds.

That’s a mere three tenths off the time a Golf GTI takes to dispatch the benchmark sprint. There are a couple of caveats, though - you only get that full power figure for brief periods via the ‘e-Boost’ feature, and the quicker acceleration is based on the 58kWh battery pack being specced.

With this fitted, the range is 260 miles. If you’re happy for the 0-62mph time to increase to a still very reasonable seven seconds, the 77kWh battery option bumps the range up to a very impressive 335 miles.

We don’t have a weight figure for the car yet, but it’ll be similar to the ID.3, tipping the scales at around 1700kg. It’ll hide the weight well since most of it sits nice and low, and it’s distributed nicely, giving a near-50:50 front/rear split. Dynamic Chassis Control is available as an option to control ride firmness independently of the Range, Comfort, Individual and Cupra driving modes. Unlike the ID.3, it has a dedicated button to turn off the ESC. RWD EV skids ahoy!

On a more practical note, the bigger battery version of the car comes with 125kW charging capability, meaning it’s possible to add 62 miles of range in about seven minutes. Got more time on your hands? 5 to 80 per cent takes about 35 minutes.

We’ll know how much the Cupra Born will cost in the UK during the final quarter of 2021, ahead of the first deliveries at the start of 2022. The cost will be similar to the car’s VW cousin - click here to see a comprehensive price guide for the surprisingly complicated ID.3 range.