Last updated on June 2nd, 2023 at 11:24 am
Best Hatchback EV: Cupra Born
The Cupra Born may be a variant of the Volkswagen ID.3, but there is something about it that elevates this car above the VW. First, there’s the way it looks. Although the side profile is identical to the ID.3, the front is much more aggressive and assertive, while the rear provides a sportier feel. The interior has a greater sense of class, and the colour choices are bolder, particularly the signature metallic blue and copper.
On paper, the performance of the main model is no different to the ID.3, with a 0-62mph of 7.3 seconds. Cupra also offers an e-Boost version of the Born, which increases the power from 204PS to 231PS and drops the 62mph sprint to 6.6 seconds, although that still hadn’t reached the UK at the time of writing. However, even without this the Born is great fun to drive. Cupra has added some secret sauce to the suspension setup to make its handling tighter than the ID.3, for a sportier feel.
This is still a highly practical electric hatchback, nevertheless. The 58kWh battery provides 263 miles of range, and the 77kWh version – when it arrives – will increase this to a very healthy 340 miles. DC charging maxes out at 120kW for the smaller battery, and 135kW for the larger one, enabling an 80% charge in just 35 minutes. Boot space is a decent 385 litres with the rear seats up and 1,267 litres with them down, while rear passenger have plenty of room too. The Cupra Born can’t match the value of the MG4 EV, but it has bags of character that make it a joy to drive.
Read our full review of the Cupra Born.
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