Cupra was born. I just don’t want to be a Volkswagen in disguise

Cupra Born is the twin of Volkswagen’s electric ID.3. It entered the market in 2021 as the first electric model of the Spanish sub-brand of the German concern. The designers didn’t limit themselves to changing the badge, but made an effort to create something a little different using the same blocks as on the same MEB platform. And if someone finds the VW ID.3 too boring, it’s worth considering the Cupra Born.

The measurements are almost identical. Cupra Born has an advantage over the ID.3 in terms of body length (6 cm), but it is three centimeters lower. It also has a short wheel of 1 cm. Although it is the same, modern form, the Spanish version is more messy. In terms of style, it also has the advantage that the Cupra logo is still less visible on the road than the VW. So the buyer can rely on the effects of surprise and arouse curiosity among other people.

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I laid my hands on the Cupra Born twice. In addition to the different, but equal, color combination, both models differed in the size of the battery. From 2022, the basic capacity is 58 kWh, but you can also choose a version with 77 kWh. In both cases, the electric motor produces a maximum of 231 HP and 310 Nm of torque.

How does this affect performance? Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h takes up to 7 seconds, and the sprint to 50 km / h takes only 2.8 seconds.

The Polish list price of the Cupra Born starts at PLN 204,000. PLN 800. The extra charge for a larger battery is around PLN 28,000. back,. What in exchange? Greater reach. The “small” Cupra promises up to 567 kilometers in the city, and up to 421 kilometers in the combined cycle. “Big” tests us with up to 764 km in the city on one charge and 552 km when driving outside the city.

It is known that there is no need to attach any importance to the catalog values ​​in this case. It really depends on the outside temperature, the battery temperature and the driving style of the driver. During my test, I managed to achieve an average result of 16-18 kWh/100 km, which is textbook values. This literally translated into about 330 kilometers of range in the case of the Cupra Born with 58 kWh batteries and about 450 kilometers with 77 kWh batteries. In the city, in good weather, it can be more, but on the highway – certainly less.

How does the Cupra Born drive? All right. Is it somehow different from the Volkswagen ID.3? It’s hard to say without looking at both models at once. It can certainly be a pleasure to drive. Cupra, the sports brand, wants to recreate in electric vehicles some of the emotions behind the wheel of small and modern cars. There are several driving modes, including a sporty Cupra with e-Boost functionality. It gives a temporary power of 231 HP, because “standard” we get 204 HP.

You can feel more Volkswagen in the interior of the Cupra Born. The same computer screen attached to the steering column, the same touchscreen display in the middle of the futuristic and minimalist dashboard. With a few buttons and trackpads, also on the steering wheel. Everything is included – which is included – with brass accents. The cabin is spacious, the seats are comfortable, and those sitting in the back will not complain either.

The biggest shortcoming, in both versions tested, was the multimedia system. It’s the same one found in the Volkswagen, but with a Cupra overlay. It stuck mercilessly, responded slowly, and the navigation icon disappeared when using Apple CarPlay. It turns out that it was not a passing choice – other colleagues noticed the same defect in their measurements. In recent years, the car has become a smartphone on wheels. Considering this analogy in the context of the Cupra – devices that compete with the iPhone in price and looks shouldn’t work like old bricks.

If we choose the version with a 77 kWh battery, the Cupry Born configuration will start from PLN 232,000. back,. Vapor Gray color is included in the price, blue (Aurora Blue) is more than PLN 5,000. PLN surcharge. 19-inch black and silver rims are standard. The additional fee for 20 inches is from PLN 5,000 to PLN 9,500. PLN by design. Those who do not want fabric upholstery can pay an additional PLN 7.3-8.4 thousand. PLN for Dinamica upholstery. Technology packages with additional assistants cost from PLN 2,000 to PLN 8,000. PLN per package. Therefore, in the following steps of the configurator, you can easily reach the amount of PLN 260-280 thousand. PLN for Cupra Born.