Cupra Born 2021 review - Has Cupra made the first ever electric hot hatch? / Electrifying

[@Ro32da72]

Although the ID3 is easy to spot under a thin Seat-flavoured veil, that is a tidy looking car. Range and performance numbers look good too.

[@lewisjohnston6831]

Yeah it looks really cool. Loved the professional presentation as always from NS

[@examinerian]

So, the best ID.3 is a Seat (ok, a Cupra), and the best ID.4 is a Skoda? 🤔

[@RedBatteryHead]

Bang on 👍

[@ChipMIK]

Welcome to the closing years of european carmakers...

[@examinerian]

@@ChipMIK Looks that way at the moment - adapt or die, at least for the big groups. Newer euro startups like Arrival and Sono might do well, though!

[@jonpetter8921]

Market strategy

[@RedBatteryHead]

@@examinerian Sono.... That's becoming a joke to be frank. They are now marketing their panels. Which aren't that special. Lots of flex panels around. I think they are still grasping for money. Launch planned for end 2022. We'll. I can't see that happening.

[@jmdhinds]

I prefer the look of this to the I.D 3

[@GraemeLeRoux]

Copper highlights are *much* better than wretched piano black plastic…

[@leeandjancruise]

Yes I have it on my JCW but rather I didn't, bitch to keep clear of finger prints.

[@shinybaldy]

I love the dash design and how it allow lower tier models to omit the infotainment screen and offer a phone mount (much prefer phone navigation that doesn't fall out of update/development cycle as quickly).

[@TheRockDK]

It has Wireless Android Auto/Apple Carplay, so it's not really necessary to mount phone.

[@shinybaldy]

@@TheRockDK for lower tier models they don’t have an infotainment screen. So yes it is nice to be able to mount a phone.

[@FreedomToRoam86]

much more nicely appointed car than ID3. Love the copper accents!

[@RedBatteryHead]

Yeah, that copper isn't my thing too. I never wanted a blacked out car but here I would do the trim in an instance. The rest of the design is way better than the ID3. This makes you look twice. Did drive ID3 for a week. Impressed with range and comfort. Just the small display wasn't showing to much info on mileage and such.

[@robenglish416]

Looks niece, and price compared to iD3? The interior looks nicer so I just want to know how much nicer in £€$?

[@stuartsaunders4518]

Looks like the previous generation Peugeot 208 from the front and unmistakably the id3 from the side,, with Seat Leon lights stuck to the back

[@koretell]

Hyundai needs to "N" version the kona electric, and we need this car too! Would like to see the performance adjustments like the N stuff, those things are turned to 11 right out of the factory, but the adjustments are noticeable. Hot hatch the hell out of this thing. Less vw at the back too.

[@philmorbey1827]

Looks better than the id3 inside and out but I don't like the touch sensitive controls it has inherited from the id3!

[@diwe9984]

For me the more desirable iD.3 - I like the idea of a 58 kWh car with e-Boost. 👍

[@ToreHansen]

Black and Copper looks 23 times better than the VW. Great review.

[@danielc45]

Testing a new Cupra in Barcelona could be so amazing.

[@barriewebster7406]

Ok! When is it going to be available in Canada? Even having the id3 would be nice!

[@simonpeart7981]

You say that it’s got the same active safety features as the ID3 but would have been nice to know what they are in this video instead of having to look at a completely separate reviews for a separate car

[@francoisjeanmougin4405]

Well, boring and sometime dangerous lane assist, inaccurate speed limit or turns speeds, very effective cruise control (once the speed limit prediction is disabled) and the slowest, lagging, entertainment system... With bugs (I have an ID.3, 13000km already). Now, once you deactivate the buggy safety things, the car itself is fun to drive.

[@chillout1109]

I love the looks of this one too. I say "too" because I also love my Glacier White Metallic ID.3 Tour Pro S. I wish the Born had a "badge delete" option though, so I could have that Cupra badge removed. That badge freaks me out. It looks like some form of satanic or Viking symbol. I'm really not a fan. The gold accents can stay, but the badge has to go.

[@43scooter]

Sadly the ev-s that actully drives sporty and is genuinely dynamic and fun to drive through a corner, on a twisty road, is so expencive that just a small portion of us can afford it. The Born does look interesting, but is still very expensive (at least in Norway). How does the brand new Renault Magane e-tech fare up to the Born?

[@lisaj7011]

Is this the result of the concept at the Munich motor show?

[@allando2]

E boost price?

[@PeaceChanel]

Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste and Thank You for your efforts 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ 🌷 ☮️ ❤️

[@simonhobbs9097]

How much are the various models?

[@salamanderpete]

Does this one come with rear speakers for the stereo, without spending 2k on the tech pack? (VW lost an ID.3 sale on that one!!)

[@scottwills4698]

Buy the Max it has rear speakers and a sub. I test drove a Family spec ID3, the sound was fine. I believe it’s the same as having 7 speakers round your living room 10 years ago to having a sound bar now under your TV. I bought the max as they had a pre registered one for £34k. very happy, really good car.

[@vasileiospetropoulos2046]

Mustang mach e GT?? ANY NEW VIDEO ABOUT MACH E GT?

[@iallso1]

That gear shift is very similar to the BMW i3 and when I book a shared car will choose an Ioniq over the i3 because of this.

[@adrianbyron-parker5797]

Ever driven a merc auto in the last ..many years.... the gear selector has been on a stalk and I still think.. better than the twisty knob of the ID family

[@mamba101]

Imagine driving a cupra that takes 8.9s to 100K 😅😭 Seat have seriously ruined this brand by diluting the spec range.

[@chrisgaunt7402]

Great review, lovely presentation.

[@timw4369]

Hot hatch in looks only. A hot hatch needs to have more power. This is a good looking car but nothing more.

[@gesp5151]

The stated charging performance is 5-80% in 35 minutes on a 58(62) battery. So 75% of 58 is 43.5 so in 35 minutes it needs to average 75kwh over that range. The best I’ve ever achieved was 72 on ionity once - all this has been scheduled out to Listers and VWs solicitors in detail and none of my figures have ever been challenged at all! Not anything. Not one charge, one number: nothing. It simply doesn’t perform ever at that stated level. In contrast my BMW i4 just hits the numbers ever single time

[@ChipMIK]

No mention of how slow the "infotainmentsystem" is & pretty slow acceleration too compared to a lot of other EV´s.

[@scottwills4698]

It’s quicker than an ID3 with e-boost and a 58kw Pro Performance ID3 will stay with a SR+ Tesla Model 3 up to 70kmh (while being much cheaper). Which ev is faster in the same price range?

[@ChipMIK]

@@scottwills4698 Cmon on...The Cupra does 0-100 Kmh on 7,3 with SR+ doing it in 5,6 sec...Off course it wont keep up with the 3 until 70 ;-) & then the infotainment is just SOO lagging, no dedicated superchargers...This is VW´s newest & best shot against a 5 year old car? How long time does it take from turning on heating through the app til the car has done it & given you feedback that its actually heating?

[@ChipMIK]

​@Thomas Sawyer Its a year ago now....Could it be the hardware is too weak? Could it be lack of good design in the communicationsnetwork in the car...I dont know but if you think it will improve much after on year of lagging. I drive 35.000 Miles a year on countr-roads. My diesel MB is 0-100 @ 7 sec. & i love this when overtaking a fully loaded tractor or slow moving truck wich can be done completely safe in a quick car compared to ex. a 10 sec. car. The 7.3 is not "slow slow" but it is absolutely slow compared to a lot of other EV´s, just like ID.4-fam of Enyaqs & so which is even worse & then on top of that they use a lot more KW/100 Km compared to marketleaders in same class. So sorry, im not the GP-racing-guy but the guy that drives 130 miles to/from work every day as safe as possible @ speedlimits.

[@Yanquetino]

That the binnacle is mounted on the steering column for easy viewing is brilliant, a much better solution that cutting off the top of the wheel like Tesla has done with the Model S Plaid's yoke. Don't like the front-to-back cup holders (one of my pet peeves). I like those copper highlights. I'd definitely go for the top-of-the-line version with its impressive range. I think the logo looks… Klingon!

[@judebrown4103]

@Mark D Larsen Ha! It's been bugging me but that's it, you're absolutely right it does look Klingon 😂

[@examinerian]

'Cupra' doesn't really translate from Spanish, but sounds like a Anglicised version of 'cobre', which does translate - it's Spanish for 'copper'. Which all sounds plausible, until you remember the ID.3 introduced copper highlights first in the VW group on this range of car-cousins.

[@aaromnido]

Cupra started some years ago like a racing sub-brand of SEAT and it means "Cup Racing", then, when it becomes a main brand, they played with the concept of "cooper". For that, cooper is the brand colour.

[@leeandjancruise]

The catchy name CUPRA is not an invented name but stands for "Cup Racing" and thus creates a link with SEAT's successful involvement in motorsport.

[@Truthbomb918]

They barely changed the vw badge from the id3 which is a good car. The biggest flaw is the infotainment system which they copied exactly here, big flop

[@MrGMawson2438]

Looks good

[@1dfsv]

The amount of copper is just fine thank you 😁

[@vvaldesss]

Thanks from Spain, good video, i have id3 pro s is similar cupra born.

[@DaraM73]

You had to mention “copper accents”, like all the rest of the press junket. At least you gave it a buffing.

[@PierreDybman]

The gearshift is an idea implemented in the BMW i3 since 2014...

[@PierreDybman]

@petterhny seems you do enough to comment

[@DanJHayes]

Still has a long way to go to be as engaging and fun as a manual hot hatch.

[@oolaspalmas]

Takes years to develop battery technology which makes ev cars light enough, for those to feel like hot hatch. Then even that 204hp paired with instant torque is enough power.

[@Mahalo_83]

Missing the point

[@iain8837]

I have an MX5 and a Born, it’s not a hot hatch, although you can have fun it it once you get used to its handling and weight, I have the wider tyres and I must admit that the cornering grip and road manners are really pretty amazing for a car of the weight…but you do feel the weight. Performance figures are good, real world performance experience is even better as power and torque are instant at any speed, it’s not hard to beat many ICE cars in the 300bhp and above mark.

[@Richard-io9xe]

Sooo, it's an ID.3 with a bit of copper detailing. Some people will swallow any marketing hype.

[@bafattvahetere]

Possible, yes when AWD.

[@foxylady1048]

I love that car, but it’s the price that’s out of my pocket. I will have to stick with my leaf.

[@Reddylion]

Nice

[@jimnewtonsmith]

I do wish manufacturers would stop calling leather-look materials or microfibre or other recycled fabric “vegan”

[@dharkbizkit]

its sexy, for an electric car, because it doesnt scream "efficency over design" ..but like most E-cars, its to expensive for me to purchase or even be considerable and not widely present on the used market. it will take years, til this one is 10.000 euros. untill then, i have to stick to raising gas prices, which will eat a lot of the money that i usally take aside for saving for something like this. going electric is a boon for some people and a bane for others. the ones i see, that really profit from it, are the more wealthy ones, that now even drive for free, due to solar roofs. i really wished, that tech that gets forced on you by politics and though punishment taxes on the old tech, would at least be on the same price level.. but iam lamenting against something out of my controll

[@siamwar71]

cupra website says from £34000 not £27000

[@hondamonkeyboy]

I like the car very much and it's an excellent review. I'm not sure putting your personal face mask in a communally used car compartment is environmentally friendly.

[@pwj9703]

hopefully the IT system is not the same as in ID3 it is so slow and bad.

[@nicomonkeyboy]

"Lets put it into performance" - turns into a bloke driving...

[@petersmrek7617]

Reaaaaly niice 😍

[@leeandjancruise]

Cupra have some good looking cars out at the moment (Formentor) and this one is no different, as for the copper finishes inside well they match her jewellery and the stitching on her jacket.

[@ChrisplayThrough64]

Creep

[@Triod_999]

It's build in the same factory as the ID3. It's just a much better looking and nicer to drive version of the ID3.

[@stevencampbell1150]

Must admit it's better looking than the ID3 but affordable? Nope.

[@stevencampbell1150]

@petterhny well anyone who says it's affordable for a start!

[@pauldavis983]

Watching in 2024 and how stupid must people be, when they wore paper hankies on their to stop a killer virus lol😂

[@alexanderfarquhar2712]

Who cares if the seats are made from recycled plastics ...even if they are from the sea ...give me a cow hide anytime ...knocks the plain looking ID3 into a cocked hat ....love the 'copper accents' and the badge!

[@arnoldtabor3767]

Imagine what you're sitting on... makes me alot less recycling friendly, is there a non recycled seat option 😂

[@cuneyt4313]

LOVE the Cupra brand but i think the design is a little ugly :( i wish they took inspiration from the iconic Leon.

[@PierreDybman]

Cupra means copper, hence all the copper accents

[@seanholdom9739]

ionic 5 far superior and a lot faster

[@hindesite]

TLDW: NO.

[@NickWainwright6970]

Why so slow!?

[@xyredmax]

Well, it looks better than an ID3 but still lacks regen, still has the rubbish user interface - It makes the French clones look good value and better quality/VFM? Dare I mention the Korean cars....

[@scottwills4698]

The user interface is fine, a few early cars glitched and VW has been stuck with the bad press. Everything since software V2.1 is good - all cars since March and all earlier cars were updated (current software is V2.3 which was OTA so we’ve been promised updates every 3months or so now).

[@xyredmax]

@@scottwills4698 Hello Scott You might be right but I didn't like the fuss when the windscreen fogged up and I had to search to clear it rather than hit one button - is that any better? The touch side didn't work very well and the 'sliders' for heat and volume are not illuminated. It did put me off, plus I didn't like the eclectic mix of cheap plastic on the interior. Personal taste and how a car drives are all for me, especially when paying a premium price - although most people tend to lease and not own cars these days Kind regards Mark

[@scottwills4698]

@@xyredmax ok, well it’s 2 buttons for max de-mist but with preconditioning I’ve never had it mist up. The “sliders” aren’t the best but you can tap each end to make the heat / volume go up / down or use the volume on the steering wheel and the climate can be done by pressing the temperature icon on the screen and then using the climate menu (or you can do both by voice if you want). Honestly I spend less than 0.1% of my time fiddling with the screen, I just drive the car. All cars have niggles but the ID3 drives well and if you haggle / use “drive the deal” or “carwow” etc they are good value too. I paid £34,000 for an ID3 Max Pro Performance with 19” wheels and heat pump, I think that’s great value even compared with ICE cars.

[@xyredmax]

@@scottwills4698 Hello Scott It sounds like you are enjoying your car, which is what really matters, and you did get a good deal. I have owned and driven EV's for 10+ years now, so perhaps I'm fussy. I really don't like the way most manufacturer's have gone all in on a touchscreen, not something to do while driving. I have found the only voice control system that actually works is Google in the XC40/Polestar 2. Have you driven many EV's, did you not want 'one pedal driving'?

[@scottwills4698]

@@xyredmax came from a Tesla Model 3. ID3 does 1 pedal driving except the stop bit but it’s funny in “drive assist” it will stop and go again so the car can do it it’s just not programmed yet. 🤷🏼‍♂️ Drove Ioniq 5, Enyaq and ID4 which were all too big Mrs didn’t like the Leaf, had a Model S Raven for 4 months while Tesla were trying to fix my Model 3. I agree some physical buttons would be nice. Yes I really like driving my ID3 I think the DCC makes it smoother, the Matrix headlights are amazing and it’s much bigger inside than it looks.

[@tomquimby8669]

look out for the real reviews from Bjorn and Chris (Battery life)

[@polopowered]

The leaf did it first.

[@mziyabo]

This is a nonsense. Basically an ID3 with fancy stuff. VW pulling a fast one on us.

[@scottwills4698]

This has gone on for years. MG - Rover, Alpine - BMW, Polestar - Volvo, Lotus - Vauxhall. I’m sure there is more, it’s a cheap way of making a “sports” car.

[@justinbest9429]

With a name like Cupra Born I doubt it! I don't care if its the best car in the world that's a junk name, so junk I didn't even both watching the video just disliked it 💪