The Volkswagen Group lastly has a rival for the Tesla Mannequin 3 in Australia, and it received’t be coming from Volkswagen, Skoda, and even Audi.
Cupra, the latest member of the Volkswagen Group household Down Beneath, might be main the cost with the arrival of the brand new Born EV hatchback.
We received’t see the Volkswagen ID vary or the Skoda Enyaq SUV for no less than 12 months, giving Cupra a big head begin on its company cousins in Australia’s electrical area.
When it lands in earnest throughout March 2023, the Born will tackle a rising pool of rivals together with the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electrical, Kia Niro EV, and top-selling Tesla Mannequin 3.
With a worth simply shy of $60,000 earlier than on-road prices and a variety of greater than 500km, it definitely has the instruments to make a splash… on paper.
We’ll have to attend a bit longer for a correct in-depth drive on Australian roads, however we had a really temporary style at Haunted Hills in Victoria to whet our urge for food within the meantime. Right here’s what we discovered.
How a lot does the Cupra Born price?
The 2023 Cupra Born will kick off at $59,990 earlier than on-road prices, equal to a drive-away worth (earlier than incentives) of round $63,000 relying on state.
That pricing places it into direct competitors with the Tesla Mannequin 3 ($65,500), plus the Nissan Leaf e+ ($61,490), Hyundai Kona Electrical Prolonged Vary ($60,500), and Kia Niro EV S ($65,300). All costs exclude on-road prices.
Orders aren’t open but, however pre-orders ($1000 upfront, $750 of which is a refundable deposit and $250 of which is a non-refundable reservation payment) will open on December 20 barring any technical hold-ups.
2023 Cupra Born pricing:
Cupra Born 77kWh eBoost: $59,990
Drive-away pricing:
ACT: $61,990 drive-awayNSW: $62,490 drive-awayQLD: $63,490 drive-awayVIC: $64,990 drive-awaySA: $64,490 drive-awayWA: $66,490 drive-away
Drive-away costs exclude any state-based rebates, however embody variances in registration and CTP prices.
What’s the Cupra Born like on the within?
The Born is each bit as pared-back inside as you’d count on of a contemporary Volkswagen Group product. It’s additionally surprisingly spacious given its diminutive exterior.
Each driver and entrance passenger sit in sporty seats with one-piece backrests. They appear and feel a bit particular, and provide loads of adjustment for taller drivers, whereas the flat-bottom wheel appears like a high quality merchandise.
The Alcantara-style trim on automobiles with the Inside Package deal (full with an angular perforation sample) lifts the atmosphere, though the bottom automobile we sat in didn’t precisely really feel like a fleet particular both.
Dealing with the driving force is a small, easy digital instrument cluster, whereas the dashboard is dominated by a freestanding touchscreen.
It’s working a model of the software program we’ve seen elsewhere within the Cupra vary, which suffers a number of the foibles that afflict the most recent Volkswagens (contact sliders, for instance) however provides fast responses, a full function record, and a easy sufficient interface.
Rear seat area is surprisingly good, given the Born is a metropolis hatchback. Headroom is plentiful again there, and legroom behind the chunky entrance seatbacks is beneficiant sufficient to accomodate youngsters or smaller adults with out stress.
The rear bench in a whole lot of EVs feels compromised, however the battery beneath the ground doesn’t drive rear passengers to sit down with their knees up round their ears. You even get USB factors again there.
This isn’t a household hauler, however it’s a disgrace choosing the choices packages turns this five-seater right into a four-seater.
Boot area is a claimed 385L with the rear seats in place.
What’s underneath the bonnet?
Australians will solely be provided the e-Increase mannequin with a 77kWh (usable) lithium-ion battery pack, and a rear-mounted electrical motor making 170kW of energy and 310Nm of torque. That’s proper, rear-wheel drive small automobiles are again.
Smaller battery packs can be found abroad, however received’t be making the journey to Australia at launch.
The lithium-ion battery is sweet for a claimed 511km of vary on the WLTP check, though that drops to 475km with the Efficiency Pack (and its bigger, stickier tyres) fitted.
It’ll cost at as much as 11kW on an AC charger, and 170kW hooked as much as a DC quick charger. In the meantime, the 0-100km/h dash takes a claimed 7.0 seconds.
How does the Cupra Born drive?
Cupra is pitching the Born because the ‘scorching hatch’ of the electrical automobile world, with 310Nm of torque on faucet and rear-wheel drive.
Our fast drive at Haunted Hills reveals it’s easy, quiet, and fairly fast, though it’s exhausting to establish far more.
The monitor is tight and twisty, with important elevation modifications, and was slippery from lashings of rain on what passes for a Melbourne summer season day.
With direct, mild steering and what appears like strong physique management, the Born disguises its 1927kg (tare) mass nicely on fast path modifications. Blame the long-range 77kWh battery pack for that hefty weigh bridge ticket.
In its default ‘D for drive’ mode, there’s little or no in the way in which of regenerative braking. Elevate off the accelerator and the Born received’t throw you ahead in your seat like some rivals, so it’s a very good factor the useless pedal feels pure relative to the picket setups in some electrical automobiles.
Flicking the transmission selector into ‘B’ ups the regenerative braking, however even then it doesn’t really feel overly aggressive (on monitor, no less than).
Bury your proper foot and the Born accelerates determinedly sufficient to really feel fast, with out ever actually snapping your neck.
It’s useless quiet, which makes the way in which it accumulates velocity on the quick straight at Haunted Hills barely disorienting relative to internal-combustion hatches.
The promise of prompt torque, rear-wheel drive, and a moist monitor sounds tantalising – just like the Born could possibly be a quieter tackle the previous-generation BMW M140i. The truth isn’t fairly that wild.
You may make the Born break traction with a heavy proper foot over the slippery kerbs at Haunted Hills, and with the ESP in Sport it’ll step out earlier than killing the enjoyable.
However, it’s unlikely the common proprietor might be intentionally agitating their electrical hatchback over slick racetrack kerbs to discover its rear-drive bonafides.
That’s not likely the purpose, anyway. The Born is supposed to really feel like a barely tighter, sportier tackle the competent however plain Volkswagen ID.3, and our temporary first drive recommended it’s certified to hold out that activity.
What do you get?
Exterior
19-inch black/copper Storm alloy wheelsTyre strain monitoringHeated, power-folding exterior mirrorsLED headlights, tail lights, fog lightsAutomatic headlights with auto high-beamRain-sensing wipersTinted rear windowsRear roof spoiler
Inside
5.3-inch digital instrument binnacle12-inch infotainment touchscreenApple CarPlay, Android Auto (wired)Wi-fi cellphone chargingDAB+ digital radio4 x USB portsSurround-view camerasLeather, heated steering wheelFront bucket seatsFloor matsKeyless entry and startAuto-dimming rear-view mirrorDual-zone local weather controlAluminium pedals
Chassis
Sports activities suspensionDriving profile selectionProgressive (variable-ratio) steering
Choices
Inside Package deal: ($2900)
Aurora Blue, suede-trimmed, entrance bucket seatsHeated entrance seats12-way energy adjustable entrance seats with massaging2-seat rear bench (3-seat bench commonplace)Heated washing jetsBeats premium sound system (9-speaker, 395W)
Efficiency Package deal: ($2600)
20-inch Firestorm alloy wheels in black/silver235mm Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres (broad tyre bundle)2-seat rear bench (3-seat bench commonplace)Adaptive damping
Is the Cupra Born secure?
The Born has a five-star Euro NCAP score based mostly on testing carried out in 2022. It hasn’t but been translated to an ANCAP score but, though the five-star score ought to carry over.
It earned scores of 93 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 89 per cent for youngster occupant safety, 73 per cent for weak street consumer safety, and 80 per cent for security help.
Customary gear consists of:
7 airbagsAEB with Pedestrian, Bike owner detectionAdaptive cruise controlLane-keep assistPark assistBlind-spot assistRear cross-traffic assistDriver consideration monitoringRain-sensing wipers
How a lot does the Cupra Born price to run?
The Born might be backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee when it touches down subsequent yr.
Cupra presently provides three years of free servicing on the Leon, Formentor and Ateca, however hasn’t confirmed service pricing for the Born.
CarExpert’s Tackle the Cupra Born
It’s taken some time, however the Volkswagen Group is nearly off the mark in the case of mainstream electrical automobiles in Australia.
Though it’s exhausting to kind a full opinion of the Born after 5 laps round a decent, slippery circuit, there’s little doubt it shapes as an interesting addition to Australia’s rising pool of electrical choices.
The worth appears to be proper given the quantity of vary on provide, and the outside hides a cabin with extra usable area than you may count on of a small metropolis hatchback.
If Cupra has managed to safe strong provide – and indications are it has, though some clients are going to have to attend – there’s no motive the Born can’t make an impression on the gross sales charts domestically.
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MORE: The whole lot Cupra Born
