Cupra Born test: the electricity that goes beyond the terminals?

Information

Design

Does this model ring a bell? This is normal, since its concept car was presented in 2021, but under the Seat logo and bore the name "El Born", in reference to a district of Barcelona, ​​not far from the headquarters of Seat and Cupra. The Cupra Born is a rather large compact, with a length of 4,32 meters, 6 centimeters longer than the Volkswagen ID.3.

It claims a width of 1,81 meters, a height of 1,54 meters and a wheelbase of 2,77 meters, or, to a few millimeters, the same dimensions as the ID.3. The Iberian compact has larger wheels than its German cousin: the tires can reach 235 millimeters wide and the rim sizes can oscillate from 18 to 20 inches. What deteriorate the comfort? We will see it a little further down.

Aesthetically, as you can see, the Cupra Born has much sleeker lines and curves, larger wheels and a lowered ground clearance of 15 millimeters at the front and 10 millimeters at the rear. The front is distinguished by a nose that echoes that of a shark according to the brand, in particular thanks to the presence of a very thin grille associated with a ribbed and plunging hood. The shield inherits a wide opening highlighted with a copper border, a distinctive color of the brand, which can be found in particular at the level of the logo.

From the back, the Cupra Born is distinguished by a large diffuser surmounted by the license plate, which literally sits the car on the road and gives it the desired dynamic side. A large spoiler extends the roof line with a rear pillar which accentuates the effect of the floating roof.

These rear pillars, unlike the ID.3, are not provided with a simple sticker, but with small diamond patterns directly machined. If the ID.3 has not succumbed to the fashion for light bands crossing the stern, the Cupra Born has made this choice, as on practically all the latest new models presented by the brand.

Habitability

If the Volkswagen ID.3 has not necessarily marked our minds by its ergonomics and the quality of its materials, the Cupra Born does a little better, without correcting all the faults of his cousin. Overall, we find the dashboard of the German compact, with a small 5,3-inch screen under the driver's eyes and a larger 12-inch touch screen to control the entire infotainment system.

The materials selected are of high quality and a little more original than on board the ID.3, with in particular 3D patterned door panels, or the presence of a central console which gives a more "cocoon" appearance. once installed on board, where the ID.3 prefers to leave a large empty space. Standard on our 204 hp trial version, the seats are in Seaqual fabric, which means that the fabric is made with plastic recovered from the oceans and subsequently recycled.

Regarding the space on board, the Cupra Born is larger than the ID.3, but gives less this impression of space. However, the Born is not lacking in volume, with a habitability worthy of the upper segment and a rather comfortable rear seat to carry two passengers, and even a third thanks to the absence of a transmission tunnel which usually hinders the legroom. .

The only downside for the central rear seat, the seat is a little less comfortable than the other two. Rear passengers, like those in the front, will enjoy two USB-C ports, while induction charging is also available under the front armrest.

Finally, regarding the boot space, the Cupra Born does exactly like the ID.3, with a volume of 385 liters, and which can climb up to 1267 liters once the rear seat is folded down. It is also necessary not to carry the imposing charging cables, which still take up a little space in this trunk, rather spacious but not gigantic either for the category.

Embedded technologies

As stated above, our test model has two screens, a very small 5,3 inches in front of the driver, which seems almost ridiculous in size compared to what is offered today from the competition, especially more than its “floating” integration is a bit clumsy and does not really look qualitative.

For once, that of the Škoda Enyaq, which embeds the same screen, benefits from a more successful integration. This small screen is modular with different displays, but is not as complete as expected, the central touch screen acting as a real "control tower". An augmented reality head-up display system is available as an option for 1000 euros, but our test models were not equipped with it.

The 12-inch touch screen, compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, does not benefit from exceptional graphic quality, but the menus are rather pretty although they are not well organized, you get lost very quickly with a multitude of submenus to manage different functions, starting with ventilation.

Even if the infotainment system suffers from complicated ergonomics, the menus are very numerous and rather practical, especially those related to electrification, with in particular charging planning during your long journeys via GPS. A voice command system, which is called out with the keywords "hola, hola", is also part of the game.

Like its cousin ID.3, the Cupra Born benefits from a particularly supplied catalog of driving aids, with predictive adaptive cruise control, the panel reading system, the blind spot detector or even the camera. 360 °. Like ID.3, the semi-autonomous driving system is a real success, even on departmental roads, where the car will follow the curves rather well, without having to put your hands on the steering wheel. To do this, remember to check the option “Pack PILOT L” at 460 euros on our trial version to take advantage of this rather surprisingly efficient system.

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The car can also be connected with urban infrastructures, if they are too obviously, but also with other cars thanks to the Car2X function. The technology does not use the mobile phone network, which means that it offers wide coverage within the limits of the system.

Within a radius of 800 meters maximum, connected vehicles directly exchange their information and their positioning. This allows them to alert each other to dangers or to come into contact with road infrastructure within milliseconds. Today, few cars are equipped with this system: its usefulness is therefore fairly relative since the environment around it is not yet mature enough.

Autonomy, battery and recharging

At the time of this writing, in your country, the Cupra Born is only available with a 204 horsepower engine and a 58 kWh battery. Soon, other versions should arrive and will follow the same pattern as the ID.3, with a 150 hp version with a 45 kWh battery for the entry level, and a 231 hp version with a battery. of 77 kWh which will arrive in 2022. Note that a variant of 231 horsepower with the intermediate battery of 58 kWh will also be available.

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In this regard, communicating on 231 horses for the one called Cupra Born VZ is a bit ambitious, in the sense that it will be a temporary e-boost, available for only ten seconds and with a battery level sufficient, much like the new Volkswagen ID. 4 GTX.

In terms of autonomy, the version with the small battery claims 340 kilometers with a single charge, 420 kilometers for the 58 kWh battery and 540 kilometers for that of 77 kWh. Batteries compatible with fast chargers (125 kW) can recover 100 kilometers in 7 minutes, and 35 minutes are enough to recover 80% of the battery. The version equipped with the 77 kWh battery will be able to benefit in 2022 from a maximum charging power of 170 kW.

Racing

During our test, we were able to take control of the version sold in your country for the moment, equipped with the electric motor of 204 horses et 310 Nm positioned at the rear axle. The Spanish manufacturer ensures that the transmission of power to the rear axle and the 50-50 weight distribution promote the sporty temperament of the model, whatever the version. With its 58 kWh battery, the range displayed on the dashboard is around 320 kilometers, far from the 420 announced under the WLTP cycle. Previous users may have had a bit of a heavy foot!

It must be said that our test route was not really conducive to eco-driving in electric, with a small passage through Barcelona, ​​but above all more winding departmental roads in the heights of the Catalan capital, more than enough to test the dynamic qualities of the car rather than its appetite in kWh. Nevertheless, with a recorded average of 19 kWh / 100 kilometers with a sometimes sporty drive, let's say that, like the ID.3, the Cupra Born isn't a big kWh crunch, and we could have gone way below if we were more careful.

Cupra sells her Born as a model with dynamic claims, so let's use it that way. From the first turns of the wheel, indeed, the Iberian shows more temperament than the ID.3, even if the figures are strictly identical to the equivalent version, with a 0 to 100 km / h shipped in 7,3 seconds. Our test version does not benefit from the "Cupra" driving mode, this mode being reserved for the Born VZ speedy 231 horsepower.

However, the “Performance” mode makes it possible to harden the consistency of the direction, improve the response to the accelerator, or even harden the suspension if you have checked the damping piloted at 850 euros. Our test model was not equipped with this last element, the option being available only from next year.

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In fact, indeed, the Cupra Born is a more dynamic car than the ID.3, without being a real sportswoman either. The engineers' work around the steering and the suspensions is felt, with a better controlled roll grip than an ID.3, a more informative steering and a more precise front axle. Slightly wider tires allow for more stability when cornering, even if, on slightly tight curves, the ESP will tend to trigger too early, without being castrating. The behavior of the car remains overall very healthy and in no way tricky.

In terms of comfort, despite its sporting claims, it is rather correct, although a bit firm on certain compressions, the fault surely with the rims of our test version. Regarding the braking, the transition between regenerative and friction is rather well managed, even if, as usual on most electric cars, the feeling at the start of the pedal is a bit too spongy. The Cupra Born has a "B" mode to amplify regenerative braking, unfortunately this cannot be configured on several levels and almost useless, even by activating it.

Price

Orders for the Cupra Born will be open from November 2, 2021 but, as stated previously, only the 204 horsepower version with the 58 kWh battery will be available. Prices start from 40 euros, excluding ecological bonus of 6000 euros (5000 euros from January 1, 2022). With a few options, our trial version is exchanged for a little over 44 euros, enough to stay below the threshold of 000 euros and benefit from the maximum bonus in of the country.

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With the arrival of the 150 horsepower version and the small battery, the entry ticket should be around 35 euros, excluding bonuses. The Cupra Born starts slightly above the Volkswagen ID.000, around 3 euros on average for power, battery and equivalent level of equipment. For once, customers will be able to choose between a more consensual and comfortable electric car, or a more dynamic model, both aesthetically and behind the wheel. The Cupra Born and Volkswagen ID.500 are produced at the same plant in Zwickau, Germany.

Like the ID.3, the fiercest competitor of the Cupra Born will be the Tesla Model 3 which posts higher prices than the Cupra Born, of course, without the gap being abysmal however, with performances above to practically at all levels, whether in terms of technology, autonomy and road services. And Tesla having had the good idea of ​​recently lowering the prices of its Model 3 in your country, some customers could think very seriously between the American sedan, or the Iberian compact with the Germanic accent.

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