CUPRA Born: which model is right for you?

The CUPRA Born is a car that has picked up plenty of acclaim in recent months thanks to its standout style, it amped-up performance, its compelling driving character, and its impressive all-round capability as an all-electric model.

The fact that we've given the CUPRA Born a glowing five-star review and named it the Best Small Electric Car To Drive in the 2024 What Car? Awards proves that appeal. The CUPRA Born also recently topped two Autocar EV group tests – including one that focused on its compelling driving character. And that's just part of the reason why the Autocar team named it their Best Electric Car in the 2024 Autocar Awards.

So, the CUPRA Born isn’t just an amazing electric car to drive; it’s a great electric car, full stop. But how do you find the perfect CUPRA Born for you? Well, that’s where we can help.

But just before we do… Are you considering switching to an electric car but still have some concerns about how well one would suit your lifestyle? Well, CUPRA’s new Love Me or Leave Me offer* could be your perfect introduction to the world of electric.

Love Me or Leave Me gives you 100 days to fall in love with the award-winning all-electric CUPRA Born and find out just how well it fits into your life. CUPRA are so sure you’ll fall head over heels for the Born that if you’re not totally smitten after 100 days, you can simply hand the car back. To learn more about Love Me or Leave Me, click the link below.

Learn more about CUPRA's 100-day Love Me or Leave Me offer

Pick the right range and performance

CUPRA has simplified the CUPRA Born range for 2024, offering five variants that make it even easier to pick the right model from the line-up for you. Let’s start with the important figures: range and performance.

The CUPRA Born V1, V2 and V3 models all come with a 59kWh battery that offers up to 265 miles (official WLTP test figures)** of all-electric range, while delivering up to 230PS*** of potent e-Boost electric power and 310Nm of punchy all-electric torque from the rear-wheel-drive motor. That means hot-hatch-beating acceleration from 0-62mph in as little as 6.7 seconds. The CUPRA Born V3 also offers the option of a larger 77kWh battery that delivers up to 348 miles (official WLTP test figures)** of range if you feel the need to go further. Simple, eh?

Then there’s the range-topping CUPRA Born VZ. Boasting an even-larger-capacity 79kWh battery that offers up to 372 miles (official WLTP test figures)** of electric range, it also significantly boosts the CUPRA Born’s power and torque. Delivering 326PS (40% more than any other CUPRA born in the range) and up to 545Nm of torque (a staggering 75% its sister cars), it lets you sprint from 0-62mph in as little as 5.6 seconds.

What’s standard on the CUPRA Born V1?

Once you’ve figured how much smile – and how many miles – you want from your CUPRA Born, it’s time to pick your trim. And the CUPRA Born V1 offers plenty of standout style and technology as standard from the start.

On the outside, you get 19in ‘Typhoon’ alloy wheels, full LED headlights and stylish coast-to-coast full LED tail lights as standard, as well as a choice of five bold colours that really make the CUPRA Born’s distinctive styling shine.

Up front you get bucket seats in black upcycled Seaqual yarn that deliver exceptional cossetting comfort. They put you in prime position to enjoy the crisp 5.3-inch digital cockpit that places all of your navigation and infotainment right in your eyeline behind the heated leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel. 

The large 12.9-inch central touchscreen offers a wealth of CUPRA Connect Gen 4 features – including always-online 3D navigation with real-time traffic and Wireless Full Link Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration with your smartphone. And it can all be controlled with CUPRA’s intuitive voice control.

You can interact with your CUPRA Born remotely, using the MyCUPRA smartphone app, which lets you check your car’s location, its current charge and its predicted range. It also lets you schedule or de-activate how your CUPRA Born is charging to better control your costs, as well as pre-warming or pre-cooling the car to ensure it’s at the perfect temperature while still plugged in and charging. 

Around the cabin of the CUPRA Born V1, there’s plenty of copper detailing and ambient lighting to give you that exclusive feel, day or night. And, regardless of which CUPRA Born you pick, you get luggage capacity of 385 litres as standard.

When compared to large all-electric SUVs, the CUPRA Born’s compact dimensions – just 4.3 metres long and 1.8 metres wide – make it easy to wind through twisting roads and park perfectly in the tightest of spaces. But the CUPRA Born V1 also comes with a rear-view camera with front and rear park distance control to help you guide your way round the hazards of the urban jungle when needed. 

There are also plenty of useful driving and safety aids as standard on the CUPRA Born V1, including rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control with speed limiter, dynamic road-sign display, lane assist, forward collision warning with automatic braking, and a driver alert system that recognises when you might be tired.

Last but not least, when it comes to charging, the CUPRA Born V1 offers 165kW charging capability as standard, letting you charge from 10% to 80% in as little as 24 minutes on a compatible ultra-rapid DC public charger****. Add in the CUPRA Charging service, and you get simple one-touch pay-as-you-go access to around 550,000 charging points across Europe, as well as two monthly membership tiers that help you cut your costs. 

Add even more with the CUPRA Born V2 and V3

The mid-range CUPRA Born V2 and V3 trims add plenty of extra goodies to the equipment list, which further bolster the premium feel. 

The CUPRA Born V2 comes with heated seats and a heated steering wheel, an augmented-reality head-up display and dark-tinted windows to bolster the CUPRA Born V1’s impressive standard spec. The CUPRA Born V3 trim goes one further, with 20in ‘Thunderstorm’ machined aero alloy wheels and stylish Granite Grey Dinamica-trimmed seats with 12-way electrical adjustability for the front seats, along with pneumatically adjustable lumbar support and a massage function. 

Last, but certainly not least, the CUPRA Born V3 has the option of a larger 77kWh battery, which offers up to 348 miles (official WLTP range figure)** of range. It also offers even faster charging speeds, up to 175kW. On a compatible ultra-rapid 175kW DC charger that could top you up from 10% to 80% in as little as 28 minutes****.

If that wasn’t enough, a range of optional packs – including the Skyline panoramic sunroof pack, a heat pump, and the Pilot, Tech and Dynamic packs – let you custom-spec your CUPRA Born to your liking, whichever trim you pick.

Go even sportier with the CUPRA Born VZ

The incoming CUPRA Born VZ takes the CUPRA Born’s celebrated performance and style to another level. VZ stands for ‘veloz’, meaning ‘fast’ in Spanish. But, if you needed any more incentive, just take a look at what it adds to the spec sheet. 

On the outside, you get the choice of all five colours, plus an exclusive Dark Forest green, as well as two new 20in alloy wheel options on which are mounted the CUPRA Born VZ’s wider high-performance tyres. There are also moody dark chrome logos for the CUPRA Born VZ, further reinforcing its performance character.

Under the skin of the CUPRA Born VZ, the uprated powertrain offers 326PS and 545Nm of all-electric torque, getting you from standstill to 62mph in as little as 5.6 seconds. You’ll also notice the chassis changes made to the CUPRA Born VZ compared with the rest of the range. Its dynamic performance has been sharpened even further with upgraded DCC Sport suspension, more responsive steering, and an improved brake pedal feel.

Ah, but does the extra performance of the CUPRA Born VZ compromise its range and practicality? Not so. The CUPRA Born VZ has an official range of up to 372 miles (official WLTP test figures)** from its 79kWh battery. And, if you use an ultra-rapid 185kW DC charger, you can top it up from 10% to 80% in as little as 30 minutes****.

Inside, the CUPRA Born VZ boasts a 12.9in central touchscreen that has been designed to be even more intuitive to use, along with a 10-speaker 425W high-fidelity audio system from Sennheiser that comes as standard and incorporates the renowned brand’s AMBEO Concerto software for enhanced surround-sound. Plus, you get the Tech (M) package as standard, featuring keyless entry, a wireless phone charger and CAR2X connectivity, while 

The CUPRA Born VZ also includes regenerative paddle shifts on the steering wheel, making it even easier to choose the right level of braking from the enhanced cup bucket seats – which offer a lower-feeling, more sporty driving position. They’re made of a blend of upcycled Seaqual yarn and rich-feeling Dinamica.

Last but not least, the CUPRA Born VZ also features CUPRA’s new Smart Light technology goes a step beyond the ambient lighting found in other CUPRA Born models, using its full-width wrap-around LEDs to visually convey the car’s charge status, infotainment functions or any hazard warnings.

When it comes to tech, the CUPRA Born VZ adds an enhanced suite of driving and safety aids, with the optional Travel Assist 2.6 (which comes as standard on the CUPRA Born VZ First Edition) combining the Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Assist to improve their performance, especially on poorly marked roads. Optional Side Assist keeps an eye on your blind spots when you’re on the move, while Exit Warning will alert you to obstacles when you’re pulling away from a parking spot.

Then, when you do reach your final destination for the day, the optional 360-degree Top View Camera and Remote Park Assist and Trained Park Assist make it even easier to find your CUPRA Born VZ’s fit for the evening. 

So, there’s quite the variety open to those who are considering the CUPRA Born as their next  – or first – all-electric car. There’s something for everyone, from practical and comfy to fast and luxurious, which should meet the expectations of pretty much every driver and their passengers. So, which CUPRA Born will you go for?

Learn more about CUPRA's 100-day Love Me or Leave Me offer

*Offer valid on Born stock orders placed after 17/10/24, not available on Retail Contract Hire purchases. Customer notification to CUPRA of intention to return vehicle under offer required 80 - 100 days from delivery. Available to selected retail customers, 18+ only. Offer subject to availability, usage, condition, mileage and other deductions. Terms, conditions and exclusions apply, visit cupra.co.uk.

**Official (WLTP) test data obtained under standardised conditions after the battery had been fully charged (to 100%). The accurate range for your vehicle will vary according to a number of different factors which include the route, weather conditions, vehicle load (occupants + luggage), battery age and condition, optional equipment (alloys, tyres, etc.), the use of peripheral energy consumption systems such as heating, air conditioning and heated seats, as well as your driving style. The indicated range has been calculated in compliance with the WLTP regulation which sets out standard test conditions applicable to all car manufacturers. This ensures that the values calculated in accordance with this regulation are comparable for all vehicles.

***Maximum power determined according to UN GTR.21, available for max. 30 seconds. The power output available in individual driving situation depends on variable factors such as ambient temperature, temperature / charging / conditioning status or physical ageing of the high-voltage battery. Availability of maximum power requires a specific high voltage battery temperature of between 23-50ºC and a battery charge level greater than 55% to deliver around 170kW for 58kWh (62kWh Gross) battery, and temperature of between 23-50ºC and a battery charge level greater than 85% to deliver around 170kW for 77kWh (82kWh Gross) Battery. Any deviations from the aforementioned parameters can lead to reduced power output and even to the overboost not being available at all.

****150kWh+ rapid charger, limited in the UK, typically found on motorways/major arterial routes, limited in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and rural areas. Estimated charging times for the standard specification Born VZ 79kWh battery. Test data obtained under standardised conditions for comparison purposes. Actual charging times will vary depending on various factors, including the selected trimline (and battery option, if available),, the options you choose, the type of charger used, the level of charge in the battery, the age, type, condition and temperature of the charger and the battery, the power supply to and usage of the charger, ambient temperature at the point of use and other environmental factors. Charging time will be longer in cold weather. Charging times will also be affected by the charging curve (for example, once charging passes 80%, charging will slow to protect the battery's longevity) and will be longer if battery temperature activates safeguarding technology. Please consult your retailer for further information. Data correct as at November 2024.