Cupra Born 2023 Review

The 2023 Cupra Born retails at $59,990 plus on-road costs, although driveaway pricing varies between $61,990 (ACT) and $66,490 (WA) depending on the state you live in, but note these prices don’t take into account any rebates. The price also makes it eligible for Fringe Benefits Tax exemption for those on novated leases.

It comes with plenty of gear including 19-inch wheels, LED lights, keyless entry and start, sports suspension, ambient lighting, a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control and metallic paint, with the only colour attracting an additional charge being the hero Aurora Blue at $475.

A large 12.0-inch infotainment touch-screen display features wired smartphone mirroring, wireless charging and a pair of USB-C ports, while safety is well covered by automated emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist assist, lane assist, park assist, rear cross-traffic alert, a top-down camera and more.

Two options packages are available, the $2900 Interior Package adding 12-way adjustable heated massage front seats trimmed in Aurora Blue Dinamica, heated washer jets and a nine-speaker Beats sound system, while the $2600 Performance Package includes adaptive dampers and 20-inch wheels with wider, grippier Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres.

It’s important to note that adding either options package reduces the Born from a five- to a four-seater.

One of the most impressive aspects about the 2023 Cupra Born is its efficiency. While claimed maximum ranges – like claimed fuel consumption figures – are usually best taken with a grain of salt, the Cupra’s 511km is achievable without turning into a crazed hypermiler, though the Performance Package drops this to 475km.

What’s more, you can use the Born’s 7.0sec 0-100km/h performance potential without fear of draining the battery in moments, which is a bonus as that brings us to one of the other enjoyable aspects of the Born, its rear-drive handling.

Switching to rear-wheel drive arguably makes more of a difference in an electric car due to their prodigious and instantly available torque. Sending it backwards rather than forwards gives the car much better balance and traction, making it far more enjoyable to drive at any speed.

There’s also decent space in both the rear seats and the 385-litre boot, while the ride is very nicely judged in daily use – compliant but controlled.

There are a couple of little foibles with the 2023 Cupra Born, but nothing deal-breaking. The fact it can only seat four if options are ticked may or may not matter to you, the infotainment could be slicker and servicing could be cheaper (though $1590 over five years isn’t terrible). Oh, adjustable regen paddles would be nice, too.

Any potential problems will largely depend on how you approach the car. If you’re after a zippy and efficient urban runabout then the Cupra fits the bill nicely, but if you’re after an electric hot hatch you’ll want to look elsewhere.

Judged on that basis, the Born isn’t quick enough. Its 7.0sec 0-100km/h claim sounds promising but it really zips to 50km/h and tails off dramatically after that. Speed isn’t everything, of course, but while the Born is enjoyable up to a certain point, really start to push it dynamically and the circa-1900kg kerb weight quickly makes itself known.

In contrast to the verdict in our very brief, original track drive, we’d definitely choose the Performance Package as the wider, grippier Michelin tyres give it the platform it deserves in corners.

Potentially, yes, as it definitely has merit. The 2023 Cupra Born looks cool, effectively eliminates any range issues, is spacious enough to act as family transport if required and, especially when equipped with the Performance Package, is an enjoyable thing to drive.

Trouble is, the EV marketplace is rapidly getting very competitive. For essentially the same money as the Born you could have the updated Tesla Model 3, which offers the same range, greater performance, more space, better tech and faster charging.

Or, if you really want a spicy electric hatchback, MG now offers the MG4 XPOWER, which slams down 320kW of power and 0-100km/h acceleration in just 3.8sec, albeit with a much shorter 385km maximum range, for exactly the same price.

It’s also worth noting that an updated Cupra Born is expected to arrive in the next 12 months.

2023 Cupra Born at a glance:
Price: $59,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motor
Output: 170kW/310Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 77kWh lithium-ion
Range: 511km (ADR)
Energy consumption: 17kWh/100km (ADR)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)