Will the Cupra Born be back? Don’t bet on it

Despite promising signs earlier this year, it’s looking more and more likely the 2025 Cupra Born EV, will be thrown out with the bathwater, as financial and calendar pressures come to bear.

The Born, launched with much fanfare in 2023, was specialled out of Cupra dealers earlier this year for less than $50,000, some $17,000 under its original RRP, and it no longer features on the local website.

Meantime, the bunfight for the title of cheapest small electric SUV has expanded exponentially, while the poor exchange rate between the Euro and the Australian dollar is also playing a part in the decision-making process for the local arm of the Spanish-based performance brand.

“Commercially, it’s a challenge,” Cupra Australia’s head of product, Jeff Shafer, told carsales.

“And the market in Australia is unlike I’ve ever seen it in terms of the speed of change at the moment.”

The Born, which debuted in 2021, is also approaching a critical milestone in its development cycle, with news of a facelift just a couple of months away.

Adding to the complexity is the wider Volkswagen Group’s recently previewed new four-pronged affordable EV strategy, which incorporated the smaller Cupra Raval.

It might not be the end of the road for the nippy Born though.

“The cars are ready [for Australia],” Cupra Asia-Pacific reginal manager Laura Saez Prieto said.

“Once we find the perfect spot, we are able to move fast, because everything is done engineering wise in order to bring the cars here.

“So we just need to find the perfect economic environment.”

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au