CUPRA Born: 9 cool features we adore

If you’re thinking about making the switch to an electric car, but don’t quite have the confidence to make that leap of faith, CUPRA’s new Love Me or Leave Me offer* could be your perfect introduction to the world of plug-in power.

Love Me or Leave Me gives you 100 days to fall in love with the award-winning all-electric CUPRA Born to see exactly how well it fits into your life. What’s more, CUPRA are so sure you’ll fall head over heels for the Born that if you’re not totally smitten after the 100 days, you can simply hand it back. Who said break-ups have to be nasty?

And with up to 372 miles of range** (Born VZ official WLTP test figures), stand-out-from-the-crowd styling, loads of family-friendly space, plenty of next-generation tech, and impressive rapid charging that keeps you moving, it’s hard to see why someone wouldn’t love the CUPRA Born.

But to put that theory to the test, we decided to spend some one-on-one time with this sporty hatchback to see if it would take our fancy. Here are the nine things we adored the most.

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

#1 Coast-to-coast rear lights

When talking about the design of a car, they say if you simply can’t help but look back at it as you’re walking away, you know it’s a real head-turner (literally). Well, when it comes to the CUPRA Born, you’ll need to be careful, such is the amount of time you’ll spend glancing back over your shoulder.

With its pin-sharp bodywork creases, sleek LED headlights, aggressive shark-like nose, sporty rear diffuser, steep-raked A-pillar, textured colour-contrasting mouldings on the C-pillar, and a broad, hunkered-down stance, the CUPRA Born has kerb appeal by the bucketload, and firmly puts to bed the myth that electric cars are boring to look at.

If we had to pick one design feature of the CUPRA Born that we love the most, though, it’s got to be the dazzling coast-to-coast rear LED lightbar that spans the entire width of the tailgate. Not only does it give the CUPRA Born a truly space-age look, it looks utterly spectacular at night.

#2 Puddle lights

The rear lightbar isn’t the only bit of illuminated thinking we love on the CUPRA Born. Up front, every CUPRA Born gets stylish triangular LED daytime running lights as standard, along with ultra-powerful LED headlights that cut through the night like a hot knife through butter.

But we also particularly love the warm, welcoming puddle lights – situated under the wing mirror and in the shape of CUPRA’s distinctive logo – that splash down onto the floor whenever you unlock the car. Nice touch, CUPRA.

#3 Captivating copper accents (inside and out)

Speaking of warm and welcoming, CUPRA has carved its own path in the electric vehicle market by crafting unique and stylish cars that truly stand out from the crowd. Nothing embodies this more than the distinctive copper detailing emblazoned on all of its cars, both inside and out.

On the decision to use the copper colour, CUPRA design guru Alejandro Mesonero said: “We use materials that are nice to touch, like the human touch. That’s how we came up with using a copper colour – a very warm, real colour. We want to convert this feeling of warmth that the CUPRA brand has. It’s not cold like aluminium. It’s warm: it’s closer to the people; more human.”

#4 e-Boost button

Thanks to its perfect balance of power and poise, the CUPRA Born is one of the best electric cars to drive on sale today. As Autocar’s editor Mark Tisshaw put it, there’s a “just rightness” to the way it gets down the road.

Indeed, with near-perfect 50:50 weight distribution, quick precise steering and a playful sports-car-like rear-wheel drive set up, the CUPRA Born’s smile-to-mile ratio is off the scale. And, as you’d expect from a sporty electric hatchback, it’s pretty handy in a straight line too. That’s where e-Boost comes in.

With up to 231PS*** of potent electric power and 310Nm of punchy all-electric torque to play with, the CUPRA Born’s e-Boost feature gives you a quick burst of maximum power: either by pushing the throttle past the kickdown, or by pressing the ‘CUPRA’ button on the steering wheel. As a result, the CUPRA Born can sprint from 0-62mph in as little as 6.7 seconds.

#5 Sumptuous and supportive bucket seats

The CUPRA Born blends comfort and sportiness into one perfect all-round electric package, and nothing represents that more than its sumptuous bucket seats.

Opt for a V1 or V2 trim and they come trimmed in black upcycled Seaqual yarn. Go for high-spec V3 and you’ll get luxurious-feeling heated Granite Grey Dinamica seats with 12-way electrical adjustment that deliver exceptional comfort and support in equal measure.

#6 Heated steering wheel

We all have our own creature comforts: little things in life that bring a smile to your face and some warmth to your heart. Or, in this case, to your hands.

Fitted as standard on the V2 trim and above, the CUPRA’s Born’s heated steering wheel is a proper gamechanger on those crisp winter mornings.

#7 Huge central touchscreen

Inside, the CUPRA Born’s cabin is as high-tech as it is comfy. The dashboard is sleek and minimalist in design, while the copper detailing, ambient lighting and sustainable soft-touch materials throughout give it a truly premium look and feel. 

But the highlight for us is the large, high-definition central 12.9in touchscreen perched atop the dashboard. With vivid colours, clear graphics and big icons, it’s easy to use on the move. 

It also 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.

#8 MyCUPRA smartphone app

The CUPRA Born’s tech doesn’t stop there. Thanks to its smart always-only connectivity, you can also interact with your CUPRA Born remotely using the MyCUPRA smartphone app.

From here, you can check your car’s location, its current charge and its predicted range – all from the comfort of your sofa or office. 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 – perfect for those frosty winter mornings.

#9 Augmented-reality heads-up display

When behind the wheel, it’s important to keep your eyes on the road as much as possible – and that’s where CUPRA’s augmented reality heads-up display really helps.

Using clever tech to project 3D images onto your windscreen, CUPRA’s heads-up display system puts vital driving information right in your line of sight, including the speed limit of the road you’re currently driving on, the speed you’re travelling at and navigation directions.

So, there you have it: nine features of the CUPRA Born that we simply adore. Maybe it’s time to find yours with CUPRA’s Love Me or Leave Me offer…

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 CUPRA Born VZ 79 kWh is a battery electric vehicle requiring mains electricity for charging. Figures shown are for comparability purposes. Only compare electric range figures with other vehicles tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted (post-registration), variations in weather, driving styles, route conditions, speed, vehicle and battery age and vehicle load. Data correct at 14/11/2024

***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.