The hot hatchback has been around now for decades. The idea of electric cars has also been around for quite a while now. So, it is inevitable that a car manufacturer is going to create an electric hot-hatch, right? Well, meet the Cupra Born. It’s a hot version of the European small electric hatchback, the Seat El-Born.
On the face of it, this car is like any other hot-hatchback. It packs 228hp in the most powerful specification and it hits 60 in 6.6 seconds. Not too shabby at all, however, something does bother me a bit here. You see, the Born is almost £40,000 here in the UK. For that sort of money, you can get a VW Golf R which is the same size as the Born, only quicker, better-looking, and also gas-powered.
Of course, I appreciate that some people may want an electric hot-hatch. After all, it is in some ways cheaper to run than a petrol-powered equivalent. You also get a lot of incentives with an electric car. But is the Born really worth the money? Also, what other electric hot-hatches are on the market? Let’s find out.
picture via: autoexpress.co.uk
It Is Very Practical
via: cupra.co.uk
A hot hatchback has to be practical and functional. Too many hot-hatchbacks these days are neither of these things. The Cupra Born seats 5 comfortably and the trunk is of a reasonable size. Inside, there is a lot of storage space including a large center-console area which is where the cup holders, etc are.
The bucket seats are quite large and supportive. However, if you are sitting behind them your view of the road in front is restricted. Though this shouldn’t be much of an issue anyway since those in the rear are not driving. The interior looks like a fully vegan leather-free interior, something of which many manufacturers are steering towards. The finishing on the seats is quite cool, and it all looks very well put together. The steering wheel looks very cool with its driving modes buttons mode on one side and a Cupra button on the other. It’s a flat-bottom wheel with chiseled lines to it, so it sure does look unique.
In fact, since the Born is built by the VW Audi group in Germany, the build quality is excellent. In fact, the Born is built on the same reproduction line as its sister cars, the VW ID.3 and the Seat El Born. Those two cars are actually rivals to the Born despite being the same car underneath.
There are some hard plastics in areas, but what do you expect from a car at this price point? Even Mercedes nowadays uses hard plastics in some areas in their models, and that’s no big deal. You even get Alancantara in the Born to spice things up which is a lovely touch.
Overall space is very similar to a Seat Leon or VW Golf. It’s what you expect really from a hot-hatchback, so how can I complain? Yes, the rear-mounted electric motor takes a lot of room in the trunk, but is it all that bad?
Looks Are Not The Best.
The looks of the Born are not the best. The front is honestly hideous, far from aggressive. The side profile isn’t great either as the whole car just looks like a big MPV. The diamond-style touch on the rear pillar also looks a bit cheap. The whole car just looks really big for a hatchback, despite the fact as we discussed earlier it’s really the same size inside as a normal hatchback.
The rear of the car is better, but not perfect. The logo I will admit is very cool and so are the lights. It’s far better than every other angle of the car but it still does look really fat. But overall, the back of the car isn’t too bad.
The proportions also look a bit off too. The rear pillar just looks far too big and the front pillar has an extra window. It all looks too large, and I am struggling to like it. The alloys are ok, but they’re not all that cool. Plus, the wheels are tucked in the arches which make this car look even worse than it already is.
The spikey elements around the car on the grille, bumpers, etc are a nice touch. They do increase the aggression of the car very slightly and the bronze elements (which is Cupra’s main color) do enhance the car a little bit. However, these little details cannot save the main overall exterior silhouette of the car.
Interior design is better. again, a lot of bronze copper-colored elements and there is a lot of light inside thanks to a panoramic roof. The driver’s display could be a tad bigger though since it more so looks like an afterthought. However, overall interior design is a million times better than exterior design.
Is It Better Than a Petrol Powered Equievlant?
In all honesty, no. The Born is a good stepping stone for electric hot hatchbacks but it simply isn’t good enough to compete with the likes of the VW Golf R or even Cupra’s own Leon. They are all of a similar price, and if it was my money I would go for a petrol-powered equivalent.
The Born needs more power, desperately. Electric cars have worked very well amongst car enthusiasts since their speed shocks you. In the Born, a 0-60 time of 6.6 seconds is not good enough. The car is also pretty heavy, being electric so none of that helps either. Handling is ok in the Born but again similarly priced cars outperform it.
There is no other hot EV hatchback s on the market right now, however, VW will launch a hot version of the ID.3 soon and Renault will also launch a hot-hatchback EV. For now though, if you’re in the market for an electric hot-hatchback, save your money and get a used Tesla Model 3. Far faster, far more exciting and you can find one for the same price.
If you want a hot-hatchback, stick with the petrol-powered cars for now.