TopGear just got off the new Cupra Born. In our next issue you can read our full test report; now the highlights.
Test object: Cupra Born
Performance: 150 kW
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Weather conditions: Sun, 24 degrees – ideal, actually
Cupra Born? Weird name. A Cupra was born or something?
Almost. El Born is a hip neighborhood in the old part of Barcelona. The Cupra Born was once ‘born’ as Seat El Born, after which it was decided to make a Cupra out of it and to drop the ‘El’.
Looks like a Volkswagen ID.3 that went to the gym…
He is. Something has definitely been done to him. For example, the nose is slightly lower, it has the Seat/Cupra-typical, sharper headlights and a rather unnecessarily large grille. At the back is an equally pointless diffuser. The whole thing has been brought 1.5 centimeters closer to the ground and equipped with large wheels with copper-colored accents, which you also encounter elsewhere on and in the car. It certainly looks nice, but the base is still very visible. Too good? It’s up to you to decide – we actually think so.
Then the interior will be completely the same?
Well no, not that. The Cupra Born, for example, is standard equipped with sports seats, which are excellent. The center console is higher, so you have the idea of sitting a bit more ‘in’ those seats than on them, as with the ID.3. Here too there are some copper-coloured accents, which give the whole its own atmosphere. All software is of course ‘verCupraad’, which also looks different, although the technology is largely the same. Including the totally maddening way of controlling the climate control and the volume of the audio, with swipe panels instead of buttons. They are already driving us insane at VW, here it seems even worse. Also stupid: the buttons to operate the rear windows are gone. For this you now first have to press a button ‘Rear’, and then the buttons of the front side windows. You do that quickly by accident, causing you to open the rear windows. Gets very annoying very quickly.
How does the Cupra Born drive?
Basically the same as the ID.3. According to Cupra, a few things have changed, but that is not or hardly noticeable. It would have a slightly stiffer suspension – that must be about promilles. Not all that bad in itself – there’s not much wrong with the ID.3’s handling. The Cupra Born is also comfortable, smooth and not overly inclined to involve you in driving. There is still a few things in the barrel; there will be versions with an adaptive chassis and a boost function, which temporarily adds 30 hp power. That comes, just like the versions with a longer (500 km) and shorter (300 km) range. The importer now focuses on the middle version. Logical: in 2022 the addition regime will change again, and if you can deliver before that time, you will be lucky in leaseland.
So, what do you think of the Cupra Born?
Great stuff, but also a bit of a missed opportunity. With the delicious Formentor we had the idea that Cupra was increasingly becoming a real own brand. However, if you look through all the frills, the Born is too much of a mildly pimped ID.3. Understandable – everything you change, short money, and that doesn’t grow on the trees at VAG either. But still: sorry. Cupra deserved a little more distinctiveness.
TopGear just got off the new Cupra Born. In our next issue you can read our full test report; now the highlights.
Test object: Cupra Born
Performance: 150 kW
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Weather conditions: Sun, 24 degrees – ideal, actually
Cupra Born? Weird name. A Cupra was born or something?
Almost. El Born is a hip neighborhood in the old part of Barcelona. The Cupra Born was once ‘born’ as Seat El Born, after which it was decided to make a Cupra out of it and to drop the ‘El’.
Looks like a Volkswagen ID.3 that went to the gym…
He is. Something has definitely been done to him. For example, the nose is slightly lower, it has the Seat/Cupra-typical, sharper headlights and a rather unnecessarily large grille. At the back is an equally pointless diffuser. The whole thing has been brought 1.5 centimeters closer to the ground and equipped with large wheels with copper-colored accents, which you also encounter elsewhere on and in the car. It certainly looks nice, but the base is still very visible. Too good? It’s up to you to decide – we actually think so.
Then the interior will be completely the same?
Well no, not that. The Cupra Born, for example, is standard equipped with sports seats, which are excellent. The center console is higher, so you have the idea of sitting a bit more ‘in’ those seats than on them, as with the ID.3. Here too there are some copper-coloured accents, which give the whole its own atmosphere. All software is of course ‘verCupraad’, which also looks different, although the technology is largely the same. Including the totally maddening way of controlling the climate control and the volume of the audio, with swipe panels instead of buttons. They are already driving us insane at VW, here it seems even worse. Also stupid: the buttons to operate the rear windows are gone. For this you now first have to press a button ‘Rear’, and then the buttons of the front side windows. You do that quickly by accident, causing you to open the rear windows. Gets very annoying very quickly.
How does the Cupra Born drive?
Basically the same as the ID.3. According to Cupra, a few things have changed, but that is not or hardly noticeable. It would have a slightly stiffer suspension – that must be about promilles. Not all that bad in itself – there’s not much wrong with the ID.3’s handling. The Cupra Born is also comfortable, smooth and not overly inclined to involve you in driving. There is still a few things in the barrel; there will be versions with an adaptive chassis and a boost function, which temporarily adds 30 hp power. That comes, just like the versions with a longer (500 km) and shorter (300 km) range. The importer now focuses on the middle version. Logical: in 2022 the addition regime will change again, and if you can deliver before that time, you will be lucky in leaseland.
So, what do you think of the Cupra Born?
Great stuff, but also a bit of a missed opportunity. With the delicious Formentor we had the idea that Cupra was increasingly becoming a real own brand. However, if you look through all the frills, the Born is too much of a mildly pimped ID.3. Understandable – everything you change, short money, and that doesn’t grow on the trees at VAG either. But still: sorry. Cupra deserved a little more distinctiveness.
TopGear just got off the new Cupra Born. In our next issue you can read our full test report; now the highlights.
Test object: Cupra Born
Performance: 150 kW
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Weather conditions: Sun, 24 degrees – ideal, actually
Cupra Born? Weird name. A Cupra was born or something?
Almost. El Born is a hip neighborhood in the old part of Barcelona. The Cupra Born was once ‘born’ as Seat El Born, after which it was decided to make a Cupra out of it and to drop the ‘El’.
Looks like a Volkswagen ID.3 that went to the gym…
He is. Something has definitely been done to him. For example, the nose is slightly lower, it has the Seat/Cupra-typical, sharper headlights and a rather unnecessarily large grille. At the back is an equally pointless diffuser. The whole thing has been brought 1.5 centimeters closer to the ground and equipped with large wheels with copper-colored accents, which you also encounter elsewhere on and in the car. It certainly looks nice, but the base is still very visible. Too good? It’s up to you to decide – we actually think so.
Then the interior will be completely the same?
Well no, not that. The Cupra Born, for example, is standard equipped with sports seats, which are excellent. The center console is higher, so you have the idea of sitting a bit more ‘in’ those seats than on them, as with the ID.3. Here too there are some copper-coloured accents, which give the whole its own atmosphere. All software is of course ‘verCupraad’, which also looks different, although the technology is largely the same. Including the totally maddening way of controlling the climate control and the volume of the audio, with swipe panels instead of buttons. They are already driving us insane at VW, here it seems even worse. Also stupid: the buttons to operate the rear windows are gone. For this you now first have to press a button ‘Rear’, and then the buttons of the front side windows. You do that quickly by accident, causing you to open the rear windows. Gets very annoying very quickly.
How does the Cupra Born drive?
Basically the same as the ID.3. According to Cupra, a few things have changed, but that is not or hardly noticeable. It would have a slightly stiffer suspension – that must be about promilles. Not all that bad in itself – there’s not much wrong with the ID.3’s handling. The Cupra Born is also comfortable, smooth and not overly inclined to involve you in driving. There is still a few things in the barrel; there will be versions with an adaptive chassis and a boost function, which temporarily adds 30 hp power. That comes, just like the versions with a longer (500 km) and shorter (300 km) range. The importer now focuses on the middle version. Logical: in 2022 the addition regime will change again, and if you can deliver before that time, you will be lucky in leaseland.
So, what do you think of the Cupra Born?
Great stuff, but also a bit of a missed opportunity. With the delicious Formentor we had the idea that Cupra was increasingly becoming a real own brand. However, if you look through all the frills, the Born is too much of a mildly pimped ID.3. Understandable – everything you change, short money, and that doesn’t grow on the trees at VAG either. But still: sorry. Cupra deserved a little more distinctiveness.
TopGear just got off the new Cupra Born. In our next issue you can read our full test report; now the highlights.
Test object: Cupra Born
Performance: 150 kW
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Weather conditions: Sun, 24 degrees – ideal, actually
Cupra Born? Weird name. A Cupra was born or something?
Almost. El Born is a hip neighborhood in the old part of Barcelona. The Cupra Born was once ‘born’ as Seat El Born, after which it was decided to make a Cupra out of it and to drop the ‘El’.
Looks like a Volkswagen ID.3 that went to the gym…
He is. Something has definitely been done to him. For example, the nose is slightly lower, it has the Seat/Cupra-typical, sharper headlights and a rather unnecessarily large grille. At the back is an equally pointless diffuser. The whole thing has been brought 1.5 centimeters closer to the ground and equipped with large wheels with copper-colored accents, which you also encounter elsewhere on and in the car. It certainly looks nice, but the base is still very visible. Too good? It’s up to you to decide – we actually think so.
Then the interior will be completely the same?
Well no, not that. The Cupra Born, for example, is standard equipped with sports seats, which are excellent. The center console is higher, so you have the idea of sitting a bit more ‘in’ those seats than on them, as with the ID.3. Here too there are some copper-coloured accents, which give the whole its own atmosphere. All software is of course ‘verCupraad’, which also looks different, although the technology is largely the same. Including the totally maddening way of controlling the climate control and the volume of the audio, with swipe panels instead of buttons. They are already driving us insane at VW, here it seems even worse. Also stupid: the buttons to operate the rear windows are gone. For this you now first have to press a button ‘Rear’, and then the buttons of the front side windows. You do that quickly by accident, causing you to open the rear windows. Gets very annoying very quickly.
How does the Cupra Born drive?
Basically the same as the ID.3. According to Cupra, a few things have changed, but that is not or hardly noticeable. It would have a slightly stiffer suspension – that must be about promilles. Not all that bad in itself – there’s not much wrong with the ID.3’s handling. The Cupra Born is also comfortable, smooth and not overly inclined to involve you in driving. There is still a few things in the barrel; there will be versions with an adaptive chassis and a boost function, which temporarily adds 30 hp power. That comes, just like the versions with a longer (500 km) and shorter (300 km) range. The importer now focuses on the middle version. Logical: in 2022 the addition regime will change again, and if you can deliver before that time, you will be lucky in leaseland.
So, what do you think of the Cupra Born?
Great stuff, but also a bit of a missed opportunity. With the delicious Formentor we had the idea that Cupra was increasingly becoming a real own brand. However, if you look through all the frills, the Born is too much of a mildly pimped ID.3. Understandable – everything you change, short money, and that doesn’t grow on the trees at VAG either. But still: sorry. Cupra deserved a little more distinctiveness.