Cupra Born hatchback - Interior & comfort
Despite costing less, the Cupra Born does a good job of disguising some of the Volkswagen ID.3’s cheap trim
Sitting in the front of the Born is a comfortable experience, thanks in part to hugging sports seats. Not everyone will love the integral headrests – not least those with young kids, who might find it tricky to mount their all-important tablet or iPad – as they tilt forward and can restrict forward visibility for passengers in the back.
The front seats are also mounted quite high for a sporty car but that’s the consequence of the battery’s location underneath the floor. There is, however, plenty of adjustment for the driver's seat and the steering wheel – and every version gets soft-touch trim on the dashboard, hiding some of the cheaper materials you’ll find in the mechanically-similar Volkswagen ID.3.
Cupra Born dashboard
The ID.3 has been criticised for the quality of its interior and the Cupra Born appears better in the most crucial areas. There are still a few signs that corners and costs have been cut – mainly in the lower reaches of the cabin – but on the whole, the Cupra is a much nicer place to sit than the VW. In keeping with Cupra's design theme, there are distinctive copper accents that help the interior stand out.
The infotainment system remains a point of contention, however. It’s not the most responsive, and some of the load times are too long. No such complaints can be levelled at the graphics, though, which are crisp and vibrant, for both the central screen and the instrument display.
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Infuriatingly, the Cupra inherits the Volkswagen’s touch-sensitive climate control sliders underneath the main screen, which aren’t backlit at night. We understand this will be updated in time – likely with the Cupra’s mid-life facelift due sometime in 2024.
Leather-free upholstery called Dinamica and Seaqual Yarn are offered, manufactured from recycled clothing and single-use plastics or marine plastics respectively.
Equipment
Three trim levels called V1, V2 and V3 are initially offered, with a sporty VZ expected later on. V1 has 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 12-inch touchscreen with sat nav and wireless smartphone mirroring, plus a heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control and a reversing camera. V2 adds 19-inch wheels, tinted rear windows, heated seats and an augmented reality head-up display. Top-spec V3 gets even bigger wheels, exclusive grey upholstery and front seats with power adjustment and massage function. We found the ride to be quite jolting on the biggest 20-inch wheels of the V3, though, so our pick would be one of the lesser models.
Options
A number of options are available, adding features such as a Beats audio system with nine speakers, a panoramic glass roof, an augmented reality heads-up display and adjustable suspension. There are also several packs, such as the ‘Pilot L Pack’, which adds a top-down camera and intelligent park assist among other key driver aids.
Which Is Best?
Cheapest
- Name169kW e-Boost V1 58kWh 5dr Auto
- Gearbox typeAuto
- Price£35,030
Most Economical
- Name169kW e-Boost V3 77kWh 5dr Auto
- Gearbox typeAuto
- Price£41,330
Fastest
- Name169kW e-Boost V1 58kWh 5dr Auto
- Gearbox typeAuto
- Price£35,030