Styling
The Born feels like a young car but was actually first launched as far back as 2022, and was shown off the year before that, so in fact it's getting on a bit (aren't we all?). Time for a facelift, then (again, we could do with one too...) and Cupra has outfitted the Born with a new 'face' featuring the three-triangle-motif LED headlights (clever Matrix LED lights for this high-spec VZ model), a new grille, new air intakes, and air curtains that duct airflow out and around the front wheels. At the rear, there's a set of new brake lights, which also get the three-triangle motif, and which also have a layered, 3D effect. The rear Cupra logo also lights up if you've ponied up the cash for the VZ, and there are new 20-inch alloys with wider 235mm tyres (also the case for the entry-level car's 19-inch rims). You can also have a new colour - Timinfaya Grey - but it looks like all the other uniform dark greys out there, so... why? Still, although it's a little on the tall side, and it's obviously related to the
Volkswagen ID.3, the Born looks handsome and quite appealing.
Interior
The Born's cabin looks superficially familiar, but peer closer and there have been quite a few changes. The biggest alteration is the addition of a new 10.25-inch driver's instrument screen, behind the steering wheel, which looks suitably slick and jazzy. The 12.9-inch touchscreen has gained some Google Android-based software, which means that the screen is much more responsive and easier to use than before. The maddening 'slider' haptic controls for cabin temp and stereo volume remain, which is... well, maddening, but at least the new steering wheel now gets proper buttons and scrollers, which makes life much easier than the old touch-sensitive pads - you'd inevitably catch those with your thumb when steering and then panic when something went 'bong', meaning that you'd changed a setting without realising it. Almost as welcome are four proper electric window buttons, but this sporty VZ model's
piece de resistance are the 'CupBucket' front seats, which are high-backed, clad in recycled fabric (taken from recovered ocean plastic among others) and spectacularly comfy.
Overall quality is much improved - even with lots of recycled material in the cabin, the Born's interior looks and feels properly premium now.
Practicality
Up front in the cabin, the Cupra Born VZ is very practical, as there's a series of large storage areas, cupholders, and a wireless phone charger (plus some rapid 90-watt USB-C sockets) in the centre console. The door bins and the glovebox are also of a reasonable size.
The back seats are a bit less impressive - your knees are up too high thanks to the high floor - but they're roomy enough, and the boot is just about big enough at 385 litres, although Cupra has yet to discover the magic of a 'frunk.' There are three ISOFIX anchors - two in the back and one in the front - which is good news for parents, and while you can't tow with the Cupra Born, there is now a pop-out bracket tucked behind the rear numberplate that allows you to fit a bike rack.
Performance
Cupra has renewed the entire Born line-up, so it's worth touching here on the versions other than this high-performance VZ model. The lineup kicks off with a 58kWh battery model, using cheaper (but more robust) lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, allied to a 190hp rear-mounted motor (all Borns are rear-wheel drive) with a range of 300 miles.
Next up is a version with a 79kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery with a 231hp motor and a range of 388 miles, and finally there's the range-topping high-performance VZ version - which we're testing here - with 326hp, the same 79kWh battery, and a range of 389 miles.
The VZ's performance is impressive. The 0-62mph sprint is dispatched in 5.6 seconds, which maybe isn't monster performance anymore (the
MG4 XPower has entered the chat...) but which is certainly brisk enough for most. There is an 'E-Launch' launch control mode, but frankly it feels no different than just stamping hard on the accelerator yourself.
Select the Cupra driving mode using the Alfa Romeo-style buttons on the steering wheel (the other modes being Range, Comfort, and Performance), and the throttle response is absolutely instant, almost too much so and you end up having to modulate your right foot a bit to avoid jerking your head around too much. Acceleration tails off once you've passed 60mph, but there's enough torque - 545Nm - to effortlessly add a quick burst once you're cruising.
Ride & Handling
The Born VZ's steering feels firm and responsive, and those new wider tyres seem to be able to conjure up plenty of grip. The VZ comes as standard with DCC adaptive suspension dampers, and these are little short of brilliant - allowing you to choose between a pillow-soft ride around town, and then firmer, but never harsh, control on twisty roads. It's quite the duality of performance actually, as the Born VZ can slink effortlessly and silently along city streets, and then give you a dose of the thrills on mountain roads.
Well, not
that many thrills. The VZ, in spite of its billing and the fact that 'Veloz' in Spanish literally translates as 'Speed' ('I. Am. Speed.' cf: Lighting McQueen), the Born VZ's is more of an impressive all-rounder than a thrill-a-minute speed machine. Mind you, that's impressive enough in its own right. There are other EVs which are more immediately exciting, but few which offer the Born's broad-spectrum mix of power and comfort.
Value
Prices for the revised Born start from £36,000 for the entry-level 58kWh, 190hp models, and rise to £46,000 for this VZ. Which isn't exactly cheap (the MG4 XPower has entered the chat again) but given the standard equipment, the lengthy warranty, and the now genuinely premium feel of the cabin, we'll let the Born away with its slightly chonky price tag.
Verdict
The much-revised Cupra Born VZ's hits a wide sweet spot for those people looking for an electric car with lots of range, impressive efficiency (we averaged 3.9 miles per kWh on our test), genuine high performance and handling, yet with family-friendly usability, and commuting comfort.
