Cupra Born priced in Australia from $59,990, with over 500km of range

The Cupra Born promises to not just be Australia’s first ‘true’ hot hatch EV, but also one of the most affordable electric vehicles to buy

Cupra has announced official pricing and specification for its all-electric Born hot hatch ahead of its expected arrival between March and April 2023.

The Born will start at $59,990 before on-road costs, meaning it undercuts key rivals such as the Polestar 2 ($61,400) and the Tesla Model 3 ($65,500) – while also qualifying for a range of state-based financial incentives that could bring the driveaway price down.

Cupra has announced the Born will start from $59,990 before on-road costs in Australia

Driveaway pricing for the Born is state-dependent, starting as $61,990 in the ACT, followed by NSW ($62,490), Queensland ($63,490), South Australia ($64,490), Victoria ($64,990) and Western Australia ($66,490).

Cupra head of product Jeff Shafer told Chasing Cars that the budding performance brand had to “work very hard to achieve that price” due to inflationary and commodity price pressures.

It marks the arrival of Cupra’s fourth vehicle since it launched into the highly competitive Australian market earlier this year, armed with the Leon hatch, Ateca small SUV and Formentor wagon.

The Born promises to be Australia’s first electric hot hatch

Cupra Born range and charging

Cupra will offer the Born in a single grade armed with a large battery with 77kWh of usable capacity, which the rear-mounted 170kW/310Nm motor draws from. The claimed range is up to 511km on a single charge according to the typically more accurate WLTP testing protocols.

With the ability to access all of its torque from the get-go, the Born boasts the ability to accelerate from 0-100km/h in seven seconds flat. However, Cupra stresses that the Born is not just about straight-line speed – a claim Chasing Cars will test in our upcoming review.

We’ll put its performance claims to the test in an upcoming review

It’s the first Volkswagen Group vehicle to arrive in Australia based on its bespoke MEB electric platform that also underpins the inbound Volkswagen ID4 and ID5 SUVs, as well as the ID Buzz van and Enyaq SUV from sister brand Skoda.

The MEB platform allows for a maximum charging speed of 170kW when using a DC-style charger or 11kW when using an AC charger, the latter typically used for charging at home.

Cupra Born standard features

In Australia, the Born will come dressed in a range of standard features including 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail-lights, fog lights, heated and power-folding mirrors and rear tinted windows.

The cabin is trimmed in a type of recycled polyester known as Sequal with two bucket seats up front, a 12.0-inch multimedia display with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 5.2-inch digital instrument cluster.

The Cupra seats five people by default of four people when you opt for one of two packages

Also included is a wireless phone charger, heated leather steering wheel, and dual-zone climate control.

On the performance front, Cupra has included progressive steering and a sports suspension setup, to tie in with the rear-driven driving dynamics to offer the promise of a keen experience.

In terms of safety, the Born is fitted with adaptive cruise control, forwards AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert, pre-crash assist, a park assist function and a 360-degree camera.

The huge 12.0-inch touchscreen comes as standard

Two packages available

For those who want a bit more, Cupra offers two main options known as the interior package ($2900) and performance package ($2600).

The interior package includes Aurora Blue Dinamica front heated bucket seats, with 12-way power adjustment in the first row and a four-seat layout instead of five.

Also included is a nine-speaker Beats premium stereo system with a 395-watt amplifier and heated washing jets.

Cupra offers a performance package which adds wider tyres

The performance package lives up to its name by adding 20-inch wheels with a wider 235mm footprint wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres as well as Cupra’s Dynamic Chassis Control that includes adaptive dampers.

This package also converts the Born to a four-seat layout.

Cupra offers a choice of five metallic paint colours by default with only Aurora Blue requiring a $475 premium.