Cupra Born VZ 2025 review

It’s unlikely the Born will become Cupra’s cash cow – especially now the more universal Terramar SUV has made its debut – but the little-ish hatchback still has quite an important role to play for the Spanish brand in building a strong and trusted lineup.

A single version launched locally early in 2023 offering a balance of range and performance, along with relatively generous standard equipment selection but now a second variant is set to join it.

Unlike its Tavascan bigger sister, the Born VZ does not change the format too drastically in the walk up to another variant, instead sticking with a single motor and rear drive. 

However, power and performance is increased for an altogether more serious option that’s still efficient and priced in the sixty-somethings.

We took an early look at the Born VZ in its native Spain to understand what it’s bringing to the growing Cupra lineup ahead of its Australian launch early in 2025.

Regardless of which Born you choose, the model is exclusively rear-wheel drive using a single motor on the back axle. With the introduction of the VZ however, the 77kWh battery gets an upgrade to 79kWh, the power is dialled up significantly from 170kW to 240kW, while torque has a similarly impressive bump from 310Nm to 545Nm.

That boost to performance drops the 0-100km/h acceleration from 7.0 seconds to a claimed 5.7s, says Cupra. Despite the extra shove, the Born VZ still retains a respectable single-charge range of 570km and can accept up to 170kW of charging power – up from the meagre 130kW of the original.

It also has a revised adaptive suspension and steering system to enhance dynamics in parallel with the improved motor output and the standard wheel size has been increased to 20 inches and shod in Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres – although it’s not yet confirmed if the same rubber will be hitting Australian roads.

Front disc brakes have also been uprated to deal with the higher performance but the rears remain a drum arrangement as before, while our test car had been fitted with a supremely cool set of 20-inch alloy wheels.

On the inside, the VZ has more supportive Cup sports seats with carbon-fibre construction and Seaqual upholstery – a material made using recovered maritime waste.

It also gains a larger central touchscreen measuring 12.9 inches along with the newest operating system that now features a faster processor, revised graphics and tweaked applications.

What it hasn’t yet been gifted with is the cool triple-triangle headlight design to match all other members of the current Cupra family, but this feature is on the way as part of a mid-life facelift.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed but the new VZ will carry a price premium over the sole introductory Born which is a touch under $60,000.

Even in standard 170kW trim, the Cupra Born offers a uniquely enjoyable driving experience with a playful combination of fast precise steering and lively rear-drive handling. It’s no rocket ship but serves as another example along with the Mazda MX-5 and Subaru BRZ of how fun is not always intrinsically linked to power.

But if the entry level Born was warm, then the new VZ is undeniably hot. With a 40 percent boost to power and whopping 75 percent more torque, the new Born is fast in a straight line and the corners, with 0-100km/h acceleration in just 5.7s and a well-crafted chassis.

If you’re after some kind of tyre-destroying drift machine then you’ll be disappointed because the VZ is more about A-to-B pace and it has significantly more traction than expected. Half-inch wider tyres certainly helps but it’s not difficult get the stability control to slap your wrist. With measure, the abundant power and torque can be well utilised.

It’s possible to steer with the throttle however, and the Born exits corners with eagerness and predictable road holding. There’s a lot of weight to manage though and while we didn’t push hard enough to find out what happens on the ragged edge, we did learn enough to not try.

In wet weather, backing off the throttle mid-corner shifts the weight noticeably and can help rotate the Born but requires a little bravery, while the front end is a bit of a mystery. Enthusiastic driving in the rain is not completely off limits, but the VZ’s strengths are best explored in the dry.

The revised suspension with adaptive dampers strikes a great balance of sporty dynamics and comfort and the Born VZ doesn’t have the same heavy thumping characteristics over big lumps in the road that many EVs suffer despite carrying about two tonnes of kerb weight.

We’d prefer a little more progressiveness and power in the braking but Cupra is not alone still trying to crack the correct EV recipe of regenerative versus regular braking. Our feeling is that rear discs brakes might help and would certainly impart the right look for such a performance focused car.

Piloting the Born in more regular driving scenarios is equally as pleasant. Its throttle calibration, excellent suspension damping and silent drivetrain make low-speed driving relaxing and enjoyable for all on board.

Visibility is generally good although the thick a-pillars are very obstructive and the Born’s unusual exterior styling seems to position the pillars in exactly the wrong spot.

An unusual column-mounted gear selector works well in practice and frees up space in the central storage space and also allows two driving modes – the normal D for drive as well as B for ‘braking’ which introduces more aggressive regenerative braking.

For a majority of driving, the Born VZ has all the convenience of an EV with an efficient powertrain, smooth power and comfortable quiet cabin, but it only takes a few turns of a country road to quickly forget what’s under the bonnet and simply enjoy all that it has to offer like any driver-focused hot hatch regardless of what makes it go.

The Cupra Born’s interior is not the most radical in the family with a decidedly more conventional approach to styling than the Terramar or Tavascan for example. Compared to many other brands however, the Born will still be different enough for many owners looking for something refreshing and new.

Its central touchscreen hovers above the dashboard rather than sinking into it and now measures nearly one inch larger, while the small digital instrument cluster is cute but functional. The supplementary HUD is the real display hero though.

The clever augmented reality head-up display can project navigation instructions over the view of the road ahead, including large animated arrows as navigation instructions as well as a clever function that can highlight the edge of the lane an orange flash if the driver is wandering.

There are still the trademark touches of copper about the interior and some decent materials including sustainable and recycled textiles but easily the highlight of the interior are the Cup bucket seats by Sabelt, which look purposeful and tasteful and feel even better to sit in.

Space in the second row is above average for adults with great lower leg support and headroom, highlighting that the Born is not quite as small as its proportions might suggest. It’s actually 4324mm in length and offers nearly 400 litres of boot space, which might surprise some.

It’ll be interesting to see if the version coming to Australia allows the full suite of five seats because the initial version was limited to just four spots depending on the level of specification thrown at it.

As the VZ is a new variant joining the Born family, it shares the full five-star rating awarded to the model when it was tested in 2022.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) rated the Born very highly for adult occupant protection and reasonably well for assistance technology as it offers all the grades of AEB apart from ‘backover’ which automatically applies braking during reverse manoeuvring.

At the point of purchase, Cupra Born customers are offered a choice of capped-price service packs to cover all scheduled maintenance for either three or five years. The three-year deal costs $990 while the five-year plan is $1590 but includes the ‘concierge’ service which includes a pick up and drop off of the vehicle at a nominated address.

Services are due every 15,000km and all Cupras are covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

When we first drove the Born, it was the 170kW version fitted with the skinniest wheels and the combination of relatively low grip coupled with ‘enough’ power illustrated that the electric Cupra didn’t need massive figures to be fun.

However, the VZ demonstrates that the ubiquitous MEB platform has a lot of capacity for performance and the application of lots more power and torque has not upset the balance, it’s improved it.

While the figures are bigger, the basic formula remains unchanged and that means the performance enhancement won’t come with a nasty increase to the price.

The Cupra Born VZ doesn’t quite take the ultimate driver’s EV crown from the hooligan Hyundai Ioniq 5 N but it is a true electric hot hatch that should appeal to any driving enthusiast. And the Volkswagen Group is still capable of slotting in yet another motor on the front axle for even more potency and all-wheel drive. Wouldn’t that be a thing?