Cupra, guys, good Tag! Born with a large battery will go further, but will carry less | Currently.cz

The Cupra brand only celebrated its fifth birthday in February, so it might be worth reminding that it was created in 2018 by separating from the parent company Seat. It is she who currently holds the banner of emotions in the Volkswagen concern, while the Seat brand’s offer has since visibly softened their dose.

The purely electric Born shares a platform and technology with the Volkswagen ID.3, but it can have its own opinion on some things. For example, the structure of the infotainment is clearer in the Born than in the ID.3, although the control of the on-board systems is not one of the things that would make you run out to buy them in both cars.

However, others are definitely worth noting, such as the fact that Born is a compact hatchback in its construction. In the world of electric cars full of crossovers and SUVs, this is a relatively rare phenomenon, which also brings with it one undeniable advantage: the relatively low position of the seats above the road, thanks to which you can really enjoy driving. When on top of that there isn’t even an interior space intended for the crew, and behind the fifth door we find a trunk worthy of a weekly purchase, then you can’t get rid of the impression that someone has thought about this car.

Some things are easier when the engine sits above the rear axle and drives the rear wheels. There is suddenly more feeling in the steering, the car can have a great drive and turns into corners with an unfeigned willingness. All of this also fits the electric Born, so the idea of ​​adding another 27 to the 204 horses and making the sovereign car a little more sovereign is not out of the question at all.

If the driver selects the Cupra or Performance driving mode on the steering wheel, the seemingly calm machine turns into a raging hot hatch that reacts with eager eagerness even to small nuances in the position of the accelerator pedal. When pressed, it accelerates sharply, while releasing it will bring about a significant deceleration. The recuperation of the electric car thus enables the driver to drive in serpentines with racing technique, without having to learn to brake with the left foot.

In an almost masterful way, Born manages to disguise the fact that it weighs over nineteen meters empty. Although it does not make it happy to hit speed bumps, it can absorb normal road bumps admirably even with 20-inch extra rims.

However, the newly optionally supplied battery with a usable capacity of 77 kWh increased the curb weight of the car by 150 kilograms, which was partially reflected in the useful one: Born with a larger battery weighs a modest 389 kilograms, including the driver.

This is probably also the reason why this version is offered as a four-seater as standard, although five seats can be had on request at no extra charge. However, with a full occupancy of five passengers, the car could already be close to the permissible weight limit, even without luggage. Some people interested in the Cupra may be satisfied with the version with a 58kWh battery, which can be loaded with a meter more.

However, the price difference of 100,000 crowns is not significant enough for money to be an argument for the version with smaller storage. The difference of 19 kWh also means a 100 kilometer shorter range: the Cupra’s consumption settled at 19.1 kWh/100 km in the weekly test.

According to the automaker’s data, the version with a larger battery can travel over 500 kilometers on a single charge. This was not completely confirmed in our case, but the measured 400 is not a bad result at all. Especially at temperatures around zero and the sporty driving style that the Cupra Born claims to be.

Add to that the car’s ability to refill an empty battery in about 40 minutes, then it’s almost certain that we’re dealing with a universal hero who can put the stamp of a day well spent even on boring travel. He does not give his honor cheaply, but who would expect such a thing today.