Cupra Born review: hot hatch vibes, sharp handling and real-world range

It's often said the best things come to those who wait and, I'm not sure how I let it happen, but it's taken me over three years to get behind the wheel of the Cupra Born.

And it's an important car because, not only was it the first full EV from Cupra, the posher Seat sub-brand, but it was one of the first EVs to be overtly sporty.

I've heard it argued that it's not a hot hatch, but I'm assuming that's because the benchmark for modern hot hatches seems to now sit at around 300bhp. The Cupra Born doesn't have anything like that - not in standard trim, at least, but it does have pretty vivid acceleration, very sporty looks, and a magic button that unleashes a bit of a beast. I'll come back to that.

At least in the traditional sense, then, it feels like a hot hatch, it looks like a hot hatch, and it goes like a hot hatch. And while the gestation of electric hot hatches is still a slow and steady affair. It was pretty much stillborn when the Cupra Born launched.

So I was keen to test it and, in the main, I haven't been disappointed. It takes a while to drink in the sculpted details of the exterior, and then the interior feels plush and stylish, with some harsh angles punctuating the soft-touch fabrics and leaving you feeling like money has been well spent on the experience.

That experience is best enjoyed on a twisty bit of road, because from the lovely bucket seats to the punch power output (228bhp) it's a rewarding thing to drive.

Body roll is well controlled, throttle and steering response are excellent and, while there are lots of settings to fine tune the driving characteristics, there's also a Cupra button on the steering wheel that turns on full naughty mode. And it's an absolute hoot.

It's relatively economical too. When you're not driving it like a hot hatch should be driven, you could manage 4.0 miles per kWh on a good day, and 3.0mi/kWh is perfectly achievable.

Range is quoted as up to 354 miles as a result, in the 79kWh version, but expect something closer to the mid-200s and you won't be disappointed.

Specs available range from the £35,690 V1 to the rather lairy VZ, with 326bhp and 402lb ft - but you'll have crept up to nearly £45,000 by that stage.

Standard equipment is decent all through the range, and they all look sporty. They all look like hot hatches, in fact.

Like any good hot hatch, it's also surprisingly practical. The rear seats have a fair bit of space, there's good headroom thanks to the high roofline and the boot offers 385 litres.

The driver will find the touch-sensitive steering wheel controls a tad annoying, and the weird front pillar setup won't suit everyone.

But you'll certainly be having a lot of fun. As premium hatchbacks go, the Cupra Born has a lot to offer. As a hot hatch, it might not fully meet the brief unless you go for the rather bonkers VZ version.

But I don't care. The Cupra Born set out to prove that heavy EVs can still be fun, and I'm so glad I finally got to experience it. Because it's really very good.