Read Caroline’s Cupra Born VZ review for everything you need to know about buying Cupra’s sporty electric hatchback in Ireland.
Cupra has had a good start to 2025 with sales up thanks to the arrival of new models like the Tavascan, Terramar and facelifted Formentor.
The Born is the brand’s electric hatchback and has done well in the Irish market to date. Closely related to the Volkswagen ID.3 in battery sizes and underpinnings, it’s the spicier cousin with more aggressive styling and a sharper drive.
Now Cupra is playing up to its sportier brand position with the arrival of the Born VZ, a top of the range electric hatchback retailing from a cool €62,170.
So what’s so special about it?
Design
The Cupra Born is a good-looking electric hatchback with a squat, sporty stance and VZ versions really emphasise that with 20-inch ‘Thunderstorm’ alloy wheels with Cupra’s trademark copper and black finish. There’s also a new colour called Dark Forest that is exclusive to the VZ and looks really good. Cupra’s copper accents feature around the car turning the Born VZ into something very distinct on the road or in the car park. There’s also a VZ badge on the boot lid. VZ is short for the Spanish word ‘Veloz’, meaning fast. The Cupra name at the front and back is finished in black chrome to differentiate it further.
Cupra Born VZ Interior
Inside the Born has quite a minimalist interior but there are plenty of plush fabrics and copper accents to make it feel special. The highlight of the Born VZ is the new bucket seats by Sabelt, which look amazing and feel pretty good too. They also come heated with power adjustment and memory function.
The Cupra steering wheel is heated as standard and has two handy satellite buttons to quickly access the different drive modes. There are also paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust the strength of the regenerative braking.
The 12.9-inch touchscreen comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice control and now with illuminated slider buttons below to adjust the volume of the stereo or temperature. The screen is responsive to use and controls most of the car’s functionality including the climate settings. There’s also a small digital driver display, similar to what’s found in the Volkswagen ID.3.
Other standard features include wireless smartphone charging. A Sennheiser sound system is available for €528 and panoramic glass roof for €995.
You can find your nearest charge points through the navigation and battery preconditioning is also available.
Practicality
The Born is a compact hatchback with seating for five. There’s a good amount of legroom for rear seat passengers thanks to a flat floor from the bespoke EV platform. Family buyers will find Isofix on the two outer seats, as well as the front passenger seat.
There’s also a 385 litre boot, which is a good size for a hatchback.
Driving the Born VZ
Power is up 40% from 231hp in the Cupra Born eBoost to 326hp in the VZ, along with 545Nm of torque. This is driven through the rear wheels, which adds a natural playful touch to the Born VZ’s handling. 0-100km/h is just 5.6 seconds, the same as a Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport.
The Born eBoost uses a 59kWh lithium-ion battery while the VZ gets a 79kWh. That’s good for a range between 508-599 kilometres according to Cupra. Real world efficiency was about 18.8 kWh per 100 kilometres during my test drive. A heat pump is an option, which heats the cabin more efficiently.
Cupra has made some changes to help the Born VZ deal with the extra power. There’s stiffer brake feel and more responsive steering, as well as updates to the chassis and upgraded sports suspension. Dynamic Chassis Control comes as standard, which allows for some adjustment in the suspension damping.
For a car with a performance bias, the Born rides beautifully, always feeling the right side of firm in Comfort mode without tweaking any settings. An acoustic windscreen boost the refinement levels of the car, though there is road noise at high speeds on the motorway.
The VZ corners with some real skill, feeling flat and balanced through bends. Steering is precise and it is tight through bends, even when carrying speed.
Charging
The Born VZ comes with 11kW charging for a full charge in 8.5 hours. DC charging is up to 170kW for a 10-80% charge in about 30 minutes.
Cupra Born VZ Pricing
The Born range has been refreshed for 2025 and kicks off with the Born eBoost 59kWh with 231hp from €36,755 on the road. The more performance-focused Born VZ 79kWh tested here is available from €62,970 on the road.
Verdict
The Cupra Born VZ is an exciting electric alternative to the traditional petrol-powered hot hatchback. It takes the great things about the Born, like its interior quality and stylish good looks, but gives it a proper performance makeover. It’s about as expensive as a Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport and just as quick. The performance is epic, and the mechanical tweaks made to the Born VZ transform its handling. It’s not as visceral as a GTI but it ticks a lot of other boxes.
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Written by Caroline Kidd
Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes, Juror for Irish Car of the Year
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