Cupra Born

A winter trip across Essex in our electric hatchback has us weighing up cosiness against battery range

- James Tute James

Mileage 5135 List price £40,150 

Target Price £40,150 Price as tested £38,390 

Test range 215 miles

I PLANNED TO make this latest report all about using the climate control in my Cupra Born but it's mostly about not using it. In fact, if I get to the end without telling you how easy or otherwise the system is to operate, make sure you give me a nudge...

Anyway, why might I not be using the Born's temperature settings to keep warm while driving in the winter chill? Yes, you guessed it: battery range. Recently, I've been getting between 200 and 250 miles, depending on my speeds and other factors - including, very noticeably, whether the climate control is on.

I put that to the test at the weekend, on a 140-mile round trip from London to Colchester.