CAR STAR IS BORN

Taking inspiration from the Volkswagen ID.3 GTX Performance, CAMERON RICHARDS finds Cupra's Born VZ is equally as capable of hot hatch thrills

- CAMERON RICHARDS

Electric-hot hatchbacks are making a big impression on EVs, with sports car-like performance, practical interiors and sustainable credentials.

Introducing the Cupra Born VZ, which boasts mechanical and performance upgrades to compete with the likes of the MG4 XPower and Volkswagen ID.3 GTX Performance.

The car gets improved steering and brakes, while there are chunky racing bucket seats, larger wheels, more power and a bigger battery.

There are also new wheel designs and regenerative paddles, while the car comes with Cupras "Dynamic Chassis Control" which alters the suspension, springs and anti-roll bars, depending on which drive mode is selected.

The Born VZ packs a 79kWh battery with a rear-mounted electric motor for a healthy 321bhp and 545Nm of torque. And the car can reach 60mph in 5.4 seconds.

Cupra claims that the car can manage up to 366 miles on a single charge and that it's 185kW DC rapid-charging compatible, allowing for a 10-80% top-up to take 26 minutes.

Efficiency isn't too bad either, with our test car returning an average of 4.4 miles per kilowatt on a long journey, a real-world range of 347 miles between trips to the plug.