I used to be ambushed by the great appears of the Cupra Born after I went to Indooroopilly Auto Mall to take a look at the newly arrived Dolphin. I used to be impressed, to say the least. Though the Cupra is unlikely to promote in large numbers in Australia, it’s a welcome addition to the electrical lineup. Over 500 had offered by the center of the 12 months.
The Fb Cupra Born neighborhood is filled with positives, so I reached out to ask members who had owned the Born for six months or extra for his or her tales. These are the solutions from two of them. Thanks, Rolf Niklaus and Mike McLaurie, for sharing your tales. My first query to them was, why a Born?
Rolf tells me: “Why a Born? This query comes up usually when folks discuss to us concerning the automotive. We had a Prado and a VW Golf GTI ‘runabout’ and wished to vary the Golf for an EV. Completely love all points of the Golf, and an EV substitute wanted to be related measurement, model, and driving traits. While I appreciated the know-how within the Tesla and the entire Tesla ecosystem, we struggled to come back to phrases with the one large display screen, the made in China issue, and as my spouse stated, ‘the tasteless look.’”
I queried the “bland look” remark — does he imply the minimalist inside? Rolf explains: “I get why Tesla have chosen that model, however it’s not fairly our model. In my spouse’s phrases, the Mannequin 3 simply appears boring, monochrome, and lacks any ‘pleasure each inside and out of doors,’ whereas the Cupra appears extra ‘sporty.’ Our opinion in fact!”
“I used to be eager on something from the VW steady and hoped the ID.3 could be launched right here, however then the Born appeared — we each instantly appreciated the styling and put a deposit down as quickly as we may, sight unseen.”
Mike provides: “The rationale for a Born? I used to be ready for the ID.3 to reach in Australia and it simply stored slipping again because of Covid and different causes. Sitting in a lodge room in Seoul in the midst of winter (January), I began studying concerning the Born — mainly it’s an ID.3 dressed up. Supply was scheduled for November this 2023, therefore I paid a $AU1000 greenback deposit and down the trail I went. As time handed, the deliveries sped up and I lastly obtained the automotive in July.”
Mike thought that the Tesla was a bit too mainstream. “Nothing mistaken with the automotive, I simply had my thoughts set on a VW as I’d owned two Golfs over the past 10 years and cherished them. The Born as is owned by VW and made in Germany. The automotive is actually an all-purpose runaround.”
“Oh wow, it doesn’t appear to be an EV” is the commonest remark that Rolf’s pals make. They continuously touch upon the Aurora Blue color lengthy earlier than they realise it’s an EV. The Born has a grille which makes it appear to be a “regular hatchback.” The sooner EVs, just like the i-MiEV, the Nissan Leaf, and the Teslas have regarded very completely different as a result of they don’t have a grille.
All of Mike’s pals consider the Cupra as a scorching trying little automotive.
Rolf bought his Born outright from Cupra Richmond, Victoria, in Could. It was one of many first deliveries in that state. “It’s primarily used for my day by day 80 km spherical journey commute on a mixture of semi-rural roads and outer Melbourne suburbs. We haven’t bothered to put in a devoted dwelling charger nor use DC quick chargers, slightly merely use a transportable 15A unit and cost from our PV photo voltaic system at any time when we are able to. That is proving to be greater than satisfactory. Throughout winter we primarily charged in a single day from a 15 amp energy level because of the shorter daylight.”
Mike purchased his on a novated lease and gained the Fringe Advantages Tax discount benefit. His Cupra is plugged in as soon as every week to a 10-amp energy socket. He lives in an condo constructing and is assured that seven 11 kW chargers will likely be put in. The automotive battery recharges 30% in a single day, so he has to plan forward — “no downside,” he assures me.
“The Cupra is proving to be fairly environment friendly, displaying a median energy consumption of 14.3 kWh/100 km over the 12,000 km we’ve pushed it. Greatest I’ve seen on the 40 km to work is 10.8 and worst is about 38 kWh/100 km when ‘Cupra Mode’ is engaged and pushed spiritedly as much as Mt Dandenong on another route dwelling. The regen taking place the opposite facet means I see a median for the 45 km journey of round 15.5 kWh/100 km.” Rolf could be very pleased with its effectivity.
“The longest journey we’ve achieved is 350 km from Healesville to Ballarat and return on a mixture of primarily 80 km/h roads and 110 km/h freeway. The freeway from Melbourne to Ballarat ascends about 400 meters over the 100 km or so. The Born returned about 15.8 kWh/100 km and used 68% of the battery capability. It has very related driving traits to the Golf, we love the scale, and most significantly, how straightforward it’s to reside with on a each day foundation. The bigger battery capability/lengthy vary means I can commute a lot of the week with out charging after which cost from our photo voltaic on weekends.”
Mike has achieved one lengthy journey in his Born and can do extra in time. “This was my largest query mark round EVs — the lengthy drive. However with loads of analysis and the assistance of quite a few apps, we set off for a Sydney-Mudgee-Melbourne tour (about 1200 km). We had been pleasantly stunned about how properly it really works with a little bit of forethought. We largely did stage lengths of 250 km or thereabouts. This gave us a break each 2.5 hours or so, and with associate and a pair of puppies on board, that made for a pleasing journey. There are presently greater than sufficient high-speed chargers on that path to do 20–25 minute expenses to get again as much as 80–one hundred pc battery. Tesla opening a few of their expenses simply gave extra choices.”
Rolf explains: “On my commute, the automotive is persistently displaying about 540 km if charged to 100%. Nonetheless, we comply with the really useful suggestion of 80% max cost for each day use, which provides a real-world vary of roughly 430 km. Our long-term common of 14.3 kWh/100 km equates to 538 km if one makes use of the complete 100% capability of its 77 kWh battery.”
“More often than not, I exploit the Born’s consolation mode whereas commuting,” says Rolf, “however on events, I’ll choose ‘Cupra Mode’ if I’m driving by means of the hills the place it provides a extra sporty drive. Sharper steering, improved throttle and brake response. I’m unsure I’d name it a scorching hatch, although, as its weight is noticeable on windy roads — possibly a hatch that provides a sporty drive possibility is extra correct. I’ll admit I obtained an even bigger smile driving the Golf GTI though it was a guide.”
Rolf continues: “A lot has been stated concerning the infotainment and so on. contained in the Born. We haven’t observed any annoying points with it ourselves. Nonetheless, I’d have most well-liked if VW stayed with correct switches on the steering wheel slightly than the haptic ones. It’s solely the quantity up/down and cruise management pace up/down which are the issue ones. I’m not fussed about no connectivity or cellphone apps, and so on. Nonetheless, I’d have appreciated if a timing schedule may very well be set within the automotive to utilize off-peak energy, and so on. The automotive helps this however solely when connectivity is offered, which it presently isn’t in Australia. A wiser charger would do the identical factor although.”
Rolf has determined to maintain his Prado for lengthy journeys to the Australian outback towing his caravan, and to make use of as a workhorse on his acreage block.
“I believe VW/Cupra have achieved a incredible job of designing an EV that the typical ICE proprietor can get into and never realise the distinction, it drives and behaves just about like an automated Golf. A buddy drove it not too long ago and commented that it’s a ‘nicer’ drive than the Mannequin 3,” Rolf concludes.
Mike agrees, stating that he’s: “General thrilled with the automotive it’s so straightforward to drive and such a superb journey I can’t make any damaging feedback. There have been no disagreeable surprises or points.”