Cupra Tavascan vs Cupra Born

What's the difference?

Like most Cupras, the Tavascan is affordable, stylish, practical, fun to drive and just that little bit different.

And it is clear the Volkswagen Group is trying hard to make the brand a success. That it can bring that formula to the medium EV SUV market with as much aplomb might just be enough to lure more than a few would-be Model Y buyers Barcelona’s way.

Definitely one to strongly consider.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Cupra Born has so much going for it. An appealing price, long range, and super cool design chief among them.

I think the main thing holding it back will be that it doesn’t quite have the same out-and-out performance people have come to expect from a ‘hot hatch’ in the era of cars like the VW Golf R.

Importantly though, it delivers huge dollops of fun and driver engagement, something that's quite rare in the electric era.

Although this mid-sized SUV is full of German VW Group DNA underneath, there are unique Cupra styling elements that do strive to evoke Spanish expression.

Designed in Barcelona, standout points include an insectoid trio of LEDs making up the headlights and tail-lights, an aggressive nose featuring a V-shaped bonnet bulge and lower-bumper treatment, a rising swage line in profile and pronounced rear diffuser.

While we appreciate the Tavascan’s styling flourishes, with the Manga-esque vent ‘eyes’, copper trim and floating wing-look upper dash-pad all gelling together nicely, the unique central spine design looks downmarket if not cheap, with an alien look and sheeny reptilian scale finish. There are too many things going on at once.

Built on the VW Group’s MEB EV architecture, the Cupra shares its platform with the VW ID.4, Skoda Enyaq and Audi Q4 e-tron SUVs within the VW Group, providing a sound engineering base, but also a tall, narrow appearance when seen rear-on.

Maybe that’s why the Tavascan achieves such an impressive drag coefficiency of 0.26.

Dimensions are 4644mm (length), 1861mm (width), 1597mm (height) and 2766mm (wheelbase), while ground clearance is a low 154mm.

For a so-called “Coupe Utility Vehicle” (CUV), all translate to quite acceptable interior space and practicality.

To stand out, any new brand should make a statement when it comes to design, and Cupra goes above and beyond to grab people’s attention.

It needs to, because Cupra is faced with the task of standing apart from its Volkswagen Group stablemates, especially the likes of Audi and Skoda.

One look at the Born, and it’s clear the brand has done an admirable job of separating its aggro hatch from the more tame Volkswagen ID.3 with which it shares its underpinnings.

I love its pugnacious face, which is designed to pierce air resistance in a similar fashion to the face of the Kia EV6, complete with its frowny light profile, bronze Cupra typeface, and dimples on the bonnet.

At the side, there’s the choice of almost Tesla-like sweeping aero designs for the standard 19-inch wheel option, or complex 80s rally-inspired wheels for the 20-inch Performance Pack hoops. The square beltline is perhaps the only spot where you can clearly see the Born’s relation to its ID.3 cousin, but I think the contrast flourish on the C-Pillar, which interrupts the roofline and makes it look more coupe-like, is a masterful touch.

This piece also wears a fishscale-like pattern, which is a motif that works its way through the entire car. In fact, the pattern is more than just theme-work for the Born specifically, but a deliberate pattern to interrupt plain plastics, which goes a long way to making sure no matter where you look, there’s a visual appeal to every corner of this car.

The inside continues this thoughtful and genuine ethos. Any area where a normal car would use a fake leather, or even plastic textured to look like leather, has been presented in a completely different way. The driver-focused instrument console, for example, is clad in a padded neoprene material, which is not only honest, but gives the interior a very modern look and feel.

The recycled seat materials offer a similar touch, and are comfortable in their bucket arrangement, too, and the neoprene finish continues here as a contrasting trim.

The colour palette is rich, with vivid blues, deep reds, a light smattering of tame silver rather than chrome, while the Cupra Bronze permeates to the car’s badges and highlights touches throughout.

This tone won’t be for everyone, and if you don’t like it, or the colour schemes, or even the car itself, that’s fine by Cupra. It wants to be controversial, and for a niche set of buyers, and says this contrast is the point of its design choices. If the amount of Borns sold before the car even landed is anything to go by, they’re on to something.

Now, with all that CUV stuff in mind, the Tavascan manages to look and feel sporty whilst also offering a decent level of family friendly functionality.

Wide doors and a high hip point offer easy entry and egress, in a roomy and accommodating cabin, on seats that are brilliantly comfy and supportive – even in the base Endurance. These are of the integrated ‘tombstone’ variety with bolstered sides to help keep you snug and secure. They’re great.

So is the driving position, with its grippy little wheel, readily accessible switchgear (including the knobs on the spokes), clear view of the modestly sized digital instrumentation pod and angled touchscreen.

After all the criticism that the VW Group’s earlier iterations of this system had garnered – including in other Cupras – the Tavascan’s interface proved to be simple to navigate, fast to respond and pleasant to look at.

Furthermore, even with that rising window line, vision out is AOK and ventilation is fine, too.

The aforementioned central spine’s shape appears to come at the expense of storage, as there’s less of it than expected in an EV SUV. The small glovebox is disappointing. We’re not fans of the driver’s door power window switch bank, necessitating a distracting press of a ‘rear’ button to operate the back windows. And one of the test cars suffered from dash squeaks.

Moving on to the rear, with seating for five, there’s actually ample space for people up to about 180cm tall, while all the usual amenities apply, such as vent outlets, a pair of USB-C ports, a folding armrest with cup holders and overhead lighting. Nothing seems to be missing.

However, there is one important thing missing further back.

Yes, the Tavascan’s boot offers a handy 540 litres of cargo capacity, with a low, wide and flat floor capable of swallowing all sorts of stuff. And, of course, the 60/40 rear backrest fold down, boosting those numbers to between 1579L and 1604L depending on specification.

But, as with almost all EVs, there is no spare wheel. The aforementioned tyre mobility kit is bad news if you experience a severe puncture. Even a space-saver spare would be infinitely preferable.

Thanks to the Born’s VW Group all-electric MEB underpinnings, which are designed to make the most of interior space, the Born is much bigger on the inside than you might assume.

Clever packaging means a tall roof, glasshouse window structure, and a significant amount of adjustability and comfort for the front seats, with the clever digital instrument panel which is distilled to a handful of elements, and rides atop the column itself, so it moves as the driver adjusts it to maintain visibility.

The large touchscreen is oriented toward the driver, and has nice clear easy to use elements, although it is unfortunate the volume, temperature, and fan speed controls are a touch-based panel, and not easy-to-operate dials.

The rear seat offers impressive room, even behind my own seating position, and there’s sufficient headroom for me also, at 182cm tall. The cool recycled trim and comfortable seats continue to the rear row, although this car’s main practicality downside also resides here.

Opting for either pack will remove the rear seat, instead providing you with an odd cutout between the rear seats, and a drop-down armrest with a ski-port behind. Very European.

The boot measures 385 litres (VDA) which is relatively large for a hatchback, and it offers a nice low floor, impressive considering the motor is mounted below on the rear axle, although there’s no additional frunk storage for the Born.

$59,990 is the headline-grabbing price tag worn by the Cupra Born, and if you’ve kept up to date with the latest developments in terms of government incentives across Australia, you might have figured out it works out even cheaper than the before-on-roads price tag in some jurisdictions like Queensland.

This price makes it more affordable than base versions of its most direct competitors, the Tesla Model 3 (rear-wheel drive - $61,300) and the Polestar 2 ($63,900) while at the same time offering more range, at 511 WLTP-certified kilometres.

In fact it's one of the longer-range EVs on offer in Australia right now, which is impressive for a car that, size-wise, is on a playing field with cars like the Nissan Leaf (from $50,990) and GWM Ora (from $43,990).

Oh and there is just one other electric hatch in this kind of ‘hot hatch’ territory, the charming Mini Cooper SE (from $63,250) although opting for the diminutive Mini will mean putting up with just 233km of range.

To keep things simple, there’s only one Cupra Born variant, at least for now. From there, you can opt for one of two packages.

Standard equipment is high, with 19-inch alloy wheels, bucket seats clad in a cool recycled cloth material, LED exterior lights, dual-zone climate, keyless entry with keyless start and exit, a massive 12-inch multimedia touchscreen, a 5.3-inch digital instrument panel, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a wireless phone charger, and a 360-degree parking camera.

It is odd the seats are manually adjustable and the phone mirroring is wired at this price, and some may be slightly dismayed at the multimedia system. While it uses slick modern software with a stylish Cupra theme, it’s missing the air of always-online functionality which makes the Model 3 feel so smart, and adds an element of depth to the Polestar 2’s minimalist setup.

One thing which is very deliberate, however, is the omission of fake leather, and next-to-no real leather in the Cupra Born’s interior, even if you choose one of the optional packs. This is because Cupra wants to be more authentic and sustainable with its interior material choices.

The two option packs keep things straightforward. You can choose either the interior package ($2900) which adds a blue theme for the interior, consisting of a partially recycled microsuede seat material with highlights in Cupra’s signature bronze hue, electric adjust, heating, and message functions for the driver and front passenger, as well as a higher-grade Beats audio system.

Meanwhile the performance package ($2600) adds dynamic chassis control with adjustable dampers, larger 20-inch alloy wheels, an ESC-off function for rear-drive antics, and more aggressive Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres.

Interestingly, these performance tyres reduce range to 475km for performance package-equipped cars, while both packages render the Born a four-seater due to alterations to the rear bench.

Don’t go searching for more boot space under the bonnet – there isn’t any.

Plus, the main electric motor – a permanently excited synchronous unit – is located on the rear axle, driving the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission.

Tipping the scales at 2238kg, the Endurance makes 210kW of power, to offer a power-to-weight ratio of 94kW per tonne, as well as a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.8 seconds, on the way to a top speed of 180km/h.

Meanwhile, the VZ also has a smaller, asynchronous 80kW/134Nm electric motor over the front axle, channelling up to 30 per cent of the SUV’s total power to the front wheels as traction requires, and upping the combined power maximum to 250kW. Tipping the scales at 2284kg, the VZ offers 109kW/tonne, while the 0-100km/h time slips to 5.5s. Both offer a 545Nm torque maximum.

The 400-volt MEB platform consists of MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link rear end. The VZ adds adaptive dampers. Braked towing capacity is 1000kg in Endurance and 1200kg in the VZ.

The Cupra Born is interesting, in that it’s a rear-wheel drive hatchback. This provides both fun driving dynamics as well as a hike in efficiency, and in Australia, we get only the most powerful motor setup available.

This is a unit that produces a peak of 170kW under boost mode, and 310Nm of torque. This is approaching Golf GTI levels of power output, to give you an idea, although the Born is also some 400kg heavier, blunting its hot hatch potential somewhat.

The Tavascan employs an 82kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, offering a useable capacity of 77kWh.

Mounted down low in the structure to provide extra rigidity as well as balance, it helps the Cupra achieve a near-ideal 49/51 front/rear weight distribution.

The battery is also separated in 12 removable modules for easier repair and parts replacement.

When the accelerator is lifted or in ‘B’ mode, the electric motor acts as a generator to feed energy back into the battery. Three levels of brake energy recuperation is also available via the steering wheel’s paddle-shifters.

Cupra says that the Endurance RWD offers a WLTP range of 540km, while the circa-60kg heavier VZ AWD drops that to 499km, or 463km with the Extreme Package’s grippy high-performance tyres.

Officially, the combined average energy consumption figures are between 15.2 and 16.0kWh/100km in Endurance and between 16.5 and 16.8kWh/100km in the VZ.

Driving around Adelaide and beyond in the beautiful wine country, we managed between 15.0 and 22kWh/100km, as indicated on the Tavascan’s trip computer, which isn’t too bad.

The Cupra features an AC charging capacity of 11kW and DC charging capacity of 135kW.

Charging from empty to full when plugged in at home or work can take nearly 40 hours, or about 12.5hr with an optional 7.4kW wallbox, while a 10-80 per cent top-up using a standard 50kW fast charger needs about 75 minutes, or under half an hour if you find a super-fast 150kW outlet.

The Born’s astounding 511km driving range is afforded by its enormous 82kWh battery, which is more like the size of battery you would see in a much larger vehicle such as a Kia EV6 for example.

Thankfully though it’s not all brute force via capacity, this car is also reasonably energy efficient, with an official rating of 17kWh/100km.

Not all EVs can hit the WLTP numbers due to many variables from wheel size, tyre composition, and even temperature management, but even enthusiastically driving the demo cars on our launch saw numbers between 17 - 23kWh/100km. Nothing outrageous by any means. 

Expect a more thorough evaluation of the Born’s range and efficiency when we’re able to test one for a longer period of time at a later date.

When it comes to charging, the Born’s DC charger maxes out at 170kW, allowing a 10-80 per cent top up time of roughly 30 minutes.

Meanwhile its AC inverter tops out at 11kW for a slow charging time of roughly six hours from 10 - 100 per cent.

The Born uses a Euro-standard Type 2 CCS charging connector. Unfortunately, there’s no V2L function this time around.

Cupra prides itself as a builder of sporty, stylish and offbeat vehicles, and insists that the Tavascan is no exception.

With its design, interior presentation and powertrain supporting such expectations, the acid test is now how the Tavascan performs out on the road.

The really encouraging news is that, on our launch drive experience at least, Cupra’s coupe SUV serves up sportiness and a whole lot more besides.

Let’s start with performance.

Aided by a fine driving position, the Tavascan almost goes out of its way to normalise the EV operating experience, with the now-familiar VW Group column-mounted gear selector being reassuringly straight forward. You’re not left wondering if this thing is even on.

Choose the default Comfort drive setting, and the Cupra whooshes forward with eager yet measured forcefulness, so you’re spared unpleasant jerkiness. Speed builds up quickly and smoothly as the road opens up ahead. So far, so good.

Need extra muscle for overtaking or joining freeway traffic? There’s ample in reserve, revealing the real-world pace and response that even the least-expensive Tavascan offers. The Endurance is a deceptively brisk machine for the money. And that’s before the sportier driving modes are engaged.

Speaking of which, the steering is simply superb, offering sharp yet progressive cornering capabilities. You feel connected to the car, and that translates into very predictable handling and reassuring roadholding. Cupra is starting to shape up as one of our favourite non-German German-owned brands.

But the biggest shock is the Tavascan’s ride quality.

Now, though wearing 19-inch wheels and on steel springs, Cupra’s sporty leanings meant we expected the base grade to ride with tolerable firmness at best.

Instead, over Adelaide’s suburban streets leading into the hills (and then beyond), the suspension provided a sophisticated blend of suppleness and control, ably dealing with the rough stuff without any real abruptness.

Our only note here is that you can hear the suspension working underneath, in an endearingly old-fashioned mechanical way. Odd, but not to a distracting point.

Plus, while there are three levels of regen-braking assistance, we’d like the option of single-pedal driving capability.

Much the same dynamic flair applies to the Interior Package option that swaps out for 20s, except that the ride is clearly just that little bit firmer. But tyre and road drone do seem to drown out the suspension noise at times, but not to any alarming degree. Just in a typically German-engineered vehicle sort of way. No revelations here.

Switching to the VZ is equally revealing.

As you might expect, the extra power and additional (undisclosed) torque from the front electric motor are immediately obvious, elevating its performance significantly. Point, squirt, shoot. This thing really hustles along.

Yet it is the flagship’s balance and control of the chassis that came as a surprise.

Usually, the additional weight of two motors and 21-inch wheels detract from the driving pleasure of many an EV SUV with their shifting mass and heavier feel, but the VZ seemed to contain those tightly, and instead dishes up speed with agility and finesse.

Better still, the top spec’s standard adaptive dampers also seem to help deliver a supple and isolated ride, soaking up bigger potholes and that sort of thing, in a superior way that – we suspect – even the Endurance on 19s likely could not.

Factor in the beautifully nuanced and thoughtfully-tuned driver-assist tech systems, and – after months of driving at-times infuriating SUVs from China – the Chinese-made Tavascan feels anything but rushed or half-baked.

We’re impressed, at least on this first drive.

Ultimately, even after hours and hours behind the wheel, the Tavascan left us wanting more in a good way, not less. That’s a sure sign that the recipe is fundamentally right.

We’ve come to understand hot hatchbacks in certain terms, and these are defined by lightweight design, firm suspension, and over-sized engines in the front, usually driving the front wheels.

But the Born flips pretty much the whole formula upside down. It’s heavy, rear-wheel drive, not as powerful as perhaps it could be, and has comparatively forgiving suspension.

In fact, the Born has one of the most supple suspension tunes for an electric car in this price bracket, being much more comfortable and adept at absorbing rough conditions than a Model 3 or a Polestar 2 for example.

When it comes to power, it’s instantly responsive, as any EV should be, but in a straight line you won’t be outrunning even a base Model 3, or even a Golf GTI.

Whether it’s truly a hot hatch then will depend on how you define this concept, because so long as you don’t care about straight-line speed, the Cupra Born is an absolute blast.

Unexpectedly, this unusual formula works. The Born is a car with a completely different character to every other EV at this price. Rather than being tight and locked-down, the Born feels much more free and fun, with its ride and particularly its steering combining with the rear-drive push to make for a playful little car, with an organic feel to its feedback.

Again, unlike a lot of electric cars, the Born’s flexible approach to the road results in a car which demands much more from the driver. The traction control computer doesn’t conspire with the electric motors and brakes to sanitise the experience, this car will let you make mistakes within reason.

It’s possible to eke out a cheeky slide if you push it, for example, and the way the weight of the battery shifts the car around is more entertaining than unsettling, like it is in some small electric SUVs.

Even the regenerative braking is comparatively hands-off. It doesn’t have the single-pedal driving experience that some EV adopters are after, instead it will gradually taper speed off, relying on the driver to actually use the blended braking on the brake pedal itself, even when the car is set to the most aggressive ‘B’ mode. Again, this means the driver has to actually drive the car, jabbing the brakes in on sharp corners.

Thankfully, there’s no optional extra pricey safety pack in the Cupra Born range, with standard active equipment including adaptive cruise control, auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert, driver attention alert, and a 360-degree parking camera.

There are also front and rear parking sensors, exit warning systems (uses the blind spot system to alert someone not to open their door into traffic), and a suite of seven airbags, including a centre airbag.

The safety suite is capped off with ISOFIX child seat mounting points on the rear seats.

The Born already carries a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating to a 2023 standard, scoring reasonably highly across all categories.

Here’s where the Tavascan loses some steam.

Each Tavascan is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is only average nowadays and below the seven and even 10 years that some other EV brands provide. Free roadside assistance is provided for five years.

Service intervals are every two years or 30,000km, at a listed cost of $485 per visit. Alternatively, owners can pre-purchase six-year and 10-year service packages from $1310 and $2190 respectively.

An eight-year/160,000km battery warranty also applies.

Finally, Cupra also provides owners with the option of organising home or workplace AC charging solutions via Jetcharge, offering an $1800 ‘Lite’ or $2300 ‘Maxi’ charger, including installation.

Are all these enough to get the Tavascan over the line for you?

Cupra offers the Born with a five-year and unlimited kilometre warranty, as well as the choice of either a three- or five-year service pack. Interestingly, the three year pack, at $999, is the same price as it is for combustion vehicles in Cupra’s range, while the five-year pack is some $400 cheaper at $1590. Either way, this pack pricing isn’t outrageous when you break it down by annual cost, but many rivals in the electric space are offering free or very cheap servicing over the same period.