Cupra Born 2023: almost 350 orders recorded in Australia, stock still available 

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Cupra has announced that almost 350 orders have been placed for its fully-electric Born hot hatch in Australia, with deliveries expected to begin in late March and early April.

A total of 400 vehicles have been set aside for the Australian market with precisely 343 Borns currently spoken for at the time of publication, meaning there is still stock available for hopeful buyers. 

The recent influx of orders brings the brand’s total order bank to over 2000 for its collective model range, with Cupra Australia director Ben Wilks celebrating the milestone for the budding Spanish brand.

“For Cupra’s customers, almost all of whom are private rather than fleet buyers, BEV technology is affordable and the ultimate solution to removing fuel costs and tailpipe emissions,” he said.

“For (customers), and a growing number of Australians, no consideration could be more crucial.”

Cupra first launched in the Australian market in 2022 – the first new market outside of Europe since its demerger from Seat – that also offers plug-in hybrid vehicles in the form of the Leon VZe hatch and Formentor VZe wagon, though the Born is its first fully-electric vehicle.

Born to undercut other affordable EVs

Cupra made the surprise announcement late last year that the Born would launch in Australia in a single grade with a starting price of $59,990 before on-road costs and in doing so undercut much of its competition.

For context, the Polestar 2 starts at $63,900 before on-roads, a figure Tesla recently decided to match with its Model 3, after slashing its own entry price point by $1600 in Australia.

Notably, the Born is the first Volkswagen Group vehicle to launch the dedicated electric platform, known as MEB, in Australia, though the related Volkswagen ID4 and ID5 SUVs along with the Skoda Enyaq SUV have also been confirmed to launch locally at a later date.

What does the Cupra Born include?

The Born will, at launch, be available in a single grade paired with a large 77kWh battery feeding a 170kW/310Nm electric motor on the rear axle, providing enough grunt to accelerate from 0-100km/h in seven seconds.

This matchup is said to be able to provide 511km of range, when tested according to the typically more accurate WLTP standard – though Chasing Cars will conduct our own independent testing when the Born arrives in Australia.

As standard, the Born will be sold with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail-lights, fog lights, heated and power-folding mirrors and rear tinted windows.

Inside the cabin, buyers will find a 12.0-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto paired with an additional 5.2-inch display within the instrument cluster.

The seats are trimmed in a type of recycled polyester known as Seaqual with other included features such as a wireless phone charger, a heated steering wheel, progressive steering functionality and a sports suspension setup.

For those who want a bit more, Cupra offers two main options known as the interior package ($2900) and performance package ($2600), with both downsizing the Born from a five- to four-seat layout. 

The interior package adds a nine-speaker Beats sound system, heated and 12-way power-adjustable front seats, with Aurora Blue Dinamica upholstery.

Buyers opting for the Performance package net larger 20-inch wheels with a 235mm footprint wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres as well as Cupra’s Dynamic Chassis Control that includes adaptive dampers. 

Cupra offers a choice of five metallic paint colours by default with only Aurora Blue commanding a $475 premium.

Cupra Born 2023: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• Born: $59,990

Driveaway prices by state:

• ACT: $61,990 
• NSW: $62,490
• Queensland: $63,490 
• South Australia: $64,490
• Victoria: $64,990 
• Western Australia: $66,490