Cupra Born

Ev fan · 03-05-2026 10:32AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439379#Comment_124439379

I think unlikely too. If you want any upgrades you need to get the V2 version which at 37k is 3k more expensive than the current Born I have. On top of this the upgrades are all more expensive. In my case (251 eboost) I would have to spend an extra 5k or more on top to get the equivalent of my existing car. So paying around 42k for a relatively small compact EV? - could buy a much bigger EV like a Hyundai Ioniq 6 for around the same money. Unless you are happy with the base spec car I think this won't work for a lot of potential customers.

DaveyDave · 04-05-2026 01:42AM

Unrelated, almost a years worth of driving for my sister in her VZ. Really not bad efficiency for someone doing predominantly motorway driving and she usually has the climate set fairly warm.

The APP550 motor seems to do well on the motorways.

joe1303l · 04-05-2026 05:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439379#Comment_124439379

ID.Polo is going to be stealing customers at the lower end too considering it’s €20K base model price. A fully specced long range ID.Polo could still be a nice bit cheaper than a base model Cupra.

MojoMaker · 04-05-2026 06:55PM

it will be more like 22k OTR and probably only for one reg cycle, but yeah, it will have an impact, no denying it - a la the Inster.

Polo does look nicer than the Inster though so it should do well in this segment.

theoneeyedman · 04-05-2026 08:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124443609#Comment_124443609

Dunno if we light to be debating non Cupra Born issues here,but as we are,how will the Raval compare price wise with the ID Polo? Raval looks so much nicer finished,like the Born vs the ID3

Buddy Bubs · 04-05-2026 08:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124443844#Comment_124443844

They'll have to be very competitive with each other youd imagine, same size, same batteries, same platform

I'd say disregard the Born prices released for facelift cars, they'll drop back very soon. The prices are up with higher segment cars.

joe1303l · 04-05-2026 08:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124443609#Comment_124443609

Mark N seems confident that the base model ID.Polo will be available for €19,850 after grants or something like that. It appears to be a much bigger car than the Inster. Even the boot is bigger than the current ID.3/Cupra Born. Looks are subjective but it does look pretty smart but obviously conservative.

CoBo55 · 04-05-2026 11:50PM

The ID Polo looks nice, the blue really suits it.

MojoMaker · 05-05-2026 08:58AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124443862#Comment_124443862

So no OTR charges from the dealer then?

Excellent. A surefire winner.

Eleusis · 05-05-2026 12:02PM

I cant get my charging cap open and its out of warranty (by a few weeks typically). I understand its the actuator.

Has anyone fixed this by themselves? or know how to get the cap open at all?

joe1303l · 05-05-2026 02:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124444780#Comment_124444780

Hopefully not but obviously they could decide to add an expensive compulsory service pack or delivery charge. Time will tell, talks of order books opening in July for the ID.Polo

MojoMaker · 05-05-2026 03:01PM

So is it 18,500 from the manufacturer and 19,850 retail to the customer (to keep the dealership ticking over)?

joe1303l · 05-05-2026 05:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124445751#Comment_124445751

No idea, media are all quoting €19,885 but I’m sure the finer detail's will all be revealed in July when order books open. I’ll not hijack the Cupra Born thread any further.

https://youtu.be/3PAiwTTi7bc?is=bGCNYBA0caVcseB5

Zurbaran · 05-05-2026 10:58PM

Won’t it be that price plus delivery of 1k? To me at least the polo looks better than the raval.

Ev fan · 06-05-2026 09:14AM

https://www.irishtimes.com/motors/2026/05/06/cupra-born-again-sporty-version-gives-gti-performance-for-a-saving

Generally positive review of the new Born VZ - with little mention of the cost.

MojoMaker · 06-05-2026 09:50AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124446930#Comment_124446930

Depending on the dealer, keep going up.

DaveyDave · 06-05-2026 11:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124445232#Comment_124445232

Put it in drive, move forward a few inches and back to park. This worked for me when mine was stuck. Parking the car always unlocks it but it didn't unlock with the key fob.

Tech_Head · 06-05-2026 08:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124447311#Comment_124447311

You can upgrade that to a more sophisticated Endurance version, with a 231hp motor and a pricier 79kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery giving a range of 627km, which will cost you €41,985.

Finally, there’s our high-performance flagship test car, the €48,225 VZ (from the Spanish “veloz”, or speed), which packs 326hp and squeezes an impressive 631km from the same 79kWh battery.

MojoMaker · 07-05-2026 10:28AM

What do you mean by "our"?

CoBo55 · 07-05-2026 10:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124449913#Comment_124449913

I think it's a copy and paste from the IT article.

DaveyDave · 23-05-2026 06:45PM

Nice charging speeds in the warmer weather!

CoBo55 · 23-05-2026 07:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124493407#Comment_124493407

Never got a sniff of that speed when I had my one, DC charging was always a stressful process with many false starts🤬🤬 Have you got the newest model? Can you pre-heat the battery before getting to the charger?

DaveyDave · 23-05-2026 08:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124493493#Comment_124493493

Yeah my 58kWh Born saw 50-55kW max most of the time, hit 75kW once but never got close to the claimed speeds. The VZ can preheat but I never bother as it speeds up quick enough. Don't think I've started a fast charge below 60-65kW and it will take 4-5 minutes to reach peak speeds.

Apparently the older 77kWh battery had these speeds also.

I didn't really have an issue with the speeds of the 58kWh as I was usually with friends on a day trip but if I'm doing any family trips I definitely see the appeal of faster charging when driving home after a long day.

Guy1ncognito · 02-06-2026 08:03PM

I’ve been considering a born used and am a bit dismayed that all adverts on done deal etc at least on dealership listings are 58 kw batteries and have nothing like a heat pump or electric seats/lumbar support. I had thought paddy spec was a thing of the past. Anyway I’m wondering what are these like used.

Guy1ncognito · 02-06-2026 08:06PM

I’ve been considering a born used and am a bit dismayed that all adverts on done deal etc at least on dealership listings are 58 kw batteries and have nothing like a heat pump or electric seats/lumbar support. I had thought paddy spec was a thing of the past. Anyway I’m wondering what are these like used.

Buddy Bubs · 02-06-2026 08:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124519657#Comment_124519657

My born had heated seats and steeing wheel, it was a base model and i wouldny have considered it poorly specced. While its not a cheap car, its not in the luxury class either. Vast majority will be 58kwh, a few will be 77.

Whatever about the seats, I wouldnt worry too much about the heat pump.

I had a Born with no heat pump, currently have a tavascan with no heat pump. Had an Audi etron and I actually forget if it had a heat pump or not.

I currently have a Renault 5 with a heat pump and my dad has an ev6 with a heat pump and I honestly cant say the loss in range in winter is any less with a heat pump.

Guy1ncognito · 02-06-2026 08:57PM

Ok thanks. Are sub 30K, 25 to 28 examples 2023 models to be steered cleared of and is it a massive risk getting models that are nearly out of warranty. I’d like to avoid combustion engines and the death spiral of fuel and maintenance costs.

Buddy Bubs · 02-06-2026 09:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124519752#Comment_124519752

Can't say for sure how any car will behave outside warranty but I dont know of any major reported problems in them. All that went wrong on mine was the puddle lights in the doors distorted but was fixed under warranty

They are mechanically identical to id3 and id4 from vw which sold in big numbers and only suffered from minor enough niggles but nothing really mechanical or battery related so its a recommendable buy really.

DaveyDave · 02-06-2026 11:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124519657#Comment_124519657

There's no Paddy spec Born, Ireland got the highest trim level as standard with a few options that most people wouldn't have gotten much value from.

2022 models couldn't spec 360 camera/blind spot monitoring due to parts shortages from the war on Ukraine, this was kept for the eBoost model but you couldn't even order an eBoost in early 2022.

All cars have heated seats, heat pump isn't much benefit in our climate. It would take 10 years for the slightly better efficiency to pay for the cost of the heat pump itself. The other options are DCC, HUD, sound system and glass roof, again, not things everyone particularly needs. Outside of the 360 camera/blind spot monitoring the car has everything else you'd need. DCC is nice but most cars in this segment don't have it.

What do you think the car is missing?

My reference, my sister had a 64kWh Kona that was more expensive and didn't have folding mirrors or ACC and was a smaller car.

Guy1ncognito · 03-06-2026 05:25AM

Well to be clear I’ve never driven a born but I have driven ID3 the first edition model and a gtx and an after a while I found myself reaching for the lumbar support button.

The gtx either didn’t have lumbar or I could nt find it but that was a demo car which also didn’t seem to have reversing cameras and I found that odd for a gtx! they sold that used for 37k it’s like dealers trouser the vrt rebate.

I currently have an A4 sline b7, it’s 18 years old but it has electric lumbar support. As for not driving a born, the nearest VW dealer only got the Cupra franchise recently and all they have in stock are brand new, all at base trim v1s asking 40k+, I know from watching uk reviews even from 2022/23 that better spec models are available. The other issue I’d have for a 23 reg born is the infotainment system and the heater controls. I quite like the look of the car which is why looking at them really and the interior seems nice in comparison to a similar age id3, 25k would be my height in euros approximately.

Paddy spec may be gone but it has been replaced by base trim- itis

Cupra Born

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