Spicy 321bhp Cupra Born VZ electric hot hatch costs nearly £6k more than a Golf GTI

The new Cupra Born VZ is now available to order: the rear-wheel drive, electric hot hatch pumps out 321bhp, boasts chassis tweaks and gets some interior upgrades compared to the standard EV. However, all that comes at a price, as the Born VZ starts from £44,625 – nearly £6k more than a Volkswagen Golf GTI.

As well as its headline power figure – which is nearly 100bhp more than the regular Born variants – the Born VZ’s rear-mounted e-motor offers a huge torque increase from 310Nm to 545Nm. The massive power boost has slashed the 0-62mph time down to 5.7 seconds, while the top speed has also risen from 99mph to 124mph.

This extra performance is generated by a new electric motor and inverter system, which draws power from a new 79kWh battery pack, and because efficiency has been improved, the Born VZ offers up to 372 miles of range. Thanks to a 185kW maximum charging rate, a 10 to 80 per cent top-up should take just 26 minutes.

11

Cupra has gone to some lengths to tighten up the Born’s chassis with revised spring and damper rates, new anti-roll bars and the standard fitment of adaptive dampers that vary their firmness based on the selected driver mode. They can also be more finely controlled in Individual mode through a slider on the 12.9-inch central touchscreen. The steering and brakes have also been recalibrated to suit, but feature no new hardware despite the extra performance on offer.

The Born VZ also benefits from Cup bucket seats already featured on some Cupra Formentor variants, which have much more aggressively sculpted bolsters and unique leather and Dynamica upholstery. The steering wheel now has paddles to adjust through three levels of regenerative braking – something unique to this model.

The dashboard now features a new full-width LED lighting element similar to that found in other Cupra models. This isn’t just used as ambient light but also as a warning light for potential hazards and as a charge level indicator when the car is plugged in. Keyless entry, a wireless charging pad and a Sennheiser premium sound system also come standard.

The Cupra Born VZ rivals petrol-powered hot hatches like the recently refreshed Golf GTI and Cupra Leon. There are also several other high-powered EVs to consider, such as the MG4 XPower, Volvo EX30 Twin Motor and Smart #1 Brabus.

Now read our list of the best hot hatchbacks to buy...