CUPRA BORN

Cupra's first EV worked its way under our skin during its 5750-mile test. Here's why

- ALASTAIR CLEMENTS

FINAL REPORT

MILEAGE 7803

WHY WE RAN IT

To see whether the Cupra is a new EV contender or just a gussied-up VW ID 3.

That the Volkswagen ID 3 has become so ubiquitous so quickly should come as no great surprise. In a brave new world where everybody wants to buy an EV but few know which one to go for, it's natural to trust the world's best-selling car maker to get it right. And there's nothing wrong in that, especially when the car in question is so capable. For keen drivers, though, it's just a bit... well, vanilla.

So it hardly seemed the obvious place for Cupra, the VW Group's hot- headed Spanish arm, to start when building its first paprika-infused EV. Yet it didn't take long with our Born to discover that there is a bit of magic at work in this car.

Take the looks: you can tell it's an ID 3 underneath, but only if you know your cars. Few conventional hatchbacks I've driven in recent times have generated more intrigue: everyone wants to know what it is and whether they should buy it, because they all love how it looks. The bronze detailing inside and out may date in time, but here and now it looks great -aided on 'my' car by the optional (£840) Aurora Blue paint, the 20in 'Hurricane' alloy wheels and the tinted rear windows, which give it a dose of hot hatch intent that signals what's to come.