Cupra Born makes the ID.3 even less interesting

Cupra makes the choice between the Born and the ID.3 even easier.

The Volkswagen ID.3’s biggest rival comes from within, in the form of the Cupra Born. This is the less ugly and better driving version of the ID.3. And it’s also cheaper. Which begs the question: why would you buy an ID.3?

Prices change quite often, but now the entry-level version of the Cupra Born has been reduced in price. It has become €1,500 cheaper. For the Cupra Born Essential you now pay €37,490.

For that amount you get a car with 231 hp on the rear wheels. First there was an entry-level Born with 204 hp (we had that as a long-term tester), but that has since been discontinued. A Born now has at least 231 hp, which makes it a very smooth car.

The range is also fine. The Cupra Born got a slightly larger battery (59 kWh) earlier this year and now has a range of 427 km. For a C-segment car that is certainly not bad.

Born vs. ID.3

To return to the introduction: how does the Born compare to the ID.3? The latter is currently available from €35,990, but then you have the version with only 170 hp and a smaller 52 kWh battery. This is also the so-called ‘Pure Orange Edition’, which is only available for a limited time.

The better comparison is with the ID.3 Pro. It has the same 59 kWh battery and is available from €39,990. This is €2,500 more expensive than the Cupra Born and you also have less power (204 hp). In other words: the Cupra is clearly the better deal.

Incidentally, the ID.3 is still the better selling car of the two, so far. 738 ID.3s were sold this year, 630 Cupra Borns.

Comments

1. TheWhiteCondor say

   Isn’t it also about the level of finish, the use of materials and the fact that you simply don’t want to be seen in a Cupra (subjective)? The prices aren’t that far apart.

   • grrrrene say

     You’d rather be seen in an ID3? What’s wrong with Cupra anyway? The interior is largely the same: the facts you touch for the controls are 1:1 taken over from VW. I had one as a rental car by the way, drove fine. Why would you buy the ID3? Just for the badge and do you accept the lesser driving qualities?

     Then I would rather not choose either of them, purely because of Pon’s very poor service.

2. volvo480gtt say

   If I had to choose, I’d choose the cupra. The vw has such a bare butt face.