Cupra Born VZ - long-term review

Up until recently, the Top Gear Garage Cupra Born VZ was living its life very successfully as an everyday workhorse hatchback. The infotainment system was behaving itself after last month’s hiccup and with the DCC set to a softer setting it was proving to be properly comfortable, despite the large 20in wheels.

Now, there is a ‘but’ coming, although perhaps not in the way you might expect. You see, the Born VZ is still a perfectly practical hatchback, but it’s also time to see whether it can be considered a proper hot hatch.

The thing is, up until now I haven’t really driven the VZ as a hot hatch should be driven. It’s hardly the car’s fault – my lack of off-street parking/home charging and the subsequent constant range anxiety means that I’m often unwilling to trade efficiency for a little bit of fun.

And yet, stick the Born VZ into its sportiest ‘Cupra’ drive mode and it’s really quite impressive. The suspension immediately tightens up and the body is controlled well through bends, but the ride avoids being too crashy and there’s actually decent steering feel. Helps when the rear wheels are doing the driving, of course. The ‘Sport’ setting for the traction control means you can use a prod of the throttle to quell any understeer through corners, and it’ll let the car move about a bit underneath you, although grip is plentiful most of the time.

Throttle response is rapid. Perhaps too rapid in fact – it makes progress a little jerky as the Born bounces forward if you even look at the go-faster pedal. But by accessing its full 322bhp the VZ does feel properly quick. I’d like a little more feel and trust in the brake pedal though. Oh, and it’s great to have steering wheel-mounted paddles that adjust the regen, but why couldn’t Cupra go the whole hog and add in a setting that uses those paddles for a fake DCT gearbox? Hyundai has proved with the Ioniq 5 N that that’s one of the quickfire routes to driver engagement in EVs.

And that’s probably where the Cupra is lacking in its quest to achieve proper hot hatch status. It’s certainly got the speed, it’s remarkably competent and it’s got those superb Sabelt bucket seats, but it’s missing the involvement. And then there’s the noise – or lack of it. Cupra hasn’t gone with fake engine noise or a futuristic spaceship sound, which is absolutely fine for me everyday, but when you’re trying to string a few corners together a bit of a melody is a welcome addition.

Not a hot hatch for the ages then, but certainly not a bad attempt. Wonder if our opinion on that will change after some track time next month…