Like the ID.3, there are two screens, a big one in the middle of the fascia, and a small one in front of the driver, which moves with the steering column as you adjust it. The dash has effectively been de-buttoned, although there’s a separate headlamp switch and a few touch-sensitive, steering-wheel buttons which you’ll quickly tire of accidentally touching when reversing or turning into corners.
Ah yes, the centre screen, aka VW’s screen-n’-software train wreck, which is causing as many problems for Seat and Škoda owners as it is for VW’s. Crashing software, hard-to-locate functions including the heating and ventilation, distracting displays and baffling procedures, yes, the Born’s got them all. Let’s just say that figuring out this car’s systems isn’t the work of the moment and some functions might remain obscure even at the end of your tenure.
On the road
The car senses you’ve sat in the driving seat with the right RFD key and readies itself for the off. Turn the Toyota/Lexus style drive selector into Drive (there’s also a Braking function which increases the off-throttle regenerative braking effect) and you’re ready to go.
Yes, it fair springs away from a standstill thanks to the low-end torque of the drivetrain, and the 228bhp version will accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.6sec, with the 201bhp driven here achieving the same in 7.3sec. At all speeds up to 70mph it feels lively, especially considering it weighs 1.75 tonnes, although the charge slows a little as the speed increases.
As far as efficiency is concerned, Cupra quotes 4.5 miles per kWh, but on a cold day in Milton Keynes I was seeing around 2.7m/kWh. And like all electric cars, although there’s no emissions in motion (apart from the tyres), the greenhouse effect of plugging in is around 32.1g/km.
