Cupra teases refreshed Born electric hatchback

Spanish brand Cupra shared a first look at the updated Cupra Born, the sportier relative of the Volkswagen ID.3. The official reveal of this new model is scheduled for March 5. The brand is known for taking standard designs and making them look a bit more exciting. This time, they are giving the Born a fresh look and even better technology inside.

The most noticeable change is the lighting. Cupra is using a new design language that focuses on triangles. The front of the car will feature triangular Matrix LED headlights. But these lights do more than just look cool - they actually help the driver see better at night without blinding other people. At the back, the car gets a matching set of triangular taillights and there is also a new illuminated badge on the rear.

The numerous spy shots reveal that the front of the Cupra Born has been reshaped to look more aggressive - there's a taller lower grille and new vents on the sides. These vertical vents help the car look wider and more planted on the ground. These changes look good and they help move air around the car more efficiently. Even though the basic shape of the car is the same, these small tweaks make a big difference.

Inside the cabin, Cupra is raising the bar for quality. Many people already think the Born has a nicer interior than its Volkswagen cousin. The company says the new model will have even better materials and more tech features. The new 12.9-inch touchscreen will handle everything from music to climate control. The software is faster than before, making it easier to use while driving. There is also a small 5.3-inch screen behind the steering wheel that shows important speed and battery information.

When it comes to performance, the current Cupra Born already offers several choices. The standard versions use a single motor that drives the rear wheels. This setup produces 228 horsepower. Buyers can choose between two different battery sizes. The smaller 59 kWh battery is great for city driving. The larger 79 kWh battery is better for long trips. With the bigger battery, the car can travel about 354 miles on a full charge.

For drivers who want even more performance, there is the Cupra Born VZ, the "hot hatch" version of the family. It uses a much more powerful motor that makes 322 horsepower and 402 lb-ft of torque. This extra muscle allows the car to go from zero to 62 mph in 5.6 seconds. The top speed for the VZ model is also higher, reaching 124 mph.

The VZ model also gets a new "DCC Sport" suspension system. This system uses sensors to adjust how the car handles bumps and corners. The steering has also been tuned to feel more direct and sporty. To help stop all that power, the car has bigger brakes. It even comes with paddles behind the steering wheel that adjust the regen braking force, helping put energy back into the battery.

It is highly unlikely that Cupra will bring serious performance upgrades to the refreshed model, but we'll have a definitive answer next week. For now, it looks like we are getting some cosmetic changes, but with Cupra focused on becoming the performance division of the VW Group, everything is possible.

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