Cupra has teased the updated Born electric vehicle (EV), quite a long time after it was first previewed.
The small electric hatch is due to be revealed on March 5, 2026, at 10:00am European time.
Previewed by a shadowy set of teaser imagery and video, the new Born will take on the revised styling elements of the brand’s latest models – such as the Tavascan, Terramar, as well as the facelifted Formentor and Leon – including a full-width LED tail light bar incorporating an illuminated Cupra logo in the centre.
Further, the Spanish brand’s tri-triangular LED signature motif front and rear will be applied, with new matrix LED headlights confirmed for the compact EV for the first time. Cupra is also promising the new Born will be bringing “striking design, improved interiors and greater technology”.
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We may have already seen the updated Born well ahead of time, with the above photo leaked from the ‘Unstoppable Impulse’ internal event back in 2022, where the facelifted Formentor and Leon were also shown years before their respective launches.
The updated Born gets the new ‘Shark Nose’ design language that has been proliferating across the wider Cupra lineup, headlined by the distinctive tri-triangular signature applied to the LED daytime running lights.
Like other mid-life facelifts in the sporty Spanish brand’s portfolio, the updated Born is expected to bring more upmarket cabin trims and finishes to go with the revised design, with Cupra’s media release promising “higher perceived quality”. It’s unclear whether there will be any bumps to performance or range.
Further details will be confirmed at the global reveal next week, but since the Born was last offered in Australia the pre-facelift range added the brand’s latest infotainment suite with improved usability for climate controls (including illuminated touch sliders), and the high-performance Born VZ introduced the VW Group’s latest battery and e-drive systems.
It’s unclear if and when we might see the updated Born in Australia, given the brand’s local division has promised and subsequently delayed the 240kW VZ version several times since it was revealed, last pencilled in for early-2026.
CarExpert now understands that Cupra Australia is waiting for the facelifted model to do a full reboot of the Born nameplate Down Under, led by the VZ halo with lower variants to potentially return after a two-year hiatus. We’ve contacted Cupra’s local arm for further comment.
Last offered in a single variant in Australia, the Cupra Born currently offers two battery options and two drive motor options, with the longest-range version offering over 550km between charges according to WLTP testing.
The last Born to be sold Down Under had the pre-updated 77kWh lithium-ion battery and most powerful 170kW/310Nm rear e-motor at the time, though the range has moved to a larger 79kWh battery since while the VZ bumps outputs to 240kW and 545Nm for a 5.6-second sprint from 0-100km/h.
Cupra recently surpassed 10,000 cumulative deliveries in Australia, off the back of sales growth for the 2025 calendar year – with 2830 new registrations across its lineup representing a 21.0 per cent increase on 2024.
Most of that near-600-unit increase in sales came from the new Tavascan (339) and Terramar (246) SUVs, with the pre-facelift Formentor still doing the heavy lifting with 1490 deliveries (up 17.8 per cent).
The brand will continue its product offensive in 2026, headlined by the facelifted Formentor – Cupra’s global top-seller – in the coming months, set to be joined soon by the Leon Ve plug-in hybrid hatchback and the spicy 245kW Leon Sportstourer AWD wagon.
Next month will also see the global reveal of the all-new Raval baby EV hatchback, spearheading the VW Group’s foray into the more affordable end of the EV market. Cupra Australia has indicated its keen interest in the new model, with a likely 2027 launch Down Under.
Stay tuned to CarExpert for our coverage of the new Cupra Born’s unveiling on March 5!