Cupra Born scores top ANCAP safety rating

THE Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has awarded the small-segment Cupra Born battery electric vehicle (BEV) a five-star safety rating ahead of the model’s imminent showroom arrival.

Cupra’s sporty electric hatch scored 93 per cent in the adult occupant protection category, 89 per cent in the child occupant protection category, 73 per cent in the vulnerable road user protection category and 80 per cent in the safety assist category.

All scores were achieved under the newer and more stringent 2020-2022 safety rating criteria, making the Cupra Born one of only two small-segment BEVs to carry a five-star rating, alongside the GWM Ora.

ANCAP says the maximum scores were awarded to the Cupra Born for its protection of child occupants in the two physical crash tests designed to assess the risk of injury to children seated in age-appropriate child restraints.

The maximum score was also achieved for lower leg protection offered to pedestrians while high scores were achieved for the protection of adult occupants across all other physical crash tests.

Active safety performance tests presented a mix of results for the Born’s ability to prevent or mitigate the severity of a crash with pedestrians and cyclists. 

The Spanish model achieved ‘good’ performance for autonomous emergency braking (AEB) car-to-car functionality in forward-travel scenarios involving approaching a stationary car, a slower moving car, and for both light- and heavy-braking cars.

However, only ‘adequate’ performance was noted for turning-across-path AEB scenarios involving another car. Also, the Born’s AEB function only works in forward-travel scenarios, but does not react to pedestrians in reverse or forwards-turning scenarios.

“It is great to see another fully electric model enter our market with the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating," said ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg.

“The momentum for safe and green models is growing, and this rating will provide further confidence to consumers and regulators to embrace safety and environmental credentials as a non-negotiable package.”

Priced from $59,990 plus on-road costs, the rear-wheel drive Cupra Born hatch offers up to 511km driving range from its 82kWh battery, as well as 170kW/310Nm of output and a claimed 0-100km/h time of 7.0 seconds.

The model offers 11kW AC and 170kW DC charging ports to enable charging times as low as 35 minutes.

Standard safety equipment for Australian-delivered Born variants includes adaptive cruise control, front assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane assist, park assist, side assist with rear traffic alert and exit warning, a driver fatigue monitor, pre-crash assist, rain-sensing wipers and a 360-degree camera system.

State-by-state drive-away pricing for the 2023 Cupra Born is available here.