Cupra Born vs MG4 EV Urban

The Cupra Born costs £12,500 more than the MG MG4 EV Urban. For that premium it adds 99 miles more WLTP range, 30 kW more power and a 1.6s quicker 0-62mph time. The MG MG4 EV Urban is not just cheaper - it also offers 192 litres more boot space. On EVcarsguide's combined category scores, the Cupra Born comes out ahead overall.

The MG MG4 EV Urban is £12,500 cheaper to buy. The Cupra Born is cheaper to charge, roughly £128 a year versus £168 for the MG MG4 EV Urban, at 8,000 miles on an off-peak home tariff. Add 5 years of charging and the MG MG4 EV Urban comes out roughly £12,300 cheaper overall. These figures cover list price and home charging only - insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation will move the real total.

EVcarsguide estimates a real-world motorway range of about 250 miles for the Cupra Born and 140 miles for the MG MG4 EV Urban - both below their WLTP figures, because sustained high speed is the hardest case for an EV. The Cupra Born goes roughly 111 miles further between charging stops.

The Cupra Born is the easier car for tight UK car parks: it is 33 mm narrower than the MG MG4 EV Urban. In a standard 2,400 mm bay that leaves about 591 mm of total clearance for the Cupra Born and about 558 mm of total clearance for the MG MG4 EV Urban. The Cupra Born also turns in a 0.3 m tighter circle, which helps with U-turns and multi-storey ramps.

Over a 8-year ownership window EVcarsguide's degradation model projects roughly 84% battery health for the Cupra Born and 90% for the MG MG4 EV Urban. That gives the MG MG4 EV Urban a modest edge in retained real-world range. The MG MG4 EV Urban's LFP-type pack tolerates daily 100% charging, while the Cupra Born's NMC-type pack lasts longest kept to about 80% for everyday use. Both batteries carry a 8-year manufacturer warranty.