I’VE been a big fan of Cupra for a very long time.

Before it became a brand in its own right, Cupra was the sporting division of SEAT.

And it produced some remarkable machines such as the Cupra Leon, a Golf GTI rival, or the all-wheel drive Cupra Formentor, a worthy rival for the Golf R.

But now like all manufacturers, Cupra are phasing out internal combustion engines and going fully electric . . . YAWN.

And this week’s test drive is the new Cupra Born, a beautiful-looking EV, especially when it is basically a Volkswagen ID.3 underneath.

But the Born is much more exciting to look at, with the designers sticking to the Cupra script of dramatically styling its vehicles with racy undertones.

And that script also meant that any vehicle wearing a Cupra badge was also sporty and exciting to drive.

But this all-electric Cupra is a little bit flat when it comes to providing an exciting driving experience.

Power comes from a 150kW motor powering the rear wheels that produces 204bhp and 310Nm of torque so it’s good for 0-100kph in 7.3secs with a top speed of 160kph.

And the Born, like most EVs, accelerates quickly, but it’s not pin-you-back-in-the-seat sportscar acceleration.

And that’s about it.

Being an EV it’s virtually silent, so there’s no rip-roaring engine and exhaust note like petrol-powered Cupras to spice things up a bit.

There is no computer-generated engine sound — it makes a faint whir so pedestrians can hear it, but the lack of audible drama is a bit disappointing.

However, there is a more powerful model with a 77kWh battery and 231bhp with an e-Boost button so maybe that version has enough spark to be worthy to wear the coveted Cupra badge.

Cupra claim the Born has a range of 417km but after a full charge with the 58kWh lithium-ion battery reading 100 per cent, I only had 300km of range.

But it was pretty cold and cold weather has an impact on battery life.

Even though it weighs 1,763kg, the Born does handle well, with a sporty chassis like every Cupra should have.

The ride height is lowered but there is a decent amount of suspension travel so it can absorb the rough stuff and smooth out the road, but it’s not so firm that the ride is harsh.

Inside the seats are fantastic, proper figure-hugging sporty numbers covered in suede with plenty of copper accents that match the cool Cupra logo that looks like an old-school Space Invader from the 1980s computer game.

But as good as the seats are, you sit too high, so instead of thinking you are driving a sporty hatch, it’s more like sitting in a compact SUV or Crossover.

The touch-sensitive pads on the steering wheel for adjusting the volume and cruise control are poorly placed as they are too easily activated by just resting your hands on the wheel.

But apart from that, the cabin is well equipped and feels a lot sportier and special compared to the VW ID.3.

So if you’re not too bothered about performance and just want an EV that looks fantastic inside and out, is really well equipped and handles well, then the Cupra Born is one of the most exciting looking on the market.

But for me a Cupra without potent performance and a mechanical soundtrack is a bit like a non-alcoholic beer.