Video Summary
The Abarth 500 is arguably the world's first electric hot hatchback.Tightening emissions and safety regulations have made buying petrol hot hatchbacks difficult.
This Cupra Born is a five-door hatchback from one of the Volkswagen group's most sporting brands.
The Cupra Born has a skateboard architecture with a low battery pack, minimizing body roll. The drive goes to the rear wheels, making it sportier.
The Cupra Born's one permanent magnet synchronous motor generates 201bhp and 229lb ft torque.
It has a 1-speed reduction gearbox and is rear-wheel drive. Its kerb weight is 1736kg.
Its steering is smooth, slick, accurate, and responsive. The Cupra Born gets from 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds and hits a top speed of 99 mph.
Although body control is a bit loose, the car drives itself out of a corner nicely with a nice balance to it. Overall, the Born drives itself out of a corner really, really nicely.
All Autocar colleagues agree the Born is the official winner of this test, factoring in range, value, and practicality.
The Cupra Born is £38,395 and gets a range of 262 miles, averaging 4.0mpkWh.
The MG4 EV XPower has 429bhp with bags of torque and all-wheel drive, making it a very quick car.
The MG4 EV XPower's gear box is a 1-spd reduction, 4WD. The MG4 EV XPower sounds like what an EV would sound.
MG4 EV XPower's ride is choppy but settles over bumps quickly, and is still coming through.
Body control has a lean when turning.
While offering speed and composure, the MG4 EV XPower at £36,495 is not really a driver's car.
The MG4 EV XPower travels 239 miles and gets 3.3mpkWh.
Renault Megane E-Tech is not pitched as a sports car, but it is at the more dynamic end of the big family hatch market.
This is one of the greatest cars in the world to drive. It rides well with not much lean or roll, absorbing small ripples and bumps.
This makes is a good car to run along, and easy over distance. The steering is responsive with the wheels and steering is nice, but the car as a whole does not match it with lots of flow.
Power = 214bhp and Torque = 221lb ft
Gearbox= 1-spd reduction, FWD
Kerb weight = 1708kg
0-62 mph 7.5sec
Range, economy =280miles, 3.8mpkWh
It has something missing in its personality though.
It's more about competence than communication.
The Honda E feels light thanks to its small battery. Its body settles over bumps quickly with good body control. It has a pleasant blend of ride and handling. It's not a hot hatchback though, despite Honda being a master of hot hatchbacks. Its small range makes it unrecommendable except under very specific conditions.
It is rear-wheel drive with one permanent magnet synchronous motor producing 152 bhp. The battery is 42.2/37.8kWh and the torque is 232lb ft.
The Honda E weights 1520kg, gets 3.5mpkWh and a range of just 131 miles. It gets from 0-62mph in 8.3 sec and has a top speed of 90mph.
