MGS5 or one of these Cupras?
Thank you for your very helpful review of the MGS5 SUV. I'm looking to buy our first EV for January 2026, and am impressed with the MG. I also looked at the Cupra Born but cannot find online any comprehensive comparison between the two. Could you advise please?
Also, the Cupra sales guy told me the Tavascan discount (replicating the SEAI grant) may continue to 2026, bringing its price in under €40k. If that is right, my budget might reach it. Can you advise the best choice between these three cars?
I'm leaning toward to MG, particularly with its seven-year warranty, but the Cupras have nice screens tilted toward the driver and the interiors are very nice.
Thank you
Colm Downey (Malahide)Aug 2025 Filed under: choosing new car
Expert answer
Hi Colm,
Glad you're enjoying our reviews and that's a good selection of cars to be choosing from.
The Born is, as you probably know, a five-door hatchback, with a relatively low-set driving position, sporty detailing inside and out and a boot volume of under 400 litres. It has a flat rear floor so three can sit across there, but it's better for two. It drives in a much sportier and more dynamic way than either the MGS5 or the Tavascan, no matter which version you go for, yet it's also really efficient in terms of energy consumption. The cheapest model officially does up to 426km on a charge, while the longest-range version manages up to 593km.
The Cupra Tavascan very much sits above the Born in the lineup, with a larger boot (540 litres) and interior space. Unsurprising given how much bigger the Tavascan is on the outside. It also gets a higher driving position, befitting the 'coupe-SUV' genre. It's not as efficient as the Born as it's bigger and heavier, but the entry-level model comes with a range of 568km, nonetheless. It's a quick car by any measure and drives well, if not with the vim of the Born.
In terms of interior space, there's not much to choose between the MGS5 and Tavascan, though the MG's boot is smaller (453 litres). The Cupra's cabin is more distinctive looking and, given the price gap between them, it should be of no surprise that the Tavascan's feels a grade above. The MG has the lowest performance of the three, but that's not important to many people. Its range of up to 465km is of use, but again most people don't need all that.
In summary, we'd never have put these three up against each other as natural rivals. One is a sporty hatch, one a sporty crossover and another a sensible SUV and they're only vaguely similar in terms of price. The MG is undoubtedly the best value of the three, though you can't expect it to be better than the Tavascan in all ways, either.
As ever with these things, we highly recommend you go and test drive all three for yourself to form your own opinions and then balance that with the maths of the deals you can get.
If there's anything specific you'd like us to cover that I've not mentioned above, please come back to us.
And please do let us know what you end up with.
Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor