Would you have another Born?

[smbmetal]

I've been enjoying following this forum and reading all the posts and while I understand there will always be more posts with issues with the car/software etc, I was wondering if when it came to changing your Born again you would have another one or perhaps move to another manufacturer?

I'm currently driving a Golf GTI 7.5 which I love, but I've almost paid it off and want to dip my toe in the EV world. I've already decided on Hypervolt 3.0 home charger. E-ON will also move me to their EV tariff which is currently 9.5p per kWh between 12 am & 7 am. My smart meters are already compatible (30 min readings).

Currently it's between a Model 3 and a Born. I have sat in a V2 Born which I thought was nice and have test driven a Model 3 LR. I will need to test drive the Born. Insurance wise the Born is almost half the Model 3!

Having always owned a Golf sized hatchback the Born appeals size wise. Not sure about the tech on it or the car app though, from the comments I've read, it doesn't appear very reliable, certainly compared to the Model 3?

Both would be a second hand car.

I'd appreciate any thoughts or comments

[WoT]

I don't much like the Born i bought a year (12000 miles) ago. I suspect I'd dislike the tesla more, as the Born seems a weak imitation of it. I would wait a few years.

[TheBornIDentity]

I like the Born but wouldn’t buy another one or any electric VAG group car again. This car has been back for recalls and faults more than the previous 7 new cars I’ve owned combined.

The software is terrible, the safety features line lane assist and front assist are terrible. I actually get nervous driving on country roads because I’ve had it do emergency stops on me for twigs and leaves.

I don’t want a model 3 anymore as they are getting rid of the indicator stalks and it’s even more touchscreen oriented than the Born.

At the moment if I was buying a replacement (and I’m seriously considering it) then I’d buy a Renault Megane E-tech. It actually feels more upmarket inside and most importantly it got buttons for all the important stuff like heating controls and you can permanently turn lane assist off with an actual button! That alone is worth bloody good money! Also the software is by Google and not by some people that don’t seem to know what they are doing in Germany.

[smbmetal]

Thank you both for your replies. It’s a shame that VAG appear to have got their Golf sized ev’s so wrong and really expensive! I do think the Born looks really nice though. Everything on my 2019 GTI works perfectly. So I guess it sounds like I’ll be frustrated with most ev’s from a software point of view.

The e-tech looks nice, but to me it looks too much like a SUV.

[Elea4]

fwiw out of 111 vehicles, 2-3 year old Model 3's just scored dead last in the German TÜV (state mandated inspection organization) reliability ratings - mainly due to rusty brakes and suspension issues.

After 1 year, I still love my Born. Haven't had any breakdowns or showstopper issues. The software could be better but I'd still buy another many years down the line. Handling is great, build quality seems good too.

[TheBornIDentity]

Thank you both for your replies. It’s a shame that VAG appear to have got their Golf sized ev’s so wrong and really expensive! I do think the Born looks really nice though. Everything on my 2019 GTI works perfectly. So I guess it sounds like I’ll be frustrated with most ev’s from a software point of view.

The e-tech looks nice, but to me it looks too much like a SUV.

The Born looks really good is a great car to drive and nice place to be but it’s seriously let down by software. It’s really put me off VAG.

[Pablosammy82]

I've owned a model 3 for nearly four years, and it's been utterly faultless. The touchscreen is slick and fast, the stereo is the best I've had (one of the best stock sound systems you can get at any price point), the built in Tidal and Spotify are great, the charging network is second to none, and it drives brilliantly. I could go on. It's been the least problematic car I've had by a good stretch.

If the Born and the Model 3 were similar prices on our work salary sacrifice scheme I'd go for a 3 again without hesitation. However, I've driven plenty of different electric cars and the Born was the best of the rest, at least in terms of driving experience.

[SabreDentist]

I'd be happy to buy another Born. I like the car. Yes, there have been issues with recalls and software, but I feel the Born has good bones and the issues are being sorted.
A lot of people hate the infotainment system. I feel it was designed for those bought up on touchscreens so this is probably a generational thing. Personally I like it and once you get proficient at using it, you can adjust things very quickly.

[Boris7]

Yes I would, or to put it another way I have.

Got mine in May, it’s been faultless just ordered a second one for SWMBO exactly the same but a different colour.

[Cliffjp]

I like the car but I am very disappointed at the depreciation and mine has just spent 7 weeks at the dealership waiting for a part that was on back order. I wouldn’t buy another ev at the moment as the technology is not yet mature and the charging infrastructure is a joke. I also wouldn’t buy a VAG car until they get their software issues/crap user interface sorted out.