Yes, with provisos. The Born VZ is the car the original Born should have always been, whch makes it pretty good. Legitimate increases in performance and handling put clear water between this and the standard car, and miles between this and the ID.3. In just a few corners, there’s no mistaking this for its Volkswagen counterpart. 

It’s still heavy and can look ungainly, but confidence-inducing, better-weighted controls make it feel smaller – especially at speed. And Cupra should also be praised for not putting an engagement-sapping motor on the front axle to boost traction and overall power. 

It might not have the all-out power of the MG4 XPower, but it’s certainly more engaging. That’s also the case with the most powerful Volvo EX30, which might be indecently quick, but it’s also less rewarding on a tricky road.

Whether or not the increased feedback from the wheel and suspension you get with the VZ comes with drawbacks remains to be seen: the new systems work well on Spanish mountain roads, but could they handle a cold, rainy pothole in Staines? We’ll find out when we drive it back in the UK.