More Cupras on the way

CUPRA will expand its model range from four to seven models before the end of 2025 with confirmation that the brand will add the Leon Sportstourer wagon to its ranks as well as the addition of the Terramar SUV and fully-electric Tavascan SUV.

The three newcomers will join the existing Leon hatch, Ateca and Formentor SUVs and Born electric hatchback meaning more choice and expanded appeal particularly for family-car customers.

New models accompany a move to replace the entry-level engines in some cars with 48-volt mild-hybrid ‘TSI e’ powertrains as Cupra moves to increase its electrified footprint in Australia.

Cupra Australia brand director, Ben Wilks, said the company’s success in the highly competitive Australian market has helped pave the way for bigger plans, but the global picture is a good one for the relatively new Spanish brand.

“From a global perspective, we’re now in our sixth year, and starting off really, really strong,” he said.

“So, 57,000 units in quarter one, 57,000 cars delivered to customers – that's 20 per cent up for quarter one 2024 over 2023 globally.

“Formentor is up 4 per cent and that's obviously at an important time in that car’s lifecycle as we come into the new facelift model for Europe, and then later on for us.

“That success has been really quite phenomenal from a global perspective, the best-selling CUV in Europe and, you know, some big opportunities there.

“For us here in Australia, what we have said fairly consistently is that Australia would be Cupra’s Ticket to Ride from a Group global perspective. And I'm pleased and in fact, we're all quite delighted to see that Ticket to Ride has been granted. You would have seen the announcement from Wayne(Griffiths, Cupra boss) and the team about coming into the US market before the end of the decade.

“And the success here – we’ve just passed through 5000 units – on our way to 5500 cars here, delivered to customers in Australia, that has meant the opportunity to unlock the US,” he said.

But Mr Wilks said that the focus in Australia includes the aforementioned new-model expansion plans that will allow the business to move into different and potentially more profitable segments of the market, something that cannot be taken for granted given the influx of new brands.

“Australia remains a hugely competitive market with a number of forces that we don't necessarily face in all markets, the emergence of quite a few new brands into a market that already had many new brands. But we're quite proud of that achievement to pass through 5000 units and to continue to grow the brand, continue to grow our presence here 2024 and beyond,” Mr Wilks explained.

Cupra has confirmed that the ICE models of the Leon facelift and Formentor SUV will arrive early in the second quarter of 2025, with the performance-spec VZx and plug-in hybrid VZe to follow.

At the same time, midway through 2025, the brand will add the Leon Sportstourer, a more practical take on the small car theme, and while details are still to be confirmed, it is likely to be offered with a high-end VZx turbo-powertrain, and possibly with PHEV tech, too.

Cupra Australia head of product and marketing, Jeff Shafer, said they aren’t expecting the wagon to do big numbers, but it could find favour with buyers who may have otherwise gone for a Volkswagen Golf R wagon –axed in 2023.

"It's hard to say (a sales forecast) it's a niche. But it's a niche that's interesting to us ... it's a strength of Cupra as a brand, we don't need to be chasing volume like a mainstream brand needs to," he said. "I think the volume's going to be fairly limited, but I'm also prepared to be surprised," Mr Shafer said.

Also due in 2025 is the Tavascan fully electric coupe-style SUV, which shares the VW Group MEB platform with the related Volkswagen ID.4 and ID.5. Exact specs and details are to be confirmed, but you can expect the brand’s largest EV model to sit at the top of the pricing tree in Australia. For context, the most expensive Cupra currently on sale is the Formentor VZx at $65,690 +ORCs.

The Terramar SUV - which is set to offer a similar plug-in hybrid option to the updated Formentor with 100km of EV driving range - is rumoured to take the place of the Ateca SUV, but there has been no confirmation of such.

Despite a strong start to its journey in Australia, Cupra’s registrations have been slow for the first quarter of 2024, with a figure of just 579 units, a slip of 28.3 per cent compared to the first quarter of last year.