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News - CupraCupra to adjust trims, engines across line-upPopular VZx high-performance trims protected as Cupra adds more hybrids to meet NVES4 Aug 2025 By TOM BAKER CUPRA is planning to refresh the majority of its Australian line-up as part of a rolling product update cycle, spanning late 2025 to early 2026.
The changes will include facelifted styling, new batteries and motors for fully electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models, and revised combustion powertrains to align to both customer tastes and the demands of Australia’s New Vehicle Emissions Standard (NVES) suite of regulations.
Prompt updating of Cupra’s products (which only arrived in Australia in 2022) aligns with the Spanish marque’s strategy of operating as a nimble brand within the Volkswagen Group.
Headquartered in Barcelona, the Catalonian brand benefits from accelerated development times when compared with other VW Group brands – a move designed to bolster Cupra’s expansion to non-European markets, headlined by Australia and Mexico ahead of a now-deferred push into the United States.
Local Cupra operations have been granted considerable freedom as an early export market, and relatively highly specified Cupra models are typically offered at sharper price points in Australia than equivalent trims in Europe.
The current Cupra range includes the Formentor and Terramar midsize SUVs, the Tavascan BEV, the Leon hatchback, and the older Ateca compact SUV. The Born BEV hatch was withdrawn from sale in Australia earlier in 2025 but is scheduled to return in 2026.
An updated Leon line-up launches in October 2025, with three variants initially arriving including an introduction of the Leon Sportstourer (ST) wagon – which itself arrives first in PHEV format before a full-fat petrol AWD option lands later.
At launch, the Leon hatchback will be offered in two grades: a new entry-level S variant (110kW/250Nm 1.5T mild hybrid) replaces the outgoing 140kW/320Nm V, while the halo 221kW/400Nm VZx 2.0T returns. Both are front-drivers, while the Golf GTI-matching 180kW/370Nm VZ has also been deleted.
“We felt in the Leon range that the step between the VZ and VZx meant everybody was jumping into the VZx,” Jeff Shafer, Cupra Australia head of product and marketing, told GoAuto.
While the first Leon ST wagons will be VZe PHEVs (200kW/400Nm, combining a 1.5T with 85kW front motor for 120-124km WLTP electric range), a 221kW/400Nm VZx wagon will drop slightly later with AWD. A more modest 150kW PHEV tune called Ve will arrive in hatch form with similar range.
Adjustments to, and expansion of, the PHEV offer in the Leon range foreshadows growing presence of PHEVs within the Cupra line-up to continue simultaneously offering ICE practicality with high performance.
“We’ll be looking at how (Cupra) engines evolve over time, so that even engines at the (high) performance end of the spectrum can benefit from other technologies being applied,” Shafer said.
Cupra’s top seller locally, the Formentor SUV, will be updated in early 2026 with a facelift previewed in 2023 and launched in Europe in 2024, with Mr Shafer confirming there will be more subtle adjustments to trim structure and powertrain.
“We will see a little bit of an adjustment,” said Mr Shafer. “Formentor is playing in a bigger segment (than Leon) so it won’t be exactly the same, but we will make some tweaks.”
While the high-output 228kW/400Nm Formentor VZx has a stay of execution despite NVES, a boosted-range PHEV will land with even lower CO2 than before while the 1.5T MHEV will take the place of a 2.0T AWD as the entry engine.
Meanwhile, the larger Cupra Terramar SUV that launched locally this month with 110kW/250Nm 1.5T MHEV (S) and 195kW/400Nm 2.0T AWD (VZ) trims will gain 150kW/320Nm 2.0T (V) and 200kW/400Nm PHEV (VZe) trims before Christmas.
A truly hi-po Terramar is not yet available globally, though a VZx version could eventuate as a cousin of the forthcoming and recently confirmed second-generation Volkswagen Tiguan R.
Early 2026 will also see the return to Australia of the Cupra Born BEV hatchback, which temporarily exited in mid-2025 following a successful stock clearance at a sub-$50,000 driveaway price point.
At relaunch, the Born will be offered in high-output VZ trim (240kW/545Nm RWD) with a larger 79kWh battery promising 570km (WLTP) electric range, while a smaller-battery Born variant is under consideration for later in 2026.
“We are surveying the remaining Born range for opportunities around the current model, forthcoming facelift and potential for additional battery capacities,” Mr Shafer said.
A minor update lands imminently for the Tavascan BEV crossover in the form of an $8000 Extreme Pack for the 250kW VZ grade ($74,490 plus on-road costs), adding 21-inch forged wheels, stickier tyres, and cooled Nappa leather bucket seats.
The smallest Cupra SUV – the Ateca, based on an older design shared by Skoda and Cupra parent Seat – remains on sale in limited numbers with supply tapering ahead of what appears to be a future phase-out.
Australian Cupra sales have increased by 40.3 per cent year-on-year to June 2025, with top performers being the Formentor (909 deliveries), run-out Born (309) and Tavascan (170).  |
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