While we await the arrival of Spanish manufacturer Cupra’s forthcoming Terramar and Tavascan SUVs and its sub-Born electric vehicle tentatively named the UrbanRebel, the company has decided to refresh two of its existing models - the brilliant Formentor coupe-SUV and the Leon hatch and estate.
Light show
The updated Cupra models are due to be unveiled at a live stream event called ‘Design Obsession’ on April 29 at 8pm (9pm CET). At this stage, all we’ve got of them are a few teaser images - close-ups of the rears of the two cars, specifically.
But even from these snatched pictures, it’s clear that the brand's new familial design language will include distinctive triple-block rear light clusters, enhancing the appearance of what are already very attractive cars.
We don’t know much at this stage, but we expect the Formentor and the Leon to enjoy both petrol and plug-in hybrid drivetrains, with an emphasis on sporty performance their main brief.
Formentor a sales leader
Since its launch in 2020, we’ve been big fans of this coupe-SUV. It manages to take existing Volkswagen Group building blocks (engines, chassis, interiors, and so on) and yet remarkably blend them into something more interesting than practically any other SUV in the giant conglomerate’s stable.
It’s particularly good as the range-topping 310 TSI, but even the base-spec Formentor is an appealing proposition.
Refreshingly, customers seem to have cottoned onto this because Cupra claims that not only is the Formentor its most important model from a showroom sales perspective, but it’s also the best-selling ‘A-CUV’ in Europe.
Last year, it topped the charts for that particular subsector by clocking up more than 120,000 deliveries worldwide - so a refreshed model with revised looks ought to build on that success and drive Cupra onwards.
The Leon, meanwhile, is a slightly different proposition, as it still exists as a SEAT as well as a Cupra. The Formentor, on the other hand, is Cupra’s first in-house-developed, bespoke product (i.e., it’s not sold as a SEAT at all).
The updates for the Leon, a Volkswagen Golf-class car, will be applied to both the five-door hatchback and the estate too.
Next-gen hybrid, digital and sustainability tech
Cupra’s happy to say at this stage that not only will they both feature the new corporate design, the Formentor and Leon will also benefit from the next generation of eHybrid (plug-in) technology, greater digitalisation and sustainability features, and enhanced driving performance too.
Last year was a great success for Cupra as a whole, not just the Formentor. In 2023, it set its own sales record with 230,000 vehicles delivered globally.
It currently markets the Ateca and Formentor SUVs, the Leon hatch and estate, and the Born electric hatchback. The Tavascan, Terramar, and UrbanRebel are all set to join its ranks before 2025 is out.