A little known Spanish car brand focused on electric vehicles is preparing to sell its vehicles in the United States — turmoil regarding tariffs, trade and environmental policy notwithstanding.
Barcelona-based Cupra has already had talks with the Penske Automotive Group, the United States’ third largest dealer group with about 200 outlets. Penske also operates dealerships for dozens of brands ― including Cupra ― in Australia, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
“Cupra aims to inspire the United States from its hometown of Barcelona, bringing its design led and performance driven cars to American roads,” the company said in a statement to the Free Press.
Easier said than done, but Cupra has made an impression in the crowded European market since Volkswagen’s Seat brand launched it in 2018. Seat, known largely for practical, affordable cars, created Cupra as a sporty sub brand. The result impressed VW brass in Germany so much that there’s talk Seat may wither away, replaced by the more stylish, profitable and technically advanced Cupra.
Hybrids and EVs with a Latin flair
Cupra sells a mix of electric, hybrid and gasoline vehicles in more than 40 countries, including Mexico, where prices start at just under $37,000 for a gasoline powered Leon compact SUV. The brand hopes an emphasis on performance ― Cupra originated as the name of Seat's racing team ― and style rooted in Barcelona's history as a center of art, architecture and design will set it apart.
“Cupra has a respectable following, but the challenges of the U.S. market are very difficult to overcome,” said S&P Global principal automotive analyst Stephanie Brinley. The United States' huge size and population make it expensive to establish a new brand, both geographically and in shoppers' minds.
Cupra has sold more than 800,000 vehicles so far.
The company’s U.S. focus will be on sporty, upscale EVs and hybrids, but Cupra may also offer some internal combustion models to generate sales and service volume.
“As the first new brand created within the Volkswagen Group, we offer an alternative to the next generation of U.S. car buyers,” the statement continued. “Positioned between the mass and premium segments, we are not based on legacy or tradition. We are an unconventional challenger brand.”
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The brand plans to begin with sales in 20 states “strategically aligned with the Cupra brand.”
That presumably means states that encourage EV sales with incentives and emissions limits.