This second of two reports examining selected brands of The Volkswagen Group looks at expected next generation SEAT, Cupra and Škoda models.
SEAT
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Some had believed that SEAT would slowly disappear, leaving the better performing Cupra division as the Spanish company’s sole marque. That doesn’t seem to be happening, however, as new investment seems to suggest the parent company in Wolfsburg wishes to continue with both names at least until the final years of this decade.
Launched in 2017, the fifth generation Ibiza hatchback and its Arona-badged SUV derivative remain strong sellers in spite of their age. The latest update for each – announced only a few days ago – gives SEAT time to prepare for how (or if) it will replace them both, their life cycles now having been extended until 2028/2029.
Ibiza and Arona will now have longer lives
Due on sale towards year-end, buyers of the facelifted Ibiza and Arona will soon be able to choose from the latest evolutions of Volkswagen’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder and 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engines. Transmissions are five- and six-speed manual or a seven-speed DSG. There are no diesels, HEVs, PHEVs nor EVs.
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By GlobalDataThe only other SEAT models are the Leon hatchback and Leon Sportstourer (wagon) as well as the Ateca, an aged SUV. The C segment cars had a minor facelift in 2024, which suggests they will stick around until 2027 while the Ateca is due to have a revamp in 2026.
SEAT S.A. chief executive Markus Haupt may in time announce that the brand will become The Volkswagen Group’s go-to name for affordable ICE-only cars, presuming that SEAT survives into the 2030s. For now, the present line-up still offers good volume and should end the year with close to 250,000 sales worldwide (1 Jan-30 Sep deliveries: 194,200 vehicles).
Cupra
What more can be said about the brilliant idea of evolving Cupra into a high-margin and now high-volume brand in its own right? What had started out as a sort of Spanish equivalent to Volkswagen’s GTI models now outsells SEAT itself, Cupra deliveries reached a record 245,300 units during the first three quarters of 2025. Not only that but the Formentor has overtaken the Ibiza to become the best selling vehicle in the two-brand range of SEAT S.A.
It isn’t all plain sailing, however: revenue for the year to the end of September was up by 6.9 per cent year-on-year to 11.2 bn euro, primarily driven by a 30.5 per cent surge for Cupra model volumes, but operating profit was a mere 16 m euro, with return on sales being just at 0.1 per cent. The CEO insists that this is down to “temporary challenges that are being actively managed by the company”, for example the import tariffs which the European Commission applies to the made-in-China Cupra Tavascan SUV.
Examples of certain actions which should help lift profits include more high-priced editions of existing models, such as the newly-announced Formentor VZ5. Powered by a 287 kW and 480 Nm turbocharged five-cylinder engine and featuring widened wheel arches, 4,000 units of this range topper will be built commencing in the first quarter of 2026.
Formentor 2: delayed until the 2030s
Once expected in 2027, it is now believed that a replacement for the Formentor will instead come in 2030 or even 2031. This is due to SEAT watching and waiting to see if an electric-only successor would make sense, profit-wise. The existing model will probably stay in production until decade end, having a second facelift in 2027.
Next year should be a big one for Cupra. Along with a major update for the Born, another EV will be added to the line-up. To be made at the company’s Martorell base near Barcelona, a near-production version of the Raval was revealed at the Frankfurt motor show in September. This FWD electric small SUV will offer the choice of 38 kWh and 56 kWh batteries with the base motor producing 166 kW. A two-motors VZ with four-wheel drive should follow in 2027.
Along with US market entry, which has now been cancelled (‘delayed indefinitely’ is the official word), the idea of adding a large electric EV has also been rethought. Such a model may well come eventually but likely not until the early 2030s.
Škoda
Sales up all over Europe, a doubling of volume in the Indian market and at last a not-too-savage year-on-year drop (8.6 per cent) in China are the highlights of Škoda Auto’s latest results. The Czech company also delivered operating profit of 1.79 bn euro in the same 1 January to 30 September period, equivalent to an eight per cent return on sales. And the icing on the cake? Škoda is now the number three brand in its home region. What’s next then?
Unlike so many other brands, the long-planned push into EVs continues, albeit supported by MHEV and PHEV options for the many combustion-powered Škoda models. The whole line of models is also fairly young, which is helping to draw in ever more new customers.
Next Octavia: bigger, and EV-available
The Octavia is far and away the best seller, more than 142,000 examples having been delivered during the year to the end of September. Generation five is now only two and a bit years away from being replaced. There will again be a hatchback and estate pairing, with an EV to be available for the first time in the model’s long history. A preview (see image) appeared at the Munich motor show in September, Germany being the biggest global market for the current car.
Premiering at the same event as the Vision O was another future model, albeit quite a different kind of vehicle. i.e. a small SUV rather than a D segment estate. Due to be in production next year, the Epiq will be just over four metres long, electric and built by SEAT at its Martorell works. The Cupra Raval, VW ID. Polo and VW ID. Cross are part of the same family of models. Neither SEAT nor Audi will have an equivalent vehicle.
Will future Superb be EV-only?
Two other Škoda SUVs are now becoming well established in their relative regions, the Kylaq doing well in India since it was introduced there in 2024, with the Elroq going strong in Europe. Each will be facelifted in 2028 and replaced in 2032.
Also new last year was the latest shape Superb, which means a mid-life restyle in 2028, the successor being due for launch in 2032. This will also be available as an EV but combustion power could also still be offered.
IMP: new platform for India-made models
Coming in 2026 are facelifted versions of two models largely specific to India: the Slavia and Kushaq. Their replacements are scheduled for launch in 2029, the architecture expected to be MQB A037. We should also see the first bespoke EV for that country next year. An SUV, it, like its VW twin, will be based on India Main Platform and manufactured at the Chakan plant. IMP, a new architecture, is a low-cost derivative of CMP (China Main Platform).
Back in Europe, the Fabia, Scala and Kamiq will each have another facelift in 2027, extending their production runs until 2030. This is due to strong demand for each and many customers not (yet) keen on equivalent electric models. For the moment, it is too early to be 100 per cent certain if the replacements for these three vehicles will come with combustion propulsion systems. They could instead be electric-only.
