Cupra Will Have Its Own Showrooms in the US

Scout isn’t the only Volkswagen Group brand coming to the United States. SEAT’s spin-off Cupra marque will arrive here by the end of this decade. CEO Wayne Griffiths says the Spanish brand, which was born just seven years ago, will have its own headquarters and will do business outside the Volkswagen Group of America entity. Separate showrooms are also planned.

The company’s boss told Automotive News that as many as 20 so-called Cupra City Garages will be inaugurated in the US, specifically along the East and West coasts and in Sun Belt states. To speed things up, Cupra is partnering with Penske to open the showrooms. This strategy is different from Scout, which aims to sell cars directly to buyers. 

Although the original intent was to bring Cupra to America strictly as an EV automaker, that’s not going to happen anymore. In an interview with Motor1 late last year, Griffiths said there would be hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and even pure gas cars alongside electric models. Instead of just bringing cars sold in Europe, Cupra wants to have a more US-focused lineup, including a car assembled locally.

The design language will be similar to that of the cars sold in Europe. However, to better suit American tastes, US-focused models will be larger and, therefore, more spacious. Interestingly, Griffiths said the car Cupra will build in North America will also be exported. Only one model will be available at Cupra’s launch in the US, with a second arriving within the next 12 months.

The medium-term goal is to sell approximately 100,000 units annually. For reference, Volkswagen of America sold 379,178 cars last year, up 15.2 percent from the previous year. Cupra shipped 248,100 units globally in 2024, an increase of 7.5 percent from 2023.

Cupra currently has seven models in its growing portfolio, with crossovers dominating the lineup. However, people from Europe and other markets can still get the Leon, a compact hatchback related to the VW Golf. It also comes in a wagon flavor, complete with a high-performance VZ version packing over 300 horsepower and all-wheel drive to echo the long-roof Golf R. We’d really like to see it stateside, but SUVs are more likely.