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Spanish challenger brand Cupra has revealed timings on when some of its upcoming models are set to arrive in Australia.
Cupra will launch the facelifted Leon hatch locally in October this year, alongside the Sportstourer wagon, as well as bring its electric Born hatch back to Australia in 2026 after sales were paused earlier this year.
At a special event to celebrate three years of the brand in Australia this week, Cupra revealed it will launch the two Leon models in October this year – the hatch with two variants, and the Sportstourer with just one initially.
The entry-level S mild-hybrid and top-spec VZx will be the first to arrive for the Leon hatch, with the 150kW plug-in hybrid (PHEV) VZe set to follow next year.
Meanwhile, the Sportstourer will be available in the 200kW PHEV VZe form straight away.
The facelifted Leon hatch comes with updated styling, improved cabin technology, and more powerful engines.
The S gets a new 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder mild-hybrid engine, borrowed from the Terramar, developing 110kW and 250Nm, while the front-wheel-drive Leon VZx remains at the impressive 221kW/400Nm.
The Sportstourer, though, is new for Australia, taking the mantle from the Golf R wagon to a degree, which was discontinued locally in 2023.
The car was on show in Melbourne at the event, but in New Zealand specification rather than what we will get here, as it has different bucket seats and no third top tether as that isn’t a requirement in that market.
Both plug-in hybrids use a new 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder and an electric motor, making 150kW in the hatch and 200kW combined.
As for Cupra’s Born electric hatch, the model is set to return to Australian shores in 2026 after it sold out locally in June.
Prior to the sell-out, prices were slashed by up to $19,400, with Head of Product Jeff Shafer admitting the available stock sold quicker than they’d thought.
The offer lowered the Cupra Born's drive-away price from between $61,990 to $66,490 drive-away, depending on the state, to $47,090 drive-away nationwide.
The Born, originally sold in just the standard entry guise for $59,990, will come back initially with only the VZ variant on offer.
The VZ was due in April or May this year, before it was pushed back to December, and now to early 2026, as previously reported by Drive.
The base Born sold in Australia came with a 77kWh usable capacity (82kWh total), paired with a 170kW/310Nm single-electric motor driving the rear wheels and was rated with a 511km WLTP driving range.
Overseas, the VZ has a 79kWh usable battery capacity, paired with a 240kW/545Nm single-electric motor and is rated with a 570km driving range.
Local pricing and specification for Australian versions of the Leon S and VZx, Leon Sportstourer VZe, and Born VZ are yet to be announced.
Cupra Australia has, however, confirmed that the Leon will get ‘Cup’ bucket seats, the Enceladus Grey matte paint that will be added as an option for the Terramar later this year, and new copper forged alloy wheels.
The Born VZ also gets 20-inch ‘Tornado’ alloy wheels and the Cup bucket seats in a cloth microfibre material.
A born-and-bred newshound, Kathryn has worked her way up through the ranks reporting for, and later editing, two renowned UK regional newspapers and websites, before moving on to join the digital newsdesk of one of the world’s most popular newspapers – The Sun. More recently, she’s done a short stint in PR in the not-for-profit sector, and led the news team at Wheels Media.
