In an unexpected twist of fate, Seat could stay in the automotive business, taking the role of the entry-level company within the VW Group. Contrary to earlier reports that wanted the Spanish automaker to focus on mobility solutions, Seat is reportedly working on updated versions of its current lineup, plus an affordable urban EV sharing its underpinnings with the upcoming VW ID.1.
Things didn’t sound that great for the company back in September 2023, when VW Group CEO, Thomas Schäfer, was quoted saying that “the future of Seat is Cupra“. However, while Cupra’s premium-priced models are more profitable than their Seat-badged siblings, the latter could stick around for more than we initially expected.
More: Seat Ibiza Gains Anniversary Limited Edition, But Its Future Doesn’t Look Bright
The good news for Seat fans (and employees) was shared by Marcus Gossen who is the Director of the Seat and Cupra brands in the UK region. Speaking to Autocar, Gossen confirmed that Seat will have a car in five years’ time, adding that: “We’re working hard to have the right entry level for the VW Group, and the lead for that is Seat SA in Spain”.
Will Seat Offer Any EVs?
While the UK boss made it clear that “There’s no statement about a BEV product for Seat today”, he left a window of hope open by saying that “There’s always room for dreams”. Those dreams are centered around a Seat-branded EV sharing its underpinnings with the VW ID.1 urban electric crossover that is expected to enter production in 2026.
Before Marcus Gossen mentioned the ID.1, it was believed that Seat would focus on its Mo electric scooters and an upcoming heavy quadricycle to rival the Citroen Ami. As a refresher, Cupra’s upcoming Raval hatchback is based on the slightly larger and more expensive VW ID.2, which is most likely the case for the Skoda Small electric SUV.
Reading between the lines, Seat could offer the most affordable EV in the VW Group portfolio, continuing the legacy of the discontinued Seat Mii Electric. A lower price point could be achieved by offering less equipment compared to the VW ID.1 and using shared components to benefit from the economy of scale.
More Facelifts Coming Up For The ICE-Powered Models
SH Proshots
Besides the affordable EV, Seat will keep its ICE-powered models up to date with more facelifts. Our spy photographers have already caught camouflaged prototypes of the Seat Leon featuring Cupra-inspired styling tweaks. The debut of the Spanish compact hatchback will likely follow the launch of the upcoming VW Golf facelift, inheriting some of the technological and mechanical upgrades of the latter.
The fourth-generation Leon that debuted in 2020 was the last all-new model by Seat. It was followed by mid-lifecycle updates for the Ateca SUV in 2020, and for the Ibiza and Arona sub-compact siblings in 2021. The current lineup also includes the Kodiaq-based Seat Taracco SUV flagship which has been around since 2018.
We don’t know which of the aforementioned models will receive a life extension until the EV-only era in Europe forces Seat to discontinue them altogether.
