Cupra’s New Tindaya Will Target The BMW iX3 And Volvo EX60

Cupra is preparing to move further upmarket. According to a new report, the Volkswagen Group brand is developing a premium compact crossover called the Tindaya, aimed directly at models like the BMW iX3 and Volvo EX60.

That may sound ambitious for a relatively young brand, but this segment has become one of the most important battlegrounds in the EV world. What makes the Tindaya especially interesting is what sits underneath.

The Cupra Tindaya is expected to use Volkswagen Group’s long-delayed SSP platform, the next-generation EV architecture that will eventually underpin future Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, and Cupra models. Audi is expected to launch the first SSP-based vehicle, with Cupra following later once the platform is fully ready.

Powertrain details remain flexible for now. The original concept used a range-extender setup with nearly 490 hp, but Cupra has not committed to whether the production version will be fully electric or use some form of combustion-assisted powertrain. After watching parts of the industry rush headfirst into EV-only strategies, only to quietly rethink them later, Volkswagen Group seems far more cautious this time around.

That flexibility could matter a lot, especially if Cupra still plans to expand into the United States. Range-extender setups are suddenly looking more appealing again, particularly for buyers worried about long-distance charging infrastructure. It is part of the reason brands like Ford and Ram have started shifting attention toward EREV trucks instead of going fully electric immediately.

Even with all that uncertainty underneath, Cupra says the Tindaya will stay true to the brand’s sporty image rather than becoming another generic family crossover. If that actually happens, the Tindaya could end up being one of the more aggressive and characterful EVs to emerge from Volkswagen Group’s next generation of platforms.