- The unconventional and emotional challenger brand overtakes all competitors in just five years
- 72 percent of the 94,531 Auto Motor und Sport readers surveyed voted for CUPRA
- CUPRA’s continuous improvement in the Trend Barometer since 2021 helped it take top spot
- Award ceremony will take place on 9 May in Hamburg, Germany
CUPRA has reached the next major milestone in its rapid rise, as it’s voted trendiest brand of the year at the prestigious Auto Motor und Sport Awards.
It’s a first for the unconventional and emotional challenger brand at the "Best Cars 2025" event powered by the title’s reader survey. A total of 94,531 people cast their votes in the competition, and in response to the question "Which car brands do you think are currently trending?", CUPRA left all competitors behind with 72 percent approval.
"In just seven years, we’ve introduced seven models to the market and built a fully-fledged lineup and attracted over 800,000 car enthusiasts to the brand. While we’ve matured as a brand, we’ve never lost sight of our roots. We remain the unconventional, emotional and trendsetting brand that boldly defies expectations and challenges conventions." says Wayne Griffiths, CEO of CUPRA. "This recognition inspires us to keep pushing boundaries and stay true to the rebellious spirit that defines us. Thank you to the CUPRA Tribe and Auto Motor Und Sport readers for supporting us on this journey."
From zero to first place in five years
CUPRA was included in the Trendiest Brand of the Year survey for the first time in the "Best Cars 2021" and immediately started its journey with 48 percent approval. This was followed by a remarkable jump of 17 percentage points to 65 percent and thus to sixth place in the "Best Cars 2022". In the years that followed, the challenger brand continued to grow and developed into an absolute trend brand: fourth place in the "Best Cars 2023" category with 69 percent was followed by 71 percent and second place last year. Now, with 72 percent, CUPRA sits on top of the trendiest automotive brands for the first time.
Seven models in seven years
It’s been a fast rise; CUPRA started in February 2018 with the aim of questioning the status quo and challenging the established brands. After the launch of the CUPRA Ateca, the first model developed exclusively by the brand soon followed – the CUPRA Formentor. The SUV coupé developed into the brand's icon. The CUPRA Leon and the CUPRA Leon Sportstourer, embraced the new CUPRA design language last year. With the compact CUPRA Born (2021) and the SUV coupé CUPRA Tavascan (2024), the brand also offers two all-electric models. The sporty SUV CUPRA Terramar, launched in 2024, added further strength to the challenger brand, taking its portfolio to seven models in seven years.
Since the first CUPRA Ateca rolled off the production line and onto the roads at the end of 2018, the brand has consistently grown in the double-digit percentage range. Driven by the best-selling CUPRA Formentor, annual registrations in Germany alone rose by 15 percent compared to 2023. And 2025 is another year where the "Best Cars 2025, Trendiest Brand” of the year is aiming for further growth.
Award ceremony on 9 May in Hamburg
This year, the "Best Cars 2025" were awarded for the 49th time by the renowned trade magazine Auto Motor und Sport. All results as well as further details on the vote for the Trendiest Brand of the Year can be read in Auto Motor und Sport, issue 06/2025 to be published on the 27 February, as well as on www.auto-motor-und-sport.de. The award ceremony will take place on 9 May in the Fischauktionshalle in Hamburg, Germany.
