Volkswagen Is Readying Four SUVs For India

Volkswagen has been in the news lately, thanks to its future plans focused on petrol powertrains. The German carmaker has made it clear that it will prioritise petrol engines while the diesel engines starting with the 1.5-litre TDI in the Vento and the Polo will be discontinued soon. With diesels out of the equation, for the time being, Volkswagen India will rely on SUVs for its future in India. As a part of this plan, it is planning to roll our four SUVs by 2021, all of which are expected to be showcased at the upcoming Auto Expo 2020. Below is a compilation of the four SUVs in question:

Tiguan Allspace

Volkswagen is actively testing the Tiguan Allspace in India and it is expected to debut in early-2020. As the name suggests, the Allspace is Tiguan’s 7-seater version. It looks more or less similar to the Tiguar with various minor design elements for distinction. Under the hood will most likely be a BS6-compliant 2.0-litre TSI engine that develops 190PS/320Nm. These figures will be harnessed through Volkswagen’s 4MOTION drivetrain to all four wheels. And when asked about the 2.0 TDI, Steffen Knapp, Head of Volkswagen India said "very high likelihood that we'll continue with diesel."

T-Roc

Aimed straight at the Jeep Compass and the Tata Harrier, the T-Roc will plug the gap below the Tiguan in Volkswagen India’s lineup. In all likelihood, the T-Roc will come packed with a BS6 1.5-litre TSI EVO engine. Although Volkswagen is going ahead with petrol engines, we can’t entirely rule out the possibility of the 2.0-litre TDI unit. The 1.5-litre petrol engine is enough for 150PS and 250Nm paired with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG option. The T-Roc will come in 2020 via the CBU route with an expected price tag of around Rs 17 lakh to Rs 20 lakh (ex-showroom).

India 2.0 SUV

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

T-Cross image used for representation only

While the T-Roc will plug the gap below the Tiguan, the next SUV plugs the gap a segment below. This SUV will be the first product under the India 2.0 strategy and will be based on the localised MQB-A0-IN platform. Currently, a busy space with the Seltos being the key player, it is set to witness tense competition with the inception of 2020 Creta, and the Kamiq-based SUV from Skoda. It will be based on the T-Cross SUV that Volkswagen sells in global markets. For India, it will sport a different design, as well as a different name. Expect the SUV to launch in 2021 with prices likely to range between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh (ex-showroom pan India). Volkswagen will use the upcoming Auto Expo 2020 to showcase a concept of this SUV.

Sub-4m SUV

With the above three SUVs covering most of the SUV market, the Germans might just foray into the most crowded segment in India - the subcompact SUV space. Currently, the Brezza, Venue, Ecosport, Nexon and the XUV300 are the key players while other manufacturers like Renault are also readying their sub-4m offerings. Details are scarce at this point but we do know it will be underpinned by the MQB-A0-IN platform with the option of a 1.0-litre MPi/TSI engine mated to a 6-speed manual or DSG. We’re expecting to see this SUV by the end of 2021.