10 new SUVs from VW in China by 2020; Some India-bound

Volkswagen has said that it will launch 10 new SUVs for the Chinese market over the next four years. This was announced by Herbert Diess, chairman of the board of management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand during the unveiling of the T-Prime GTE concept car at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show. 

The automaker has been late to the SUV boom in the People’s Republic but now wants to play catch up and so has planned this high ground clearance product assault. We expect a few of these SUVs to come to India as well. This list includes the Polo-based T-Cross, T-Roc and Tiguan 7 seater-based on the MQB platform. We could also see the high-end luxury SUV based on the T-Prime GTE concept car.

Here is a list of what we believe are some of the vehicles in the SUV lineup that VW will offer over the next four years

1.    T-Cross
The Volkswagen T-Cross is a compact SUV based on the Polo. The concept car came as a hardtop as well as a convertible which the German automaker has called the Breeze. It measures in at 4.1metres and has a wheelbase of 2.5metres. The concept car was shown with a 1.0-litre turbo petrol mill but we believe in production form it will share everything with the Polo hatchback.

2.    T-ROC
   Just as the T-Cross is a micro-SUV based on the Polo, the T-ROC is a compact SUV based on the Mk7 Golf hatchback. It gets styling similar to that of the T-Cross but comes with a split folding roof, turbo diesel engine and AWD. The production version will come to India and slot in alongside the Jetta as an alternate body style in the segment.

3.    Tiguan
The Tiguan crossover was showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo and will be launched in India later this year. It is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 28 lakh to Rs 38 lakh and will slot in above the Passat premium sedan. The car will be offered first with a 2.0-litre diesel and a DSG gearbox. A GTE hybrid version coming sometime next year.

4.    Tiguan 7 Seater
   This is in essence a long wheelbase version of the Tiguan with the option of seven seats and vast boot space. This vehicle will slot in below the Cross Blue but will have the same engine, underpinnings and feature list as the regular Tiguan. It is also expected to get a hybrid version later on. 

5.    Cross Blue
The Cross Blue is a diesel hybrid 7-seater vehicle. It will first be launched in markets like the US and China before being considered for markets in Asia and Europe. It will replace the Routan van which has seen a drop in demand due to the declining popularity of MPVs of all sizes. The Skoda Kodiaq will use the same underpinnings but have a different body design.

 6.    Touareg
Wolfsburg’s first true and blue SUV, it will continue into the new generation and will bridge the gap between the Tiguan and the more premium models like the T-Prime GTE as well as new electric SUVs slated for the future. Expect petrol hybrid as well as diesel engines for this new Touareg.

7.    T-Prime GTE (main image)
This will be the new flagship luxury SUV from Volkswagen and in production form will slot into the same space where VW had the Phaeton luxury sedan. The concept car came with a hybrid engine but the production version is likely to also get standard petrol and diesel engine options. Given how VW works, we are likely to see similar models from Audi and possibly Porsche. 

8.    All electric SUVs
 Given the future exists on volts, VW is developing all-electric SUVs which will come in different sizes, shapes and obviously segments also. Expect smaller electric models before it moves on to the larger vehicles as the former will be more urban centric and fit in with the image of where VW wants to take its EV range.