Volkswagen India To Launch Four New SUVs: Touareg, Tiguan Allspace, T-Roc & T-Cross

Volkswagen India is using a new strategy to grow in India and this strategy involves the launch of quite a few SUVs. Indians love their SUVs and hatchbacks. Volkswagen already has the Polo taking care of the hatchback end of the business and now VW plans to launch a few SUVs. The Volkswagen Tiguan is currently the only VW SUV on sale in India. In international markets though, Volkswagen has up to 10 SUVs on sale. Having an SUV to suit every buyer's needs and preferences has helped VW improve sales massively in International markets. VW has got lots of profits through this SUV-led strategy and according to a report by Autocar, the German marque seems to believe the same strategy will work out for the Indian market as well. In Volkswagen's new plan, the Tiguan will continue to be on sale in India while the German brand will add four more SUVs to the line-up. The SUVs being considered for the Indian market include the T-ROC, Touareg, T-Cross and the Tiguan Allspace.

We had earlier reported about the Volkswagen Allspace being launched in the Indian market. The Tiguan Allspace is essentially a longer version of the Tiguan that is already on sale in India. Of all the SUVs planned for India, the Tiguan Allspace will be the first one to be launched. The Tiguan Allspace will be powered by the same 2.0-litre diesel engine powering the Skoda Kodiaq which in itself is essentially a more premium rebadged version of the VW Allspace on sale in International markets. It will push out 148bhp and 340Nm and is mated to a 7-speed DSG gearbox. The Volkswagen T-ROC is a crossover that is based on the same platform that underpins the VW Polo. In essence, it is a crossover that rides a lot higher than the Polo but does not lose out on handling prowess. The VW T-ROC is 252mm shorter than the Tiguan and hence is not a very big vehicle. However, it does look butch and muscular thanks to the way it has been designed.

It is a fresh design to come out of the Volkswagen stable and we can expect that the upcoming models from the VW stable will be based on this styling. It features modern interiors with lots of digital elements involved. It includes touchscreen infotainment and the best in terms of safety. Initially, the VW T-ROC will be powered by a 1.5-litre TSI engine with an output of around 150bhp. We can expect it to be priced in the range of Rs 23 lakh (ex-showroom). The Volkswagen T-Cross is the big one for the Indian market as this one has already been confirmed for India. It is based on the same MQB AO platform that underpins the new VW Polo in international markets. However, the model that will come to India will be substantially different from the ones sold elsewhere. The SUV will be more spacious, ride taller and will be built to a cost so that VW can experience more sales numbers.

The Touareg badge is no stranger to the Indian market. The premium SUV was on sale in India between 2008 and 2013 but then was phased out due to low sales caused by tough competition. However, VW is considering the Touareg for the Indian market once again because the industry and market have matured. It is based on the MLB Evo platform which is shared by Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Lamborghini and VW. It is because of this that the VW Touareg went down on sales. Buyers can get a more premium vehicle from a more premium brand for the same amount of money. This time too, even if it is launched, the VW Touareg would face the same issues as it did the last time around. The Indian market is certainly maturing more and more by the day and it is certain that there are more buyers of premium vehicles today than ever before. However, we are still doubtful if people would want to spend around Rs 70 lakh on a VW car when we can also get a similarly-specced Audi for the same amount. The other three SUVs being considered for the Indian market though will certainly do well.

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