India-bound Volkswagen Tera: Clearest Pics Yet
Volkswagen India has been noting the success of the Skoda Kylaq. For this reason, the company has now started the development of the Tera sub-compact SUV. Over the last few months, a few test mules of this SUV have already been spotted testing. Now, most recently, another new, and this time a fully undisguised, test mule of the Volkswagen Tera has been seen during testing on snowy roads in Spain.
India-bound Volkswagen Tera spotted testing
The latest spy shots of the Volkswagen Tera sub-compact SUV show that this new SUV was being tested under snowy conditions. The fully undisguised test vehicle of the Tera can be seen equipped with a set of sleek LED headlights and a simple front grille. It gets a single strip of chrome, and in the middle is the Volkswagen badge.
Moving a little below, we can note a chunky front bumper with large air dams on the sides. This entire portion is finished in contrasting black color, which adds a rugged appearance to this SUV. As for the side profile, we can note the SUV gets thick side claddings and a set of 10-spoke directional alloy wheels finished in gunmetal grey color.
At the rear end, we can note that the Volkswagen Tera gets a sloping roofline, which gives it a more crossover-style appearance. Other highlights of the rear include a connected LED taillight and a rear bumper with a lot of black plastic elements and a piece of silver garnish. Most likely, it was a base-spec variant, as the roof was seen fitted with a short radio antenna instead of a shark-fin antenna.
Volkswagen Tera: Details
Like the Skoda Kylaq, the Volkswagen Tera sub-compact SUV will also be based on the MQB A0 IN platform. This platform also underpins popular models such as the Volkswagen Virtus, Taigun, Skoda Slavia, and Kushaq. It is believed that Volkswagen could officially launch the Tera in India by late 2025 or early 2026.
As for the powertrain side of things, Volkswagen, in order to keep costs in check, will provide the Tera with the already popular 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder turbo petrol engine. This motor will be able to produce 118 bhp of maximum power and a torque of 178 Nm. Transmission options will include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic.
Apart from this, Volkswagen could also be offering the Tera with the more powerful 1.5-litre TSI EVO four-cylinder turbo petrol engine. This engine, which is seen on the GT Line variants, will offer a power of 150 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. It will be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox and the DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
Prior to the spotting of the Tera sub-compact SUV, Volkswagen India had stated that it might not be entering the sub-compact SUV segment in the country. It was stated that the brand wants to position itself as a more premium offering in the country. However, seeing the success of the Skoda Kylaq, the company has now changed its stance.
Could Volkswagen Tera become a hit?
Most likely, the Tera will help Volkswagen increase its market share in the country. At the moment, the Taigun and Virtus are doing the majority of the heavy lifting in terms of sales. Once launched, the Volkswagen Tera will take on rivals like the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Tata Nexon, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, and its sister brand’s newly launched Skoda Kylaq.