Upcoming Volkswagen Cars For India: Tera, Tayron, Taigun Facelift And More
India is an important market for Volkswagen. Its current portfolio here consists of the Taigun, Virtus, Tiguan R-Line, and the Golf GTI. The Virtus and Taigun are available in three broad trims each- Standard, Chrome, and Sport. Volkswagen has several launches planned for the upcoming months. Here’s a closer look at these...
Tayron
Volkswagen has recently been conducting road trials of its new three-row SUV, the Tayron, in India. In the most recent incidents, it was seen without any camouflage. Key exterior highlights include connected LED tail lamps, LED headlamps, tailgate-mounted number plate, a Black grille cover, a mesh-pattern air dam, and 19-inch wheels.
Spy shots also depict the sheer size and road presence of this SUV. It spans 4792 mm in length, 1866 mm in width, 1666 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2789 mm. It is larger than the Tiguan R-Line that’s on sale currently. It is 231 mm longer and has a higher wheelbase as well.
Inside, the Tayron will borrow heavily from the Tiguan R-Line. The cabin will have a premium design and will come packed with features like a large 15-inch infotainment touchscreen, 10.25-inch digital driver display, panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, three-zone climate control, wireless charging, and Level 2 ADAS. The biggest highlight will be a third-row seat that would offer a good amount of room and comfort. Even with all seats in use, the Tayron will offer around 345 litres of boot space.
The Tayron will be powered by the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol (EA888) engine as the Tiguan R-Line. It will make 204hp and 320Nm and will be mated to a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission. The SUV will also come with All Wheel Drive (AWD). The Tayron will also be based on Volkswagen’s MQB platform.
The most critical thing in the case of Tayron would be its pricing. The lukewarm sales of the Tiguan R-Line is to be attributed to its high price, brought about by its CBU routes. If the company manages to take the CKD route with the Tayron, it will succeed in pulling off a more accessible price tag. It will then be able to put up a strong fight against the likes of Skoda Kodiaq, Jeep Meridian, and Toyota Fortuner.
Taigun And Virtus Facelift
Volkswagen first launched the Taigun in September 2021 and the Virtus in June 2022. Both these were based on the heavily Indianised MQB A0 IN platform. Now, both the sedan and the SUV enjoy good demand in the country. The carmaker is now working on facelifts of the duo. Spy shots of these undergoing road tests have already surfaced.
The facelifted Taigun and Virtus will feature notable improvements in styling. Both vehicles will get notable changes in the design, especially the front fascia. These will come with new front and rear bumpers, reworked lighting signatures, and possibly new wheels. The facelifts will also witness major feature additions. Spy shots suggest that they could get a panoramic sunroof and Level 2 ADAS. These features have become common finds in the C-segment.
Image source: Youtube/ Rashrp
The facelifted Taigun and Virtus are expected to continue with their existing engine and transmission options. At present, they are powered by two capable petrol engines- 1.0L TSI and 1.5L TSI. The outputs are likely to remain the same as well. Both manual and automatic transmissions will also be offered.
As for the powertrain, it will likely remain the same, with the same 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol units. The former produces 115 bhp and 178 Nm of torque, while the latter produces 150 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. The new Virtus and Taigun are expected to launch in late 2025 or early 2026.
Tera
As we explained in a recent story, the carmaker will likely launch the Tera SUV in India next year. It will be Volkswagen’s version of the hot-selling Skoda Kylaq. The Tera is already on sale in markets like Brazil. The India-spec will, however, have notable differences.
It will be shorter than the global SUV, safely fitting into the sub-four-meter category. The company will likely do this by shaving off the front and rear overhangs. The Indian model will be underpinned by the MQB A0 IN platform and will house the 1.0 TSI engine under its hood. The powertrain output is likely to be the same as that of the Kylaq. Plus, this SUV will also come packed with safety features. It even scored a full five-star rating in Latin NCAP crash tests.