The 2017 Volkswagen Touareg is set to go more upmarket, receiving a more luxurious interior and design influenced by the Tiguan.

The five-seat SUV model will sit directly above the Tiguan in international markets when it replaces the current Touareg. It'll also eventually sit above the Atlas in Volkswagen’s Chinese and American line-ups.

A new image of the 2017 Touareg, which surfaced online, reveals the car's full front-end styling, showing its LED lighting and more angular design. The car’s shape looks similar to that of the larger (and US-focused) Atlas, but with more rounded wheel arches, a larger front grille and a shorter wheelbase are the most obvious differences.

The Touareg’s light design is also expected to take more influence from the Tiguan than the Atlas. Beneath the covers, it looks like the latest Touareg test mule features horizontal structures on both its front and rear lights, as previewed by last year's Beijing motor show concept.

The new Touareg was previewed by Volkswagen’s new concept showcased at last year’s Beijing motor show. Under the bonnet of the concept was a plug-in hybrid powertrain that produced 386hp and 700NM of torque. The system could run in full-electric mode for up to 80km. Therefore, a hybrid powertrain like this is expected to be offered with the 2017 Touareg, but more conventional turbocharged four-cylinder diesel and petrol units are likely to form the bulk of its engine line-up.

As is the case with the current car, all versions of the new Touareg will come with four-wheel drive as standard.

Volkswagen is said to be working hard to ensure the new Touareg's cabin is significantly more luxurious. With the 2018 BMW X5 and Volvo XC90 down as key rivals, the SUV will also have some of the market's best infotainment systems to contend with.

Volkswagen hasn’t revealed when the 2017 Touareg will be revealed, but it's expected later this year.

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