Volkswagen has released the first set of images and details of its all-new Tharu XR SUV. Not to be confused with the bigger Tharu SUV sold in some international markets, the new Tharu XR SUV is essentially a slightly longer version of the Taigun that we get in India.
- VW Tharu XR gets a spacious five-seat cabin
- Comes with a 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine
- Shares design cues with the latest VW SUVs
Volkswagen Tharu XR: what exactly is it?
The Tharu XR sits on the same emerging market-spec MQB A0 platform that underpins the Taigun, Kushaq, Slavia and the Virtus in India. It has the same 2651mm wheelbase as the India 2.0 models and shares quite a few bits with them.
While the Tharu XR’s wheelbase is the same as Taigun’s, it is 134mm longer at 4,355mm. The added length on the Tharu XR is seen aft of the rear wheel on the Tharu XR, thus giving it a more proportional look and a slightly slanted rear tailgate when compared to the Taigun, which gets a much shorter rear overhang and an upright tailgate design.
As far as design goes, the doors and most body panels on the Tharu XR look identical to the Taigun, the front styling including the new-look headlamps, grille and front bumper. The dark-tinted, connected tail-lamps with transparent lenses give the Tharu XR a more upmarket look than its Indian counterpart. The rear bumper is also bigger than the Taigun and gets more contrasting faux-aluminium bits.
The SUV will come with a 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine in multiple states of tune. The company has not revealed the Tharu XR’s interior. However, we expect the cabin to be more or less identical to the Taigun sold in India, with some cosmetic differences and feature additions. It remains to be seen whether Volkswagen offers the Tharu XR as a five-seater with a bigger boot than the Taigun or if it squeezes in an extra row of seats, making it a six- or seven-seat SUV.
The Tharu XR will initially be a China-only model. There’s no news of it coming to India.
Rivan RS 
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
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