Volkswagen today announced that it has begun production of its new SUV, the Tiguan, at its facility in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. Expected to be launched in India in April, the Tiguan was first shown to the Indian audience at the auto expo last year.

The new Tiguan is based on the VW Group’s MQB platform which also underpins the Passat and the Octavia, and marks the return of Volkswagen into the SUV segments following the discontinuation of the Touareg a few years ago.

The new second-generation car will be the first Tiguan to be sold in India. It features a sharp, sporty exterior design, and thanks to the MQB platform, the car is also lighter by over 50kg when compared to the previous-generation Tiguan.

The manufacturer will launch the Tiguan with a 2.0-litre diesel making 177hp and 350 Nm of torque. The engine will be paired with a seven-speed DSG gearbox and will also be offered with an all-wheel- drive system. When launched, it will compete against the Hyundai Tucson, the Honda CR-V and the yet-to-be-launched Jeep Compass. However, the VW SUV is estimated to be priced at a premium and should hover around Rs 30-35 lakh (ex-showroom).