Volkswagen India will make a return to the executive vehicle segment with the launch of the new Tiguan SUV around April this year, followed by the new Passat in July. Both vehicles will expand the German carmaker’s product line-up and assist VW in moving back into the premium and luxury car space after it discontinued the Passat in 2013.
Showcased at the 2016 Auto Expo, the new second-generation Tiguan is the first SUV from the VW Group to be based on its flexible MQB platform that also underpins the Skoda Octavia. The Tiguan, which never made it to India in its previous-generation, is set to rival the Hyundai Santa Fe when introduced here and is expected to be assembled locally at VW’s Aurangabad plant.
The manufacturer will debut 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 interestingly, will also be offered with an all-wheel-drive system. It is estimated to be priced at a quite expensive Rs 30-35 lakh (ex-showroom).
The new Tiguan features a sharp, sporty exterior design, and thanks to the MQB platform, the car is also lighter by over 50kg when compared to the vehicle it replaces. It even packs quite a spacious and superbly appointed cabin that buyers will appreciate.
The launch of the Tiguan will be followed by the introduction of the Passat around July this year. The sedan, test mules of which were recently spotted testing in India, will use VW’s new EA288, 2.0-litre 177hp unit. Just as the Tiguan, the Passat will also be assembled locally, and is likely to bear an asking price of around Rs 32-34 lakh (ex-showroom).
Interestingly, Volkswagen is also looking at launching the Passat GTE in India at a later stage. The GTE is a plug-in hybrid version of the Passat that VW claims can achieve a startling 70kpl.
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