VW’s new entry-level crossover for US to be badged a Tarek

The US misses out on the compact T-Roc crossover SUV, however native Volkswagen followers can look ahead to an analogous sized providing from the German automaker within the subsequent couple of years.

The brand new crossover will likely be a model of the Tharu launched earlier this yr in China and Russia, however it will likely be badged a Tarek on the market within the Americas, Argentina Autoblog (by way of Motor1) discovered final week at a press presentation held by VW’s unit in Argentina.

The Tharu is 175.three inches lengthy, 72.5 inches extensive and 64 inches tall, and it has a beneficiant wheelbase of 105 inches. It has 16 cubic ft of storage however this may broaden to 54 cubic ft with the rear seats folded flat. Powertrains in China embody 1.2-, 1.Four- and a pair of.Zero-liter turbocharged gasoline engines, with all of them mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and front-wheel drive.

2019 Volkswagen Tharu (Chinese language spec)

Tareks bought in North America will likely be sourced from VW’s plant in Pueblo, Mexico, with manufacturing as a consequence of begin in 2021. The car relies on the Volkswagen Group’s versatile MQB platform discovered within the bigger Tiguan and Atlas fashions.

The Tarek fills the void within the all-important compact crossover section in VW’s native lineup, a void created by the Tiguan rising right into a small crossover for its second technology. Rivals on this house embody the Chevrolet Trax, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Compass and Toyota C-HR.

VW has extra U.S.-bound crossovers deliberate. A 2-row Atlas more likely to be badged an Atlas Cross Sport is due within the second half of 2019. It will likely be constructed at VW’s plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. After which we’ll see an electrical crossover primarily based on the ID Crozz idea round 2020.