Volkswagen India announces three new cars for 2017

Volkswagen has announced three new additions to its Indian lineup. They are the Tiguan, Passat and the GTi of which the third one was launched last year in limited numbers and this lot that will come will be the second batch.

Tiguan

The Tiguan SUV was introduced in 2007 and is in its second generation now. The SUV is based on the versatile MQB platform which underpins a plethora of cars like Volkswagen Golf and Passat, Skoda Kodiaq, Audi TT to name a few. In India, the Tiguan will be powered by a 2.0-litre TDi engine from the recently launched A4 35TDI, mated to a seven-speed DSG transmission. The Tiguan’s introduction will mean VW's entry into the compact SUV segment in the India market as it will go up against the Audi Q3 and BMW X1. We have driven the Tiguan and you can read about it here.

Passat

The all-new Volkswagen Passat went on sale internationally in 2015. Into its eighth generation now, the new Passat will be introduced in India with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. It will produce 148bhp/340Nm with power going to the front wheels via a six-speed DSG. The introduction of the new Passat will mark the German automaker’s re-entry into the D+ segment where it will take on the likes of the Skoda Superb, Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. Following the launch of the Passat this year, the GTE hybrid variant is also expected to make its way to India.

GTi

The GTi performance hatch was launched in India last year, albeit in a limited number. For this year, Volkswagen will continue to bring in additional number of cars in India catering to the demand garnered by the hot hatch since its introduction. Powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder TSI engine sending 189bhp to the front wheels via a seven-speed DSG transmission, the three-door hot hatch will be imported as a CBU.

Apart from the new additions, the mid-life update of the Vento is on its way as well. With the introduction of new models, Volkswagen intends to create a ‘robust’ portfolio providing the customers with a variety of product options.