Volkswagen will be adding another new crossover to its delivery range very soon. It’s about the Taos, which can now be seen from all angles.
We can reassure those who have been tired of SUVs for some time. The brand new Volkswagen that you see in these photos is not yet intended for the European market. The Taos is an SUV that is currently already sold as Tharu in China and which is making the crossing to the United States with a different name.
Volkswagen shows three photos on which the Taos is stickered with the well-known psychedelic print that Volkswagen often sticks to its newcomers before the actual unveiling. The photos make it clear that the Taos is not identical to the Tharu as it is currently sold in China. The car has a new grille that is rounded at the bottom and extends slightly below the headlights. Those headlights are also different and have a more modern light signature. A striking feature is the illuminated LED strip in the grille that connects the viewers optically. A similar joke is available on the facelifted Arteon and earlier this week the Phideon, delivered in China, also received an LED strip in its grille.
The rear of the Taos is also slightly different from that of its Chinese equivalent (photos 4, 5 and 6). For example, the rear lights have a completely new layout and the rear bumper with its more rounded shapes is less businesslike. However, it is quite possible that the Tharu will soon be facelifted and that the front and buttocks of this American Taos will also be fitted.
Chinese Volkswagen Tharu
Just like the Tharu, the Taos stands on a version of the modular MQB platform that the Volkswagen Group applies to SUVs such as the Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq. The wheelbase of the Tharu is 2.68 meters, which is the same as that of the Chinese version of the Skoda Karoq. We consciously say Chinese Karoq, since this type has a longer wheelbase and is a bit larger than the European version (wheelbase 2.64 meters). In the United States, the Taos is a step below the Tiguan. On the American market, the Tiguan is only available as the longer Tiguan Allspace known here, a more than 4.7 meter long SUV with a 2.79 meter wheelbase. This Taos fits nicely under that. For the time being, Volkswagen does not have a smaller SUV than the long Tiguan on the program in the United States.
The American version of the Taos will at least get the well-known 1.5 TSI under the hood. The Taos, which will eventually also be shipped to South America, will have a blown 1.4 that also likes ethanol in addition to petrol. We don’t have any images of the interior of the Taos yet. Below you can see the interior of the Chinese Tharu.
Interior Chinese Volkswagen Tharu