Volkswagen PH has been very very quiet as of late, the brand hasn’t launched any new vehicle in a long time. Indications from the brand though are pointing towards an all-new model launch soon.
Volkswagen PH all-new model launch
A few days ago the official Facebook page of Volkswagen Philippines posted a teaser image showing part of the car’s front fascia as well as the LED lights. The caption reads “Get ready to drive the difference”.
So what could the vehicle be? given that VW PH sources cars from China (Through a partnership with SAIC) the likely candidates are from the China market. Upon closer inspection, based on the design of the light cluster in the teaser photo, all signs point toward the Tharu compact crossover.
What exactly is the Tharu? In other markets (outside of China) it’s also called the Taos, in any case, we can expect the Taos/Tharu to come with big and modern large display screens as is the case in China, it also comes with Apple CarPlay and Baidu Carlife phone mirroring applications.
Under the hood, the Taos/Tharu has 2 engine options, first is a 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline that makes 158 hp and 250 Nm of torque, paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The second option is a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine that makes 184 hp and 320 Nm of torque. We think that the 1.5-liter will be the engine option offered here in the Philippines given that the brand will enjoy tax breaks due to the smaller displacement.
No date has been announced yet as to when the new model will debut, but given the teaser has already been posted we can expect it to come soon.
