Volkswagen plots Renault Captur rival

A new small Volkswagen SUV will be launched by the end of 2018. The new model will sit on the Polo platform and take its inspiration from the T-Cross Breeze first revealed at the Geneva Motor Show last March.

Unlike the open-topped VW concept, though, the 4133mm-long production version of the T-Cross Breeze receives a fixed roof and a five-door layout. This will put it in direct competition with the Peugeot 2008, Renault Captur (which is also India-bound and set to be launched by end-2017) and Vauxhall Mokka in Europe.

VW’s new SUV will seat up to five adults and be built alongside the new Polo at the company’s Pamplona factory in Spain.

Engines for VW’s entry-level SUV will mirror those of the new Polo, with three-cylinder and four-cylinder petrol and diesel units ranging from 74bhp to more than 200bhp. 

“This open-top Volkswagen enhances the world of compact cars with a completely new attitude to automotive life,” says Dr Herbert Diess, chairman of the Board of Management Volkswagen Brand. “Our T-Cross Breeze is the first open-top SUV in its class and, at the same time, an affordable, cheeky cabriolet with a raised seating position that gives you a perfect view. At the moment, the T-Cross Breeze is purely a concept, but we can well imagine putting such a convertible on the market as a production model. An affordable fun car that is also entirely suitable for everyday use.”

Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design for the Volkswagen Brand, adds, “The T-Cross Breeze is a teaser for the most compact sport utility vehicle that Volkswagen plans to make – and the nucleus of a new SUV and convertible design in the compact sector.”

New petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain in the pipeline
Also under development at VW’s Braunschweig engineering headquarters in Germany is a new petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain that will be introduced to a number of models, including the production T-Cross Breeze. It will serve as an alternative to VW’s 1.6-litre four-cylinder diesel engine.

Initially, the new mild hybrid will use a 15kW electric motor mounted within the front of a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox.

It will provide an electric range of around two miles and a performance-boosting function under acceleration.

At a later date, VW will double the output of the electric motor for an increase in zero-emissions range and greater performance.