Volkswagen has just teased a new sub-compact SUV that is scheduled to be unveiled in the month of October. The company calls its new compact SUV as “Taos”. The reason behind the name is that the car was designed specifically for the North American region and, the company wanted the name to resonate with American customers.
“We’re thrilled to announce the name for the newest member of the Volkswagen family,” said Hein Schafer, Senior Vice President for Product Marketing and Strategy, Volkswagen of America. “It was important to choose a name that really embodied the nature of the car and the town of Taos, New Mexico was a perfect fit. It’s a small city that offers big things—from outdoor adventure to arts and design and great cuisine.”
“We are excited that Volkswagen has named their sport utility vehicle after the town of Taos,” said Taos Mayor Dan Barrone. “It’s a great opportunity for our community to share its rich history and culture alongside Volkswagen with its unique and rich history and culture.”
The Volkswagen Taos will sit under the Tiguan. The official reveal will be held on October 13 and the company claims to offer a very interesting and feature rich package with this offering. The teaser image gives a hint that the upcoming Taos will be smaller than Tiguan, but when we see the thin LED strip of headlights on the front side, we expect the Taos to share a lot with its elder brother, Tiguan.
The company sells the same compact SUV with a different name in China. There, it comes powered by two different engines, a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine which makes 148 bhp of power. The other option is a 2.0-litre engine which produces 184 bhp of power. Both the options come with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. However, the Volkswagen Taos is expected to arrive in North America, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
Overall, the teaser shows us that the overall shape is much like the Tiguan. Apart from China, the company has already revealed the compact SUV in Europe, as the Tarek and Tharu, and there it’s about 10 inches shorter than the Tiguan. The Taos will compete with other small SUVs like the Subaru Crosstrek and Jeep Compass, two vehicles which undoubtedly own their market in the global markets.