With a possible local production announcement and the renewal of almost the entire SUV range, Volkswagen has a busy year ahead in South Africa.
Early in 2024, the German carmaker is likely to announce local production plans for a new budget SUV product (and possible bakkie spin-off) that will probably be launched later in the decade.
While this will be an internal combustion engined product, VWSA will also get its electric car game off the ground with the arrival of the first ID.4 crossovers early in the second quarter. However, these will initially take the form of a test fleet, and no plans to actually sell the new model have been announced as yet.
While South Africans will have to wait a while for VW’s EVs, the current range of ICE-powered SUVs will be renewed in 2024, starting with the facelifted Touareg flagship.
The company will also launch the updated T-Cross and the all-new Tiguan between midyear and the third quarter.
A few other refreshments are also on the cards, VWSA says, but these remain under wraps for now. Did we hear someone whisper about a new Polo Vivo special edition?
But moving back to products we do know about, let’s take a closer look at the three new SUV products that are coming our way.
Volkswagen Tiguan
Crafted around the updated MQB Evo platform, the third-generation Volkswagen Tiguan is slightly larger than the current model and boasts a smooth new appearance inspired by the ID.4.
Of course, the local engine details are not confirmed as yet, but our European counterparts have a wide variety of turbopetrol and turbodiesel options to choose from, as well as plug-in hybrids with an all-electric range of up to 100km.
The new Tiguan’s cockpit has a wrap-around design, incorporating a new digital instrument cluster with anti-reflective coating as well as a 15-inch (38cm) floating-effect central infotainment system and a redesigned head-up display.
Tech highlights include HD Matrix headlights, Park Assist Pro with remote parking capability, and automated Trailer Assist.
Volkswagen Touareg
Though not an all-new generation like the aforementioned Tiguan, the Touareg has been given an extensive makeover that brings fresh exterior styling, chassis revisions, and advanced new tech.
As with the Tiguan, it’s available with the new HD Matrix headlights, with over 38,000 interactive LEDs that project a lighting carpet directly onto the driving lane.
Moving inside, Volkswagen’s “Innovision Cockpit” system is standard across the range, and many of its functions, including lane-level navigation and high-res HD map data, have been improved, as has the voice control system.
Volkswagen T-Cross
The 2024 Volkswagen T-Cross receives fresh new front and rear styling as well as a redesigned cockpit.
Here we see smarter-looking materials and a new ‘floating’ effect infotainment system that replaces the previous unit that was built into the dash, and the software is new too.
Of course, all the local details for the 2024 Volkswagen T-Cross, Tiguan, and Touareg will be released closer to their respective launch dates.