The recently unveiled Volkswagen T-Roc is the German automaker’s new D-segment competitor. It is the fourth SUV in their lineup and slots in below the Tiguan. Underpinned by the MQB platform, it is being produced in Portugal but will also go on to the assembly line in China and America. But we believe that the T-Roc has good potential for the Indian market and here are three reasons why we believe they should do so.
1. MQB-underpinned cars are already being produced in India
The Skoda plant in Aurangabad has already been tooled up to produce various MQB models under the Skoda, Audi and VW badges. This includes everything from the Skoda Octavia and Audi A3 to the VW Tiguan as well as the Audi Q7. So, clearly there are resources in place to add more vehicles.
2. Boom in demand for D-segment SUVs
The T-Roc is based on the Golf which is also the basis for the more familiar Jetta sedan. The latter has not seen too much success as it arrived at a time when there was a boom in demand for SUVs. It makes sense then for VW to bring in this SUV and cash in on this demand. This vehicle will take on the likes of the Jeep Compass, Hyundai Tucson and possibly even the Skoda Karoq, when it is launched here.
3. Step up for Polo, Ameo and Vento buyers
In the current Volkswagen hierarchy, there is a significant gap in terms of models between sub-10-lakh-rupee models and their next volumes product, which is the Tiguan. Yes, you do have the Jetta and the GTI, but one is struggling to make a mark and the other is a niche product. This then looks like a viable step-up both for first time luxury buyers as well as those who want to move up the VW hierarchy.
To recap, the Volkswagen T-Roc is the German automaker’s new SUV and was first showcased as a concept car in 2013. This is the fourth SUV to be added to their line-up and is based on their popular Golf hatchback. Globally, it is being offered with a range of petrol and diesel engines of which some will also be offered with AWD. A hybrid as well as a full electric model of this car is also expected to be introduced sometime in the future.
