Podcast: Names for South Africa's Volkswagen Tera revealed

Which name could South Africa's very own VW Tera be dubbed as?
Kylaq will be sold by Volkswagen as the Tera in South America. Image: Volkswagen do Brazil via motor1.com Brazil.
Volkswagen has released details of the monikers its new SUV will be sold under ahead of its market arrival in 2027.
Today on our show we chat about the first round of updates Volkswagen has completed at its Kariega plant as well as which name South Africa's very own VW Tera could be dubbed as.
ALSO READ: PODCAST: GR Sport model gives new Toyota RAV4 serious punch

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Volkswagen Golf 8.5 1.4 TSI asks ‘why want a GTI, R or an SUV?'

The Citizen

11 hours ago

The Citizen

Volkswagen Golf 8.5 1.4 TSI asks ‘why want a GTI, R or an SUV?'

Facelift Golf 8.5 debuts with the 'plain' TSI, which excels in such a way but comes at a price many will see as beyond steep for a 'garden variety' Golf. Plain Jane Golf has returned to South Africa in a manner that questions why a comparative Tiguan is needed. Image: Hanro Venter The year 2024 marked a milestone for Volkswagen as it celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Golf replacing the Beetle in Europe. Carefully studied return An achievement in itself considering its once staple hatch's relegation to a niche player amidst the popularity of crossovers and SUVs, the Golf's fiftieth marked a surprise for South Africa as it saw Wolfsburg announce the return of the 'normal' derivative for the first time since the end of Mk 7.5 production in 2019. Left from the troubled and much criticised Mk 8 Golf line-up that only had the GTI and R in South Africa, the approval of the facelift Mk 8.5 came with its own concerns, apart from reintroducing a variant that never sold in the same numbers as the hot versions in the first place. ALSO READ: Golf 8.5 1.4 TSI shines in the absence of GTI and R derivatives A decision Wolfsburg had most likely examined carefully, as neither the Mk 8.5 GTI nor the R are anticipated to arrive before 2027 due to South Africa's poor fuel quality, the arrival of the non-sporting Golf 8.5 also raised the issue of cost. While the still available eighth generation GTI and R can be argued as warranting their admittedly eye-watering R853 400 and R1 016 600 price tags, a decidedly un-Golf-like price for a model no longer expected to sell in huge numbers, probably didn't go unworried when the wraps came off at Wolfsburg's annual product Indaba at its plant in Kariega in the Eastern Cape in February. Part of the Golf 8.5's facelift involves new light clusters seemingly modelled on that of the Golf 7.5. Image: Hanro Venter A line-up spanning four models, all powered by the stalwart 1.4 TSI engine, which doesn't have the same particle filter issues as the GTI and R, and is therefore compatible with our low-rent fuel, the Mk 8.5 became the event's showpiece without the pressure of performing as the GTI and R would have needed. Devoid of any sporty aspirations, though still available in R-Line guise, the arrival of the Mk 8.5 for the weeklong stay initially came as a head scratcher as to which derivative had been supplied. Golf what? Initially thought to be an R-Line instead of the range-topping R-Line+, based on the 18-inch alloy wheels fitted, the unit's lack of certain features eventually identified it as the Life+, which sits above the range-opening Life. Fitted with a size wheel, bizarrely not listed as an option on Volkswagen's website, the loss of the sporty attire and aesthetic changes from the Mk 8 works in the Mk 8.5's favour to the point where the former simply isn't needed in spite of its popularity on the Polo and Tiguan. Finished in Grenadilla Black Metallic, the effective middle-of-the-range Golf proved the understated ideal at first glance. No R-Line, GTI or R, no problem Only the second generation Golf after the Mk 7 to be facelifted, hence the '.5' reference, the Mk 8.5's visual changes involve new headlight clusters with standard LEDs, a new front bumper and lower air intake, a restyled bonnet and grille, and the 'must-have' illuminated logo bar and Volkswagen badge. An area seldom covered, the rear fascia has also been revised with new LED light clusters featuring slimmer graphics reminiscent of the Mk 7.5, and the Golf badge is positioned directly below the Volkswagen logo on the boot lid. Press unit sported 18-inch alloy wheels, bizarrely not listed as an option on the Life+. Image: Hanro Venter While admittedly open to subjectivity, the redesign and lack of the R-Line appliqué provides a sharper and cleaner look, minus the flak the Mk 8 received upon its launch in 2019. De-R-Line'd, the Mk 8.5 doesn't fade into the background and frankly, can be seen as a visual success. Massively better inside Opening the door reveals the main area of improvement that copped the biggest backlash of the Mk 8. While still adhering to the minimalist design principle, fit-and-finish has been upgraded, the massively panned touch-sensitive 'buttons' on the steering wheel replaced by much more intuitive physical ones, and the workings of the new 12.9-inch infotainment system with Volkswagen's latest MIB4 software have been massively improved over the previous 10-inch. As standard, all Golf 8.5's get the equally new 10-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster, which can be customised to suit preference. Interior has given a massive overhaul and works much better than on the Mk 8. Image: Hanro Venter Carried over, the touch-sensitive buttons for the Park Assist, climate control, drive mode selector and Volkswagen Assist systems around the central hazard light work much better with the infotainment system, although the lack of physical switches will still prove a hindrance for some. Addressing a further query, the touch sliders for the climate control now feature illumination, although accessing the actual interface still requires going into the infotainment system. As mentioned, the process is much better than before and aside from the new display being neatly laid out and much easier to grasp despite appearing the opposite, it came equipped with satellite navigation as part of the optional (R25 500) Discover Pro package. Practicality is typical Golf with a 381-litre boot. Image: Hanro Venter Bar the disappointingly cheap feel of the silver decorative insert on the dashboard, the cabin is an otherwise snug and upmarket place to be, with the same being true of comfort. Besides the standard fitting of a 30-colour ambient lighting system, the test unit also sported the obligatory panoramic sunroof, priced at an additional R19 000. Despite this, intrusion on rear passenger headroom is near obsolete, with legroom being similar in that the rear doesn't feel cramped. Adding to this are a pair of type-C USB ports and separate climate control vents. Boot space reaches 1 237-litres with the rear seats dropped. Image: Hanro Venter Trimmed in what Volkswagen calls Art Velour, the front seats in the Life+ do without electric adjustably or any form of heating and ventilation, yet are still comfortable and with more than enough support. Completing the options list, the test unit also had the impressive nine-speaker Harman Kardon sound system (R14 500), the LED Plus headlights (R11 000), keyless entry (R9 200), the mechanically swivelling tow-bar (R14 000) recessed behind the rear bumper and the I.Q. Drive Package with, among others, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning and Travel Assist (R27 500). In typical Golf fashion, the Mk 8.5 doesn't lack for practicality as opening the boot reveals 381-litres of packing space, which increases to 1 237-litres with the 60/40 split rear back folded down. Joys of having a 'working' drivetrain Unsurprisingly, the Golf's main attribute is its feel and refinement, never mind the delivery of the 1.4 TSI engine. Outputting 110kW/250Nm, the unit doesn't feel underpowered and despite the Mk 8.5's comparatively little 1 226 kg kerb mass, pulls strongly in a manner that completely belies its age. At the same time, Volkswagen's replacement of the seven-speed DSG with a conventional eight-speed torque vectoring Tiptronic – still activated by a toggle switch – works equally as well with no low-speed shudder or drag as experienced in the new Tiguan over the December festive season. More than likely a cost-saving measure, the combination works in a slicker fashion, though moments of hesitation still prevail as the 'box tends to become flustered when asked to drop a cog or two suddenly. Although capable of being overridden by the paddle shifters, and despite the selection of Sport mode improving shift quality and response, the majority of buyers are unlikely to see this as a problem compared to what would have been seen as a flaw had it been a GTI or R. The also applies to the ride. Aside from its forgiving nature, the setup strikes an ideal balance between soft and comfortable, but not overly lenient to the point of failing to provide sufficient damping with a sudden surface change. What's more, the steering offers good feedback, which makes the Golf feel nippy and engaging to the point where wanting more, i.e. GTI, doesn't matter. Kept in its default Comfort mode, with Eco and Individual never being selected and Sport on occasion, the seven-day and eventual 579 km stay netted an indicated best fuel consumption figure of 7.2 L/100 km. Admittedly on the high side, and some way off of Volkswagen's optimistic 6.3 L/100 km claim, dipping below seven-litres still appears viable, albeit with considerably more care. Conclusion As largely accomplished and massively improved as the Mk 8.5 Golf is over the Mk 8, the continuing elephant in the room remains its price. Stickered at R604 500, the various options fitted ups the Life+ price tag to a frankly obscene R737 200, or in simple terms, R49 100 more than the top-spec R-Line+ without any extras. Instead of a GTI badge, the Golf nameplate resides underneath the Volkswagen logo on the bootlid. Image: Hanro Venter As daft as this is, the upshots prevail in a feel a comparative Tiguan cannot match, more than enough comfort, refinement and no pressure to perform or live-up to the heritage and hype as expected from a GTI or R. A solid package that will, sadly, only appease die-hard Golf fans not wanting the attention of the latter pair, or the bulkiness of an SUV, the majority of buyers will eventually opt for the return of the plain Golf isn't wasted on one if only for a select few. NOW READ: Volkswagen Golf 8.5 coming to South Africa initially in base spec

PODCAST: VW Tera to be renamed to Tengo, Tavo, Tiva or Tion

The Citizen

18 hours ago

The Citizen

PODCAST: VW Tera to be renamed to Tengo, Tavo, Tiva or Tion

South African public gets to choose the new name for the baby SUV to be built in Kariega. Volkswagen has given the public a choice between four names for the new compact SUV known as the VW Tera in Brazil it plans to build in Kariega. In sticking to its naming convention with all its SUV names starting with the letter T, the names on the table are Tengo, Tavo, Tiva and Tion. But what do these names mean? On this week's episode of the Pitstop podcast, we take a closer look at the four names. ALSO READ: Voting opens: Names for South Africa's VW Tera revealed VW Tera to be renamed According to the German carmaker, Tengo is defined as a 'rich cultural significance in African language and describes qualities like strength, resilience and purpose'. Moving on to Tavo, VW describes it as 'a gender-neutral word meaning good or beloved in Latin and also eight'. Tiva 'means nature in Hebrew and is also associated with vitality, life and energy', the carmaker says. Lastly, the name Tion 'signifies aesthetic appeal and evokes a sense of movement and change'. ALSO READ: What South Africa can expect: Volkswagen Tera detailed in Brazil Kariega plant upgrades The local version of the VW Tera will be built on the same A0 platform as the Polo and T-Cross. The VW assembly plant in Kariega recently underwent a R4-billion upgrade of 100 robots, conveyor belts in the final assembly area and enhancements to the body paint shops to gear up for the new SUV. Production is expected to start sometime next year. The Mzansi VW Tera is set to replace the T-Cross as Wolfburg's smallest SUV. The latter goes out of production next year. It is set to be replaced by the all-electric ID.2X in European markets. The Brazilian-built VW Tera and its sibling in Mzansi will then be offered exclusively for developing markets.

The Citizen

a day ago

The Citizen