Latest news with #Tiguan
Scottish Sun
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Major car brand to overhaul popular SUV into ‘completely different car' in bid to keep up with rivals
A MAJOR car brand is giving a huge makeover to one of its most popular cars and it's going to look 'completely different'. The iconic SUV is getting an overhaul as part of the beloved brand's bid to keep up with its rivals. Advertisement 3 Volkswagen are overhauling the design of one of its most iconic vehicles Credit: Alamy 3 The ID 4 will be getting a brand new look Credit: Getty Volkswagen is the manufacturer of some of the UK's favourite cars, including the ID 4 SUV. The ID 4 is the company's second electric car, after the ID 3. Now, as the model approaches its fifth anniversary, Volkswagen has decided to give the car a modern makeover. Thomas Schäfer, Volkswagen's CEO, has said that the new version of the car is 'really beautiful'. Advertisement He added: "We'll re-do the ID 4 completely inside and out. It will be a completely different car - a huge step up." The car manufacturer is hoping to make the ID 4 closely resemble the upcoming ID 1 city cars and ID 2 superminis, which have a futuristic and sleek design. Thomas said that the change is part of a bid for the brand to 'stay competitive' and for the car - which is its 'most important electric vehicle in numbers' - to look like Volkswagen's other designs. According to Autocar, the new version of the vehicle is known as the 'electric Tiguan' in Volkswagen's HQ, though it is unknown if the ID 4 will keep its name. Advertisement However, Thomas has confirmed that several major cars produced by Volkswagen will keep their names, He said: 'We've decided we're not going to throw away the traditional, successful names that have carried us for so long, that we've invested in for so long, like Golf and Tiguan. The Volkswagen ID3 GTX Performance 'Why would you let them go?' First launched in 2020, the ID 4 is the fourth best-selling electric car in Europe behind the ID 7 and ID 4. Advertisement German-owned Volkswagen is keen to become a global leader in EVs and an electric Tiguan is believed to be part of the brand's plan to remain a major player in the market. The electric Tiguan would launch in 2025 or 2026, coinciding with the release of the redesigned ID 4. However, the car manufacturer has not confirmed which aspects of the car will be changed. The American and European variants will share similar designs, while the Chinese equivalents will reflect design trends in China. Advertisement
The Irish Sun
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Major car brand to overhaul popular SUV into ‘completely different car' in bid to keep up with rivals
A MAJOR car brand is giving a huge makeover to one of its most popular cars and it's going to look 'completely different'. The iconic SUV is getting an overhaul as part of the 3 Volkswagen are overhauling the design of one of its most iconic vehicles Credit: Alamy 3 The ID 4 will be getting a brand new look Credit: Getty The ID 4 is the company's second electric car, after the ID 3. Now, as the model approaches its fifth anniversary, Thomas Schäfer, Volkswagen's CEO, has said that the new version of the car is 'really beautiful'. Read More on Car News He added: "We'll re-do the ID 4 completely inside and out. It will be a completely different car - a huge step up." The Thomas said that the change is part of a bid for the brand to 'stay competitive' and for the car - which is its 'most important electric vehicle in numbers' - to look like Volkswagen's other designs. According to Autocar, the new version of the vehicle is known as the 'electric Tiguan' in Volkswagen's HQ, though it is unknown if the ID 4 will keep its name. Most read in Motors However, Thomas has confirmed that several major cars produced by Volkswagen will He said: 'We've decided we're not going to throw away the traditional, successful names that have carried us for so long, that we've invested in for so long, like Golf and Tiguan. The Volkswagen ID3 GTX Performance 'Why would you let them go?' First launched in 2020, the ID 4 is the fourth best-selling electric car in Europe behind the ID 7 and ID 4. The electric Tiguan would launch in 2025 or 2026, coinciding with the release of the redesigned ID 4. However, the The American and European variants will share similar designs, while the Chinese equivalents will reflect design trends in 3 The car's design will greatly differ in China compared to Europe Credit: Getty
Miami Herald
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Volkswagen's Big ID.4 Changes Should Worry Tesla And Ford
Volkswagen recently reported sales for the second quarter of 2025, and it made for grim reading if you're a fan of the brand's electric crossover, the ID.4. Sales of this model for Q2 were 1,992 units in the U.S., a massive 65% decline over the same period last year. This result could be down to two things: a market more hesitant to EVs, and increased competition in the segment. So perhaps it comes as good news that Volkswagen is planning a major update of its ID.4 in 2026; in June, VW USA only said the 2026 ID.4 would get a mid-model-year facelift, without mentioning any details. Although technically a facelift, the update is said to be so significant that the crossover will appear more like an all-new model. Here's what's in store. VW CEO Thomas Schäfer told Autocar that the updated crossover will be "really beautiful," with a design that more closely resembles other VW EVs like the ID.2. "We'll redo the ID.4 completely inside and out," said Schäfer. "It will be a completely different car - a huge step up." Known internally as the "electric Tiguan," Schäfer said next year's ID.4 "needed to fit in with the new design language going forward, since it is still our most important electric vehicle in numbers." While the current ID.4 is a neatly styled crossover, it's not as sportily styled as rivals like the Ford Mustang Mach-E or Chevrolet Equinox EV, so a restyle will be welcome. Of course, there's also Tesla's Model Y to worry about, which recently underwent a substantial redesign of its own. Related: I Think the 2025 VW ID.4's Pros (4) and Cons (3) Might Surprise You The interior will also get many changes for the updated ID.4, including a new dashboard and user interface. VW has recently been reintroducing traditional buttons for certain functions, and this ID.4 will also benefit from similar changes. A traditional round knob for the volume control will make a welcome return, following backlash over the brand's fussy slider controls. No powertrain details are known at this stage, but the typical improvements to range and efficiency are expected. The current ID.4 produces either 282 horsepower (single motor) or 335 hp (dual motor). The single-motor variant could do with a slight power bump, but the ID.4 has always been a smooth operator and not as overtly sporty as some rivals. Expected to arrive late in 2026, the heavily updated ID.4 should launch here as a 2027 model. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Auto Car
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Volkswagen's Model Y rival is getting a major update!
The company has not confirmed plans to go as far as changing the ID 4's name, but Schäfer previously suggested to Autocar that the Tiguan moniker would always have a place in Volkswagen's portfolio - even as the line-up goes all-electric: 'We've decided we're not going to throw away the traditional, successful names that have carried us for so long, that we've invested in for so long, like Golf and Tiguan. Why would you let them go?' An electric Tiguan equivalent has long been understood to be part of Volkswagen's product roadmap, the combustion-powered car being Volkswagen's most popular car globally, and was earmarked for a launch in 2025 or 2026 - which would coincide with the planned rollout for the upgraded ID 4. Speaking to Autocar, Volkswagen technical development boss Kai Grünitz recently confirmed that the ID 4 will follow the ID 3 hatchback in adopting the new design language first introduced on the 2023 ID 2all concept, giving them 'a family resemblance to the ID 2' as well as a 'lower and squatter stance'. Inside, Grünitz confirmed that the facelifted ID 3 and ID 4 will receive fully revised interiors featuring a new dashboard and user interface. Among the changes is a return of physical buttons and knobs in place of digital display-based functions and the controversial slider element, a move first hinted at by the ID 2All. 'We're going to bring back a round knob for the volume control,' an insider said, adding: 'If you develop something that works, and it has worked for years, there's no reason to replace it.'
Telegraph
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Volkswagen Tayron review: Easy to drive but hard to love
Does seven divide into 4.8? Volkswagen seems so with this: the Tayron, a seven-seat, 4.8-metre family SUV/crossover. Can you honestly get seven people into a sub-five-metre vehicle, or are the rearmost two seats strictly for children? Sceptics might suggest not, since this is one of those fill-in models for those who find VW's five-seat Tiguan slightly too small and the larger seven-seat Touareg slightly too sizeable. In fact, the Tayron name first appeared in 2018 as a joint project from FAW-VW in China. For last year's introduction of the second-generation model, the Tayron became a world car (on sale in all, or at least most, markets), built at VW's HQ in Wolfsburg to replace the Tiguan Allspace – although it's based on the Tiguan running gear. To add to the confusion, the Tayron is known as the Tiguan in the US, where supplies come from Mexico, and the Tayron L in China where it's built in Changchun. Domestic range The UK gets a choice of two plug-in hybrids (PHEV), with either 201bhp or 268bhp. With a 70-mile electric-only range, the PHEV versions have a 19.7kWh battery, but fitting it means sacrificing the two rearmost seats, which loses some of the point of the vehicle. More conventional drivetrains include a 148bhp, 1.5-litre mild hybrid tested here. There's also a brace of 2.0-litre engines delivering 201bhp or 261bhp to all four wheels (the only 4x4 versions) and a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel, which is officially capable of 50.9mpg. There are five trim levels and prices run from £40,130, so you are into the luxury car tax bracket from the off, meaning an extra £425 in VED from years two to six. It's 4,792mm long, 1,853mm wide without the mirrors and 1,668mm high. In the UK's most popular 1.5-litre form tested here, the boot swallows an impressive 850 litres with the rear seats folded and 345 litres with them up, while folding the second and third rows liberates 1,905 litres. It weighs 1,723kg and will tow up to 1.8 tons (but some models will tow up to 2.5 tons). Inside job Step inside and you're likely to be impressed, mainly by the tight surface changes and ostensibly high-quality materials. There's also plenty of storage space in the doors and the centre console. Closer inspection, however, reveals that some of those plastics and fabrics don't have quite the warp and weft of upmarket rivals. The seats are comfortable and there's plenty of space in the first two rows. The rearmost two seats are no different from most; cramped, tricky to access and lacking amenities such as USB ports and air-conditioning outlets. Children might like them, but a strapping teenager or full-size adult will be complaining of discomfort before long. Rivals with larger, more easily accessed rear seats include the Peugeot 5008 and Hyundai Santa Fe. The instrument binnacle and touchscreen are clear and precise; a genuine improvement over the disaster area that has become known as 'Golf 8' when the initial version of VW's latest software was introduced in the Mk8 Golf. The 'slider' controls are now illuminated, while a programmable centre windlass control is easy to use. Not quite so great is the huge stretch required to reach the farthest tiles on the optional 15in (£1,130) centre touchscreen. For those who like to stay in their seat, there's VW's AI voice assistant Ida, which continually interrupts conversation (and, given half a chance, tries to join in with the radio). Under the skin The 148bhp/184lb ft 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine has a 48-volt mild hybrid system consisting of a beefed-up starter generator pack, driving the front wheels via a six-speed twin-clutch gearbox. There's no manual option. The suspension is independent all round with front MacPherson struts and multi links at the rear. Fuel consumption is 42.9mpg in the official Combined cycle (I managed to achieve 37.2mpg on the winding A-roads of Worcestershire). The CO2 emissions are 150g/km, which means a first-year VED of £540, with £620 a year (including the £425 'luxury car tax' surcharge) for the following five years. The top speed is 127mph and 0-62mph is dispatched in 9.4sec. On the road The heavily-boosted engine has just about adequate performance provided you keep it in the middle of the rev range and don't fill all the seats. It struggles, however, if you allow it to drop below the turbo boost level, requiring a couple of gear changes to keep it on the boil. The twin-clutch gearbox is smooth and fast to mask the engine's lack of urge, but the whole caboodle gets quite noisy and frantic if you are going for a fast overtake, for example. During sedate cruising, the Tayron, with its acoustic windows and close attention to sound deadening, is pleasingly quiet and make sure you aren't struggling against the clock and other traffic. The same applies to the handling where the suspension settings, which rightly tend towards the soft, allow a fair bit of body movement. So the Tayron isn't the last word in steering precision, but still gives a decent account of itself, inspiring confidence provided you don't push too hard. The lighter drivetrain (a 216kg saving over the PHEV) of the 1.5-litre makes the nose slightly more eager to change direction and takes some weight off the suspension over potholes and bumps. Inevitably, there's a compromise between allowing a vehicle to corner on its door handles or putting so much roll resistance in the chassis that it waggles your head around like a pig's bladder on a stick. VW treads a confident path with the Tayron, although the £470 optional 20in wheels put vanity before ride quality – try to avoid them. There's also an option of DCC adaptive dampers, although experience shows that few buyers opt for these useful but expensive items. As far as the urban jungle is concerned, it's an easy car to manoeuvre, with good visibility and sightlines, as well as large mirrors. The Telegraph verdict Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, says he wants VWs to look like VWs again and, in that respect, this large crossover/SUV delivers, although whether that makes it a handsome car, I will leave up to you. As for the comfort and dynamics, the Tayron doesn't quite deliver as rival models also based on VW's ubiquitous MQB platform, lacking the fluid feel of the mechanically similar Skoda Kodiaq, for instance. Although it feels as sporting as spotted dick and custard, the Tayron is none the worse for it. For the job it has to do hauling families around the suburbs or long-distance motorway journeys to holidays and far-flung relatives, this 1.5-litre version is perfectly adequate. The 4x4 2.0-litre cars might make better (if more expensive) sense, perhaps even the diesel. As for the five-seat-only PHEV versions, while tax-friendly, the limited seating versatility might drive buyers into the arms of full seven-seat rivals such as the Hyundai Santa Fe, despite its lower EV range. In short, the Tayron is an easy car to drive but a hard car to love. The facts Body style: five-door family SUV On sale: now How much? from £41,655, as tested £53,650 How fast? 127mph, 0-62mph in 9.4sec How economical? 42.9mpg (WLTP Combined), 37.2mpg on test Engine & gearbox: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol with 48v mild hybrid system, seven-speed twin clutch automatic gearbox, front-wheel drive Maximum power/torque: 148bhp at 5,000rpm/184lb ft at 1,500rpm CO2 emissions: 150g/km (WLTP Combined) VED: £540 first year, £620 next five years, then £195 Warranty: three years/60,000 miles The rivals Mercedes-Benz GLB Sport Executive GLB200 Seven-seat, from £40,190 Good news, it's a Merc SUV. Bad news, the mild hybrid 1.33-litre engine might produce 163PS but it's a bit asthmatic. Then again, most folk end up with a sportier-looking AMG Line version which can extend the price up to £50,000. Skoda Kodiaq SE Seven-seat, from £39,000 With largely the same VW Group 1.5-litre drivetrain, the Kodiaq is a cheaper and nicely executed alternative, if not quite as refined. Crucially, however, it limbo dances under the £40,000 luxury car tax (VED) threshold.
