New Volkswagen Tera – What to Expect? » MotorOctane

Volkswagen’s venture in India started with a bang, with the Polo and Vento. But their sales have fizzled out ever since. Sales of the Virtus, Taigun, Golf, and Tiguan totalled barely 5,000 units in October. Now, Volkswagen is planning to tap into the compact-SUV segment to boost its sales numbers.

Volkswagen unveiled the Tera in global markets (like Brazil). The Indian-spec model will be identical to the models sold in Global markets, with slight tweaks to comply with Indian regulations. Here is all you need to know about the upcoming Tera.

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Looks

On first glance, you might mistake it for the iD.4, which has been sold globally for a long time. But you would be wrong. The Tera is more than 400mm shorter than the iD.4. Volkswagen has been using a similar design language for most of its current models, making differentiation slightly difficult.

An interesting thing to note would be that the Tera is slightly over 4m in length. Volkswagen is expected to shorten the Tera by more than 100mm to make it compliant with the sub-4m taxation rules. To explain it, cars under 4m in length get a significant tax advantage over cars above this limit.

The Tera has a high stance, with sharp cuts and creases along the sides to mimic an SUV. Volkswagen has also used many dark accents, such as the blacked-out grille and alloys, giving the compact SUV a sporty look. It is a very attractive-looking vehicle, and if launched, would arguably be the best-looking in the segment. Its looks could be a very strong selling point for Volkswagen.

Cabin

The cabin is contemporary, in a very Germanic fashion. You step into an all-black theme with a straightforward cockpit layout. It has all the features inside with a full-digital driver’s display, 10.25″ infotainment screen, automatic climate control, ADAS, 360-degree parking camera, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. An intriguing omission would be a sunroof. The Brazilian spec model omits this feature, and VW would like to offer it on the India-bound Tera if it wishes to compete with its successful Korean rivals.

There is decent legroom and headroom for the rear passengers, but due to its smaller dimensions, it would be difficult to accommodate 3 adults in the back comfortably.

Powertrain

It is speculated that the Tera would use the same platform as the Skoda Kylaq and share its powertrain option and many other components. The Kylaq uses a 1.0L TSI engine across all its variants. Furthermore, the Brazil-spec Tera uses the same 1.0L TSI. But the power ratings would differ by variant. The base variant would get a weaker tune, which produces 84 hp and 101 Nm, while the higher variants get a 116 hp and 165 Nm tune.

The bad news would be that there is no DSG gearbox as an option. You choose from a 6-speed automatic and a 5-speed manual.

We do not yet know Volkswagen’s plans for hybrid powertrains. Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai are looking to introduce their smaller cars with hybrid options to get a sizeable tax break. The only indication that Volkswagen will be heading into the world of alternatives to IC engines is their announcement of the iD.4.

Rivals

This would be Volkswagen’s first compact SUV in India. This segment has the majority of the car market share, and VW will try to get a sizeable chunk of the compact-SUV fad. Upon its launch, it will compete with the Hyundai Venue, Skoda Kylaq, Kia Syros, Kia Sonet and the segment-leader Tata Nexon.

The Tera has yet to undergo any NCAP tests, but given Volkswagen’s robust reputation, it is expected to perform well.

Read More: Kia Sonet Vs Hyundai Venue – Buyer’s Confusion Solved!

Expected Launch and Price

The Tera will flaunt the “Cheapest VW SUV ever” tag. It will be priced similarly to the Kylaq at 11 lakh rupees, and the higher trims could cross 17 lakh rupees (on-road, Mumbai).

The launch date is expected to be early 2026. It could be a great competitor to the Nexon, Sonet and Venue. It beats the three cars in terms of looks, but it would need a plethora of safety and luxury features to keep up with the competition. The Tera will attract many customers simply because it is a Volkswagen, a brand favoured by Indian car enthusiasts for a long time.

Read More: India’s Cheapest Volkswagen SUV Is Finally Here!