Volkswagen is already working on the next generation of the Tiguan and our spy photographers caught two mules of the upcoming model testing in the Alps. The SUV is expected to arrive by 2024, and will most likely come in EV guise. The Tiguan mules are using the current model’s bodywork with a few modifications. The most obvious change in the pictured models is the fully covered grille, which in combination with the absence of visible exhaust pipes makes the case for an EV powertrain.
The new front bumper somehow brings to
mind the Lamborghini Urus, and is well incorporated for a dummy part that
probably won’t be used in production. The rest of the bodywork remains
unchanged from the facelifted Tiguan that was introduced in 2020, following the
launch of the second generation in 2015. The wheelbase and the front/rear
tracks look OK which could mean that the next Tiguan will retain a similar
footprint with the current model that is based on the MQB platform.
As far as electrification goes, the current
model is available in the eHybrid plug-in hybrid variant with a combined output
of 245 PS and an EV range of 50 km. Still, the
competition in the compact SUV segment is growing strong, and Volkswagen will
step up the game in the next generation. We don’t know if VW goes all-in for an
EV-only Tiguan based on the MEB architecture, but there is a possibility for
the new model to be offered in both ICE-powered and EV guise. This would
differentiate it from the ID.4 and allow hybrid alternatives to be offered
until VW becomes an electric-only automaker.
Camouflaged prototypes of the next VW
Tiguan should appear as early as 2023, a year before the model makes its
official debut. Then we will know more about the design – which is expected to
be inspired by the ID range of models – and the technical specs of the SUV.
