Midsize SUV Volkswagen Adds Its 2016 Lineup

Midsize SUV Volkswagen Adds Its 2016 Lineup

If you take a look at Volkswagen's 2015 lineup, you'll find sedans, hatchbacks, sports coupes, and even premium sport SUVs. There is a gap in that lineup when it comes to mid-sized SUVs. In the U.S., where SUVs are so popular, that's a not just a gap, that's a chasm. Volkswagen is about to close that gap.

Volkswagen announced that they will introduce a mid-sized sport utility vehicle based on the CrossBlue concept car that was such a hit at the 2013 auto show in Detroit. The mid-sized SUV's design will be aimed at pleasing customers in the U.S. As a testament to their commitment, VW plans to build the vehicle in its factory located in all-American Chattanooga, Tennessee. Let's look at some of the features of the concept car that the new mid-sized SUV will be based on.

Volkswagen's CrossBlue Concept

The Detroit auto show is always a good measure of what the American public wants out of its cars. Automakers use that show to debut new designs in the form of concept cars. If the American public gobbles them up, the carmaker will most likely create a car based on that design. Wider and longer than the German carmaker's Touareg (79.3 inches wide and 196.3 inches long), the CrossBlue is shorter, measuring 68.2 inches. That makes it six inches shorter than the Touareg, which should enable the vehicle to hold the road better with its wider, shorter stance.

Here are some other features of the CrossBlue:

Plenty of Ponies Under the Hood: A diesel hybrid, the CrossBlue put out 300 hp and 517 lb-ft of torque. Although the new vehicle will come with various options in powertrains, the plug-in diesel will certainly be one of the choices.

Automatic Transmission: The CrossBlue featured a six-speed, dual clutch automatic gearbox.

Sips, not gulps fuel: Getting 33 mpg city and 37 mpg on the highway, this mid-sized SUV will keep buyers from going broke at the pump.

Acceleration from Zero to 60: Quick, going to full highway speed from a standing start in only seven seconds.

Mid-sized Price: At $31,500, this vehicle will be within the budget of most prospective SUV buyers.

Inside the car, the dash provides a clean, workmanlike appearance. A center console featuring a touch screen navigation panel splits the passenger seat from the driver seat. Cargo capacity with all seats filled is 12 cubic feet. Fold down the third row of seats, and it expands to 28 cubic feet. With more interior space than either the Touareg or the Tiguan, the new VW SUV should be a popular choice among families.

With the CrossBlue, Volkswagen will be well-prepared to go head-to-head with the other carmakers' mid-sized SUVs on the American market. If you're a Touareg or Tiguan fan, however, rest easy. The CrossBlue will not replace your favorite vehicle. It only adds to the choices that Volkswagen can provide for the U.S. public.

Look for more information on Volkswagen's planned mid-size SUV at your local Volkswagen dealer. If you're like most of the SUV fans at the Detroit auto show, you'll be counting the days until the vehicle comes to a showroom near you.

Posted in: New Car