Volkswagen Tiguan GTE to take on Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

Volkswagen Australia is continuing to press its head office for a greater allocation of plug-in hybrid models, including the upcoming Volkswagen Tiguan GTE that will take on the nation’s top-selling petrol-electric model, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, with a PHEV powertrain from next year.

The German car-maker’s Australian head of passenger cars Michal Szaniecki confirmed in April that the Tiguan GTE will be among a trio of new PHEV models heading Down Under in 2023, starting with the Volkswagen Touareg R that will become the VW brand’s first plug-in model and flagship SUV in Australia in January, and followed by GTE versions of the Tiguan and Golf.

“Touareg is coming first – we can’t wait,” Szaniecki said. “This year production will start so we’re very excited about it, followed by Tiguan and Golf GTE.”

However, the arrival of the Volkswagen brand’s first electrified vehicles in Australia, where the fledgling Cupra sister brand with launch with PHEV models from next month and could also beat both VW and Skoda to launching an EV locally next year, could also pave the way for the introduction of the smaller rumoured Volkswagen T-Roc GTE down the track.

And carsales understands Volkswagen Group Australia officials are currently in Europe working on business cases for an array of different electrified Volkswagen models.

Internally, Volkswagen hopes that legislative changes in Europe could expediate the Tiguan PHEV’s Australian arrival, but cautioned that European supply and demand remains the biggest hurdle.

“We’d love to get hold of Tiguan PHEV but that’s an issue of supply and demand,” said Volkswagen Australia general manager of corporate communications, Paul Pottinger.

“There are still PHEV subsidies available in Europe and I believe that will be in place until the end of the year.

“The GTE in both Golf and Tiguan form is something which we’re definitely interested in.”

The Golf GTE will arrive here following a false start in 2018, when Volkswagen Australia imported a handful of previous-generation Golf GTE vehicles for evaluation but did not release the PHEV small hatch, citing global demand.

Before the three plug-in VW models arrive, Volkswagen Group Australia will push its PHEV technology via the incoming Cupra line-up, which will offer electrified versions of both hatch and SUV models from its launch in July.

The Cupra Leon hatch and Formentor medium SUV are twinned under the skin with the Golf and Tiguan, including their plug-in hybrid powertrains.

Pottinger says that proves the case is there for more Volkswagen equivalents in Australia if supplies can be secured, and adds that changes to PHEV incentives in Europe could free up more allocation for Australia.

“Cupra is going to introduce their PHEVs in both hatchback and SUV form, so it can be done – it’s simply a question of getting hold of them,” he said.

Effectively replacing the discontinued Touareg V8 turbo-diesel (310kW/900Nm), the Touareg R combines a 250kW/450Nm 3.0-litre turbo-petrol V6 with a 100kW/400Nm electric motor to deliver big 340kW/700Nm outputs.

The same powertrain does duty in the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid and Volkswagen claims the Touareg R will accelerate to 100km/h in 5.1 seconds, while also offering a WLTP-verified electric range of 47km from its 14.3kWh battery mounted beneath the boot floor. Combined-cycle fuel consumption is listed at just 2.7L/100km.

Both the Golf and Tiguan GTEs are also plug-in hybrid vehicles which use a petrol engine alongside an electric motor.

The 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid uses a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine, electric motor and 10.4kWh battery to return combined fuel consumption of 1.7L/100km (NEDC) and an electric-only range of 48km.

The 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTE, meantime, employs the same powertrain to deliver a GTI-beating 180kW/400Nm and a similarly sporty chassis tune, but the extra grunt is offset by a higher kerb weight which in turn hinders the GTE’s acceleration; 0-100km/h comes up in a claimed 6.7 seconds, while top speed is pegged at 224km/h.

The sweetener is efficiency, thanks to a WLTP-verified range of 61km on electric power alone, and claimed combined-cycle fuel consumption of just 1.7L/100km (if the battery is routinely charged), which is much less than the plugless hybrid Toyota RAV4 Hybrid (4.8L/100km).

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