Photo: Kleber Silva
Ever get the feeling that Volkswagen knows how to design cool SUVs but decided not to anyway? If you look at this rendering and wait a few more months for its production derivative to come out, that theory might be confirmed.
You're not looking at something from the German company itself, but a piece composed by Kleber Silva using bits from real VWs on top of the Audi e-tron Sportback. It's really good, like the BMW X4 cheapskate alternative we wanted all along. The problem with that is it creates false expectations and sets us up for disappointment.
There's plenty of instances where VW competes with BMW just fine. For example, the Arteon doesn't have the dynamism of a 4 Series Gran Coupe but boasts more space. Also, the super-old Golf R can race a new M135i just fine. So why not an SUV-coupe thing?
You may not realize this, but Volkswagen has been at the core of cool SUV development from the start. They're part of the automotive group that gave us the Cayenne Turbo, or the controversial Urus and Bentayga. Clearly, they know people want coupe versions too, since we got that in multiple concepts, ranging from a 2-door targa to the famous ID Crozz.
But the Nivus is the first VW-branded SUV-coupe, and it's not that cool. Even before its big reveal in Brazil, we know it's loosely based on the MQB A0 platform, which relates it to the Polo, T-Cross and SEAT Arona. For Brazil at least, the standard engine will be a 1.0 TSI with something like 120 horsepower. Does that sound like the go-fast vehicle of your dreams? By no means are we saying it's ugly, but with markets like South America and India being targeted, the polish just won't be there.
The problem with using a short platform is you can't design huge rake into the back of the car because it would eat into the headroom at the back. That's why the teaser sketch for the Nivus looks like this. Meanwhile, the e-tron Sportback should be about a foot longer and can thus get away with more.
The places where VW seems to wise up are America and China, markets driven by fierce competition. But after years of ignoring the crossover market, the brand needs to build itself up first with old-fashioned models like the Atlas 3-row. So no BMW X4 rival there either.
There's plenty of instances where VW competes with BMW just fine. For example, the Arteon doesn't have the dynamism of a 4 Series Gran Coupe but boasts more space. Also, the super-old Golf R can race a new M135i just fine. So why not an SUV-coupe thing?
You may not realize this, but Volkswagen has been at the core of cool SUV development from the start. They're part of the automotive group that gave us the Cayenne Turbo, or the controversial Urus and Bentayga. Clearly, they know people want coupe versions too, since we got that in multiple concepts, ranging from a 2-door targa to the famous ID Crozz.
But the Nivus is the first VW-branded SUV-coupe, and it's not that cool. Even before its big reveal in Brazil, we know it's loosely based on the MQB A0 platform, which relates it to the Polo, T-Cross and SEAT Arona. For Brazil at least, the standard engine will be a 1.0 TSI with something like 120 horsepower. Does that sound like the go-fast vehicle of your dreams? By no means are we saying it's ugly, but with markets like South America and India being targeted, the polish just won't be there.
The problem with using a short platform is you can't design huge rake into the back of the car because it would eat into the headroom at the back. That's why the teaser sketch for the Nivus looks like this. Meanwhile, the e-tron Sportback should be about a foot longer and can thus get away with more.
The places where VW seems to wise up are America and China, markets driven by fierce competition. But after years of ignoring the crossover market, the brand needs to build itself up first with old-fashioned models like the Atlas 3-row. So no BMW X4 rival there either.
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