Volkswagen, for me, has always been a standard of German passion, excellence and ingenuity. And the newly-introduced compact sport utility vehicle, Tharu, is no exemption.
The vehicle’s commanding stance, space, premium interiors, performance and infotainment features can already sweep one off his feet.
Well, it did mine–just recently–as I was able to get acquainted with this newest German prodigy.
Briefly, I was able to take this SUV out for a spin along the streets of Bonifacio Global City in Taguig near its AC Motors headquarters.
At the onset, this crossover spells premium with its flat yet sharp nose exuding a high-grade front fascia. What’s fascinating about it is its LED strip across its bumper from one corner to the other, particularly for the top-tier variant, SEL. Together with this are LED matrix headlights, black accents on the roof rails and tailgate spoiler that all fit just right on its box-shaped body.
Capping it then are 18-inch alloy wheels with voguish red accents.
Inside, its premium feel spills over with its minimalist cabin design that go along with light twotone leather seats. Stylish red accents color the base variant’s interiors. Front and center is its 12-inch infotainment screen for the top-tier, while eight inches fit the lower variant. A fully digital instrument cluster, on the other hand, greets the driver.
Cargo capacity can go up to 455 liters, expanding to 1,543 liters when the second row is folded.
Under its hood is the 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder engine or the TSI (Turbo Stratified Injection) engine paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This then produces 158hp and 250N-m of torque.
For the top-tier, drive modes can go from Eco, Normal and Sport all the way to Custom mode.
The vehicle offers body colors: Pure White, Mangan Grey, Petroleum Blue (available for SE variant), and Polytech Blue (available for SEL variant) with the SEL having the exterior black package for the roof, rails, door mirrors and trims.
Variants and prices for the all-new Volkswagen Tharu are as follows:
Volkswagen Tharu 300 TSI DSG SE–P1,808,000 and Volkswagen Tharu 300 TSI DSG SEL– P1,945,000.
For this weekend, Volkswagen Philippines is offering a free viewing and test drive for the Tharu at the Karrera Café in Filinvest City in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Feel free to swing by.
