Volkswagen Tarek is a front- or all-wheel drive SUV of the compact segment, which the German company calls “the most popular crossover”, combining a discreet design, an ergonomic and functional interior, modern technology and a relatively affordable price ... It is addressed primarily to city dwellers (often for families) who value practicality, safety, reliability, comfort level and good cross-country ability in a car ...
In general, the formal debut of this SUV took place in March 2018 at the international auto show in Beijing, but then only in a conceptual guise called the Powerful Family SUV, and two months later its serial version, the Volkswagen Tharu, appeared before the world community. Actually, this very crossover, which has risen one step below the Tiguan, should reach the Russian market, but in a slightly shortened form and under the name Tarek.
Externally, "Tarek" evokes associations with a full-size "Teramont" - the five-door looks attractive, balanced, laconic and moderately solid. The front view of the car flaunts truly monumental outlines - the strict gaze of "two-story" lighting equipment, a large radiator grill with a honeycomb pattern and a relief bumper.
In profile, the crossover demonstrates a proportional and rather dynamic appearance, emphasized by a sloping roofline with sloping C-pillars, expressive "splashes" on the sidewalls and rounded-square wheel arches.
From the stern, the "German" boasts massive LED-lights, an impressive tailgate and a neat bumper with a pair of fake exhaust pipes.
It is expected that the external dimensions of the Volkswagen Tarek will be close to the Skoda Karoq (despite the fact that the "Chinese" Tharu is slightly larger): its length will be ≈4380 mm, width ≈1840 mm, height ≈1600 mm, distance between wheelsets ≈2640 mm (more accurate data will become known later).
The interior of "Tarek" is made in the "family" style of the German automaker - it catches the eye with a cute and modern, but laconic and restrained design. Directly in front of the driver is a three-spoke multi-steering wheel with a slightly sloped rim at the bottom and an exemplary instrument cluster with analogue scales and an onboard computer display between them (as an option, it can be replaced by a virtual "dashboard" with a 10.2-inch screen).
The center console is decorated with a color display of the infotainment center, under which there are symmetrical ventilation deflectors and an extremely clear "control panel" of the air conditioning system.
The Volkswagen Tarek has a five-seat layout, with ample space promised in both rows of seats. In the front part of the car there are ergonomic seats with a well-defined profile and wide adjustment ranges, and in the back there is a three-seater sofa with a non-sliding pillow.
It is assumed that the trunk of "Tarek" will be approximately identical to that of Tharu - its volume in normal condition will be about 455 liters. The "gallery" folded in two unequal sections will allow increasing the "hold" capacity to more than 1500 liters.
What engines the Volkswagen Tarek will be equipped with in the Russian market is still not known for certain, but, most likely, it will be separated exclusively by four-cylinder in-line gasoline engines, namely:
- The first option is a 1.6-liter "aspirated" MPI with multipoint injection, 16-valve DOHC timing and variable valve timing, developing 110 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 155 Nm of torque at 3800-4000 rpm.
- One step higher is the "turbo four" TSI with a working volume of 1.4 liters with direct "power", 16 valves and phase shifters at the inlet and outlet, the output of which is 149 hp. at 5000-6000 rpm and 250 Nm of peak thrust at 1500-3500 rpm.
- Top-Mod Privilege - 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged, direct injection, 16-valve timing and variable valve timing system producing 186 hp. at 4200-6000 rpm and 320 Nm of rotational potential at 1500-4100 rpm.
It is expected that the units will receive the following gearboxes: the "youngest" will get a 5-speed "mechanics" or 6-range "automatic", "intermediate" - a 7-speed "robot" DSG with two dry clutches, and "senior" - 7 -speed "robot" DSG with wet clutches.
The first two motors will be combined with a front-wheel drive transmission, and the most powerful version will be combined with an all-wheel drive system, in which a Haldex multi-plate clutch is in charge of the rear axle connection.
At the heart of the Volkswagen Tarek is the MQB modular bogie with a transversely oriented power plant and a monocoque body featuring a wide variety of high-strength steel grades. On the front axle of the car, an independent suspension of the McPherson type is used, but the structure of the rear is most likely to depend on the modification: for front-wheel drive, a semi-independent beam, and for all-wheel drive, an independent multi-link.
The crossover rack and pinion steering mechanism is complemented by an active electric power steering, and disc brakes (front - with ventilation) are used on all its wheels, working in conjunction with various electronic assistants.
The Volkswagen Tarek should appear on the Russian market in 2020, and its production will be set up at the facilities of the Gorky Automobile Plant. It will become the most affordable crossover of the brand, that is, it will cost less than the Tiguan, for which they are now asking for 1.4 million rubles or more.
Options and prices will be announced closer to the start of sales, but it is expected that already in the "base" the car will receive: front airbags, air conditioning, ABS, four power windows, a standard audio system, electric drive and heated outside mirrors, steel wheel rims and some other equipment.
