2016 Detroit Motor Show: Volkswagen Tiguan GTE Active concept unveiled

Volkswagen unveiled the Tiguan GTE Active concept at the North American International Auto Show 2016 (NAIAS). The production version will be launched in the US in 2017 with a longer wheelbase and will be offered with seven seats. VW says that the new Tiguan concept marks the beginning of an SUV product offensive that will significantly expand the range of vehicles offered, especially in North America.

The Tiguan GTE Active concept is powered by a hybrid system, which is a combination of a 1.4-litre, turbocharged, direct-injection petrol engine and two electric motors - one for each axle and running on a 12.4kW (16.85PS) lithium ion battery. The petrol engine is good for 150PS and 249.47Nm while the electric motors produce 54PS at the front wheels and 115PS at the rear. The power gets delivered via a 6-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox that VW specially designed for hybrid use.

The concept vehicle has been design to start in electric mode, provided the battery is completely charged with the rear electric motor powering the vehicle. VW claims that the concept vehicle can cover a distance of up to 32km while running in all-electric mode and attain a top speed of 112kmph. When utilising all three power sources, VW claims it can attain 0-100kmph in 6.4s and reach a top speed of 193kmph. The claimed combined vehicle range is 933km.

The Tiguan GTE Active Concept gets two drive modes, E-mode and GTE mode to choose from. In E-mode, depending on the situation, power gets sent to either the front or rear or all wheels. It can even venture off-road in electric mode provided its battery is fully charged. In GTE mode, the power gets sent to all wheels.

The VW GTE Active Concept also offers six driving programs to choose from - On-road, Off-road (sludge, sand, gravel), Sport, Snow, Charge (where the battery is charged while driving) and Battery Hold (which maintains a constant battery charge). The programs can be accessed via a rotary controller on the centre console. The lithium-ion battery can be charged externally by plugging into a standard 240V system.

On the safety front, it comes equipped with front assist with autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian monitoring, an active hood for pedestrian protection, lane assist and the automatic post-collision braking system. It even gets a new infotainment system with a 9.2-inch touchscreen with gesture control (one can operate it simply by gesturing without touching).