VW’s Seven-Seat SUV Caught Testing in the Rockies

Volkswagen’s large seven-seat SUV has been spotted testing once again, this time in the Rocky Mountains.

The new Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander competitor has lost even more of its camo, showing off its grille and headlights. From the side, it is easy to see the influence of the Volkswagen CrossBlue concept while the rear end is reminiscent of the new Passat.

Under the hood, a 3.6-liter V6, also borrowed from the Passat, is expected to send power to the front wheels as standard or to all four wheels through VW’s 4Motion all-wheel drive system. A small 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is also a possibility as a base option. At the moment, it doesn’t seem likely that diesel will be offered in this SUV, though a hybrid version could become a reality.

Underpinning the SUV is Volkswagen’s new MQB platform which also supports the Golf family and will carry most of Volkswagen’s vehicles in the future. That also means that the interior of this SUV will likely stay close to what is seen in new Golf models.

Pricing for the new SUV should top out around the $50,000 mark, making this the most expensive model that Volkswagen will sell in the U.S.

This new SUV will be built in the U.S. at VW’s Chattanooga, Tennessee assembly plant. A production version of the SUV is likely to be unveiled at a major U.S. auto show, possibly Los Angeles or Detroit, while the vehicle should be in showrooms by mid to late 2017.

For a full gallery, head on over to Autoguide.com.

The post VW’s Seven-Seat SUV Caught Testing in the Rockies appeared first on VWVortex.

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