Skoda sketches new tease of small SUV heading to South Africa

After an initial back in February, Volkswagen-owned Skoda has released a second teaser image of its new small SUV confirmed for introduction in March next year.

Set to be positioned below the Kushaq a rebadged version of the Volkswagen Taigun itself a market specific spun-off of the T-Cross, the still unnamed newcomer will incorporate Skoda’s latest Modern Solid styling language and ride on the Indian optimised MQB A0-IN platform used by the Virtus sold in South Africa as the Polo Sedan.

Despite the Skoda specific styling language, the newcomer, which will confirm to India’s sub-four metre regulation, has broader significance as it will eventually go on-sale in 2026 as the long overdue mystery SUV Wolfsburg will assemble at its Kariega Plant in the Eastern Cape.

An apparent joint development between India and Brazil, the latter market will reportedly receive its version also in 2026, but based on the MQB A0 Entry platform the South Africa-bound model is also tipped to utilise.

Forming part of a R4-billion investment into the facility for production alongside the Polo and Polo Vivo, the SUV will take-up station below the T-Cross, whose production run still appears set to end in 2025 in preparation for the all-electric ID.2all SUV the following year.

While this remains unapproved following the European Union’s relaxing of the controversial Euro 7 emissions regulations in May, which has allowed Volkswagen to prolong the lifecycle and therefore exports of the Polo till 2027, what is known is that the SUV will be solely combustion engine powered possibly from the same 1.0 TSI and 1.5 TSI engines as the current T-Cross.

In addition, its platform could well spawn a fourth model for local production at the factory located in the town formerly known as Uitenhage after the long awaited approval last month of the Tarok bakkie that will finally replaced the dated Saveiro.

While for now only green lit for Brazil, the Tarok’s use of the MQB A0 structure and confirmation at its original showing in 2018 as a world model, has been cited as reasons for its being produced locally as the Saveiro had never been developed for right-hand-drive markets.

Well publicised comments by Volkswagen South Africa Managing Director, Martina Biene, to Engineering News in 2022 about the bakkie have also been attributed to likelihood of potentially four models being produced at Kariega before the end of the decade.

At it stands though, focus remains on the vehicle Biene described at its formal announcement two years ago as having an “SUV bodystyle and is currently not being produced anywhere else”.

Its closer aligning with the Brazilian model as indicated by the same platform rather than that of the Skoda means expected difference in dimensions, possibly above four metres, and subtle changes in exterior styling.

Either way, the unveiling of the Skoda variant first will still provide a preview of what South Africa could expect come 2026.

Additional information from autocarindia.com.

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