Volkswagen Tera Spied Globally For The First Time; India Launch Soon?

It’s just been a few weeks since Volkswagen announced the name of its upcoming subcompact SUV, called the Tera. The new SUV has now been spotted testing in Argentina ahead of its global debut in 2025. 

The Volkswagen Tera, based on the same platform as the newly launched Skoda Kylaq, was spotted testing on unpaved roads in Argentina. The spy shots revealed interesting details about the new subcompact SUV. The Tera will have decent ground clearance, as visible in the spy shots. It will also have a similar face to other new Volkswagen models, similar to the third-gen Tiguan. This means the Tera will have a slim upper grille, flanked by slim LED headlamps and it will also get a chunky front bumper. Unlike the Skoda Kylaq, the Tera will not get a split headlamp setup. 

While the Tera will not be a coupe SUV, it will get a sloping roofline and it will also get stubby taillamps. The teasers for the Tera revealed that it will not get a connecting lightbar between the taillamps but they will be connected by a black panel. The Tera will also get large windows and the beltline will curve upwards towards the C-Pillar. 

The powertrain details of the Tera are yet to be announced but it won’t be surprising to see Volkswagen use its 1.0-litre TSI engine with around 114 bhp mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. Volkswagen doesn’t offer its dual-clutch (DSG) transmission with this engine though. 

It is highly likely that Volkswagen will also launch the Tera in India and when it does, pricing will play a crucial role in deciding the fate of the subcompact SUV. For reference, Skoda India announced the starting price of the Kylaq (₹7.89 lakh) and the remaining prices are expected to be announced deliveries begin in January. Once launched, it will rival the likes of the Skoda Kylaq, Tata Nexon, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Mahindra XUV 3XO, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger. 

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