Eco-Offroading in VW’s new SUV Concept

Think hybrids are dull? Think again. Volkswagen's new Eco-SUV Concept not only looks aggressive, this 7-seater will pack 700 Nm and accelerate to 100 km/h 7.2 Seconds if it goes into production.

When the words ‘hybrid car’ are mentioned, most people associate the term with the Toyota Prius. I don’t blame them; Priuses are probably the most common hybrid cars around and pardon me, but they are plain dull. That’s why when someone says hybrid cars are boring, I understand.

But Volkswagen has designed a game-changing hybrid SUV. With aggressive styling and the power to match, saving the earth might not be that dull in the near future. Looks wise, the exterior styling takes cues from Volkswagen’s current design language with a two-bar grille and a squared-off front end. That and merging the clean lines of German Volkswagen "design DNA" with the masculine character of an American SUV, Volkswagen created a unique automobile that is a concept car that does not rely on overstyling to be interesting, but in fact presents itself as a production-ready automobile.

To create a contrast to the exterior paint, stainless steel-look trim runs all around the SUV's lower body section. A prominent and long bonnet with integrated air inlets ensures the engine has ample room and remains cool. The stereotypical 4x4 has a long roof line coupled with a very short front overhang, as does the CrossBlue Concept.

With better a better intake of air comes better performance ability. The car’s powerplant is likely to be a 2.0 liter TDI, which produces 190 front wheel bhps. The diesel powerplant is paired up with batteries and two electric motors. Upon request, there is a 54 bhp electric motor to support the front wheels and a another 114 bhp electric motor to work the rear wheels, essentially turning it into a 4x4. In total, this car would have a combined 305 bhp and 700Nm of torque. The car’s century sprint time is 7.2 seconds. That isn’t exactly fast, but bearing in mind this is a Hybrid SUV, that figure is actually quite impressive. Fuel economy is good too. In hybrid mode, the car can achieve 14km for every litre of fuel. Estimated combined cycle fuel consumption is 2.1 liters per 100 km. The car can also be used as a pure diesel or a pure EV.

Inside the cockpit, there is ample space for maximum comfort. The car is very spacious, and has seating for six. In the back, air vents are integrated in the roof liner to ensure every passenger is cool. There is no lack of screens; two Ipad Minis are embedded in the backs of the headrests so that passengers in the middle row can be kept amused. A big screen in the centre of the dashboard allows for easy viewing of the satnav. The interior is dripping with cream leather, with bits of piano black accents and wood trim to liven up the interior.

It seems as though just a couple of years back, the concept of an eco-car couldn’t be exciting. Now though, driving a car that saves the earth might just be about the coolest thing to do. Think Hybrids are dull? Think again. The CrossBlue breaks all the stereotypes about eco-friendly cars. Just because the car is low emissions or a hybrid doesn’t mean that it should look like it was made from recycled plastic cutlery.