The Volkswagen Tarek will go on sale in North America as the brand's crossover offering below the Tiguan. Volkswagen Argentina revealed the plans during a press presentation explaining the new investment at the factory in Pacheco. It indicated that assembly would start in 2021. One of the images, published by Argentina Autoblog (above), listed the countries that will receive the VW Tarek, including Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Gallery: VW Tharu (China Spec)

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The Tarek is already available in China (pictured above), but the company sells it as the Tharu there. The Chinese version measures 175.3 inches long, 72.5 inches wide, 64.3 inches tall, and has a 105.5-inch wheelbase. In comparison, the North American Tiguan is 185.1 inches long, 72.4 inches wide, 66.3 inches tall, and has a 109.8-inch wheelbase.

In China, the Volkswagen Tarek is available with three engine options: a 1.2-liter with 116 horsepower, 1.4-liter turbo with 150 hp, and a 2.0-liter turbo with 186 hp. All versions use the 7-speed DSG transmission and front-wheel drive. It's not clear whether the American version would share these powertrains, or whether there could be different offerings.

VW execs made a few mentions of this model's arrival last year, but never specifically mentioned the name. In March 2018, Juergen Stackmann, the VW brand's sales chief, referred to it under the codename Volks-SUV. He said production would start in China and eventually move to factories in Russia, Mexico, and Argentina in 2020. In October, unnamed insiders told Car and Driver that the company was working on a tiny crossover for the American market that would challenge models like the Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, and Toyota C-HR.

Source: Argentina Autoblog