4 Volkswagen AG Cars Not to Look Forward To

Automotive News released a series of articles describing its vision for the five-year product pipeline of Volkswagen AG, which includes Volkswagen, Porsche, and Audi. It’s a compilation of rumors, facts, and inside sources that attempts to paint a picture of what we can expect from VAG through the end of the decade. There are plenty of new cars on the docket, and since not every car is guaranteed to be a hit, we’ve looked through AN’s list to find the cars that you’re better off avoiding for the time being.

4. 2016 Volkswagen Tiguan

We like the Tiguan, but its U.S. sales haven’t been the best. That’s why VW is planning to completely revamp the Tiguan for the 2017 model year, complete with (according to AN) more space, a larger footprint, and maybe even an optional third row. Volkswagen did just update the Tiguan for 2015, but if you’ve been holding out for something a little larger without leaving the VW family, you’re going to have to skip the next two model years and wait just a little bit longer.

3. 2016 Volkswagen Beetle Dune

The original Baja Bug is quite a beast. In essence, it’s a standard VW Beetle that’s been modified beyond recognition, turning it into a thick-tired beast capable of destroying off-road trails. It was never a VW-sponsored project, but now, VW plans on remedying that with the Beetle Dune. It will be based off the current Beetle (unlike the Baja Bug, which is built off the O.G. Beetle), but since it’s a factory-sponsored effort, we assume it will lose a hefty majority of its off-road prowess in favor of market-friendly trim pieces and maybe a small lift kit, which should basically make it a Beetle Crossover. We love the idea of a new Baja Bug, but we’re not blindly optimistic just yet.

2. 201? Volkwagen Amarok

Wait a second — we already praised Volkswagen’s not-for-U.S.-consumption Amarok, a German pickup truck that’s just as capable as many American offerings. It’s true, we do like it; that said, though, it’s likely never to come here in its current form. You see, there’s this thing called the “chicken tax,” which is a 25-percent tariff on all imported light trucks. That would price the Amarok out of its market. So we’re not likely to see the current Amarok in the U.S. However, if VW started on either a full-size truck or started building it in the States, then that could change.

1. 201? Audi Q4

First, BMW built the X6, and everybody was confused. It was a crossover, with reduced rear headroom and reduced cargo space, but it comes with this neat swoopy roofline. Somehow, people bought into it like mad. Then, BMW released the X4, which is basically the X6, except even smaller and equally as useless. Of course, since the X4 came out, now every manufacturer has to build a competitor, including Audi. According to AN, Audi is working on a swoopy-roof version of the Q3 compact crossover, because … well, because there’s money to be made. Maybe. Hopefully, America will wake up from its delusions of grandeur and start buying useful vehicles again before the Q4 becomes a reality in this neck of the woods.