By: IOL Motoring Staff
It's common knowledge that 'Softroader' SUVs such as Volkswagen's Tiguan and practically everything it competes with were never made for hard-core off-roading.
But as if to prove that there could potentially be a lot more to its compact SUV than the suburban school run, VW has created an off-road concept version of its new Tiguan with a decidedly modern twist…
The Tiguan GTE Active Concept is powered by a plug-in hybrid drive system that promises "confident off-road performance" even in all-electric mode.
There's no shortage of grunt either, with the drivetrain delivering a total system output of 165kW. The system mates a four-cylinder TSI turbopetrol engine to two electric motors (one on the front axle and another on the rear), and unlike the conventional Tiguan, which has a front-wheel drive bias, the GTE concept actually operates as a rear-wheel drive vehicle under normal driving conditions.
It's still a permanent all-wheel drive set-up though, so the front wheels are engaged within milliseconds if there's a risk of traction loss.
When extra power is needed at the back, either because the charge has run down or for dynamic needs, power is sent to the rear wheels by wire through what VW calls an "electric propshaft".
The GTE offers five driving modes: Onroad, Offroad, Snow, Charge and Battery Hold, the latter maintaining a constant battery charge.
According to Volkswagen, the concept can manage around 32km on battery power alone, allowing for true zero emission bundu bashing, as long as your chosen trail is not too long.
Oh, and the concept also has a rather muscular body kit to tell it apart from the regular school run Tiguans.