Could Volkswagen Philippines be launching a new model soon?

We pondered this question when we saw the brand’s latest teaser photo on its official Facebook page.

The teaser image, posted on Feb. 3, 2023, contains the same front fascia as the current-generation Volkswagen T-Cross, so our natural reaction was to suspect that it was just a unique color or some minor update. 

That might be the case, as our recent overview of the Volkswagen China website revealed that the crossover did get a recent update. 

The Volkswagen T-Cross China update

Though minor, the updates to the 2023 T-Cross give the vehicle a more youthful and sportier look. 

These changes start with new color options, a blacked-out set of wheels, black door mirrors and a new black-diamond sticker decal option for the C-pillar. 

The crossover also gets a cool black roof to add to its sportier appeal. 

The T-Cross also gets a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that can shift gears in 0.2 seconds, bringing a sharp but smooth shifting experience.

Aside from this, the crossover gets a new turbocharged 1.4-liter, twin-cam, 16-valvle inline-4 gasoline engine called EA211 that produces 150 PS and 250 Nm of torque.

The new engine provides a significant bump in power for the T-Cross, putting it closer to its rivals in terms of its power output.

A familiar interior

Despite the minor changes to the exterior and the new engine, the cabin of the T-Cross remains the same as what is currently available.

It still has a youthful interior with an exterior color-matched cabin theme.

However, as new colors are now available for the crossover, we could soon see these become available as part of the interior trim.

Could the teaser be for a different model?

While still highly unlikely, Volkswagen Philippines could also be teasing the launch of the Volkswagen Tharu, which has a similar design to the T-Cross.

The Volkswagen Tharu (also known as the Taos in the U.S.) is a compact crossover that was released on October 2018 and is primarily manufactured by the SAIC-Volkswagen joint venture plant in China.

It fights against the likes of the Toyota Corolla Cross, Mazda CX-30 and Honda HR-V.

The Tharu has two engine options: a turbocharged 2.0-liter, twin-cam 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine and the same 1.5-liter motor found in the updated T-Cross. 

Volkswagen Philippines has yet to release an official statement regarding whether it is bringing in the updated T-Cross or an all-new model.

What do you think the German automaker has in store?