2005 Volkswagen LT Reviews

What sets Volkswagen's Tiguan apart from an increasingly crowded mid-size SUV crowd? In the mainstream factor, its German origins is a key factor, but there's a lot more to its story than just that. In fact, this next-generation model has plenty going for it, as we find out in this Australian first drive.

Is Skoda next to go full retro? Brand's new MG4-sized Favorit concept could herald styling shake-up for embattled Czech automaker.

Volkswagen said Australia won’t see hybrid versions of the new Tiguan family SUV, despite new efficiency laws taking effect.

The GTI is the Golf line-up’s fastest, most sporty variant to use front-wheel drive. It also builds on a rich tradition as the make and model that arguably invented the whole hot-hatch genre decades ago.

Volkswagen's incoming new-generation T-Roc small SUV will feature the brand’s first hybrid system when it arrives this year, according to a report It might sound strange but until now when it comes to hybrid vehicles Volkswagen has only offered the plug-in kind (PHEV) or mild variants. Now in a first for the brand a series-parallel hybrid system similar to the one that Toyota uses will debut on the second gen T-Roc.  Series-parallel hybrid systems combine a petrol engine with an electric motor and battery to drive the vehicle’s wheels. The new T-Roc, which makes its debut this September, will use this kind of hybrid system according to British motoring outlet Autocar.According to Autocar, Volkswagen’s CEO Thomas Schafer said the brand needed hybrid vehicles due to a slowdown in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales and an increase in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) beng bought as well. "We needed to do it anyway, because South America has a need for an HEV drivetrain - and the T-Roc is built in South America for South America, and also in China, “ Mr Schafer said."Interestingly enough, HEV has also become a big theme in the US specifically. It's a technology that everybody said was not necessary any more, but now with the BEV slowdown in the US, the balance is HEVs."And the T-Roc won't be the only Volkswagen to offer the hybrid system with sources telling Autocar there will also be hybrid versions of the Golf hatch and Tiguan mid-size SUV as well in the next two years.The hybrid T-Roc is expected to make its international debut at the Munich motor show in September.The slow down in EV uptake the past 12 months in Australia and other global markets shows the importance of transitional tech such as hybrid power.Australia is also seeing a surge of interest in hybrid vehicles. In 2024 sales of hybrid vehicles, excluding PHEVs was up by 89.8 per cent for SUVs and 39.9 per cent for hatches and sedans.Currently, the only hybrid is Volkswagen's Australian line-up is the Touareg R and it's a plug-in hybrid.CarsGuide has reached out to Volkswagen Australia for confirmation but was told by a spokesperson that nothing could said on the topic yet as the vehicle hasn’t been revealed. 

Volkswagen is reportedly working on rolling out lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry to its electric vehicles (EVs) from 2026 onwards.As reported by Autocar, the first Volkswagen to pick up LFP batteries is the forthcoming Polo-sized ID.2 electric hatchback that’s due to launch in 2026.After this, LFP batteries will reportedly be rolled out to all of Volkswagen’s existing range of ID. EVs as part of a move that will see the vehicles based on an updated platform called MEB Plus.“The upgrade to MEB Plus comes next year, and we will roll out the cell-to-pack battery systems with LFP,” said Volkswagen CEO Thomas Shäfer to Autocar.“That will be a major step forward in terms of cost for us. It's very important, and also in performance."We're very happy with that. It's all in plan. We will come in with MEB Plus across the models, including ID.3, ID.4, ID.7. They will have LFP."You can see this move towards LFP across the board, really, except for performance applications on the upper end. In the volume game, LFP is the technology."It will start with ID. 2 and then roll out through the models."LFP battery chemistry is known to be cheaper to develop and has better thermal stability when compared to nickel metal cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery chemistry.LFP batteries have been popularised by Tesla with its Chinese-made Model 3 electric sedan and Model Y electric SUV, though Chinese companies like BYD and CATL have been working and refining this technology for years.Volkswagen LFP batteries will reportedly be made at a new battery factory in Salzgitter, Germany, which will also build NMC battery packs on a smaller scale until they’re phased out.At this stage Volkswagen is yet to confirm any specifications for the new LFP batteries, though Autocar suggests it could increase range while lowering the vehicle price point.Coinciding with this introduction of LFP battery chemistry to the wider Volkswagen ID. range, it’s reported there will be a design refresh too.Volkswagen research and development (R&D) boss, Kai Grunitz, told Autocar last year this ID. design refresh will bring “huge improvements” that show Volkswagen is “going back to where we came from”.“Design is your first touchpoint. That's what excites people," said Mr Grunitz."You have to have an iconic design that people connect with, and it doesn't matter what kind of drivetrain is underneath. This fascination with 'is it electric or petrol?' doesn't matter if you have an iconic car. You can see it in many examples."Despite Volkswagen ID. range of EVs dating back to 2020, Australia only started receiving the first model, the ID. Buzz, after many setbacks and delays in late 2024. The ID.4 and ID.5 electric SUVs followed earlier this year.At this stage it’s unclear if Volkswagen Australia intends to introduce any further ID. models.

At the very top of the 1.4-litre Golf line-up sits the R-Line.

An electric Volkswagen Golf GTI is in the works and the brand’s CEO, Thomas Schäfer, couldn’t be any more excited.

The mid-rung of the non-performance Golf ladder, the Style is most closely aligned with the previous Highline trim level. At $43,690, it’s quite a price step up from the Life entry-level car. But you do get extra gear like the tri-zone climate control, 18-inch alloys and a bigger multimedia screen.

Chinese electric car maker BYD is following a secret five-year massive growth plan, which will see it sell half its vehicles overseas by 2030. This will make it a vehicle manufacturer on the same scale as Toyota and Volkswagen, according to a new report.The report by news outlet Reuters cites four people “familiar with the matter” who said BYD’s executives have committed to an ambitious strategy, which will see the electric vehicle brand undergo such an enormous output and sales increase that the company will rival even the world’s largest car manufacturers.BYD has just become the largest selling brand in its home country of China, overtaking Volkswagen last year with 4.27 million units sold.Last year BYD sold 417,204 vehicles overseas and this year the company plans to double that number to 800,000.  The Reuters report revealed BYD met privately with the company's investors to notify them of the growth plan, but it is not known if an actual 2030 predicted sales figure was disclosed.According to the insiders the way that the company wants to be able to achieve their grand plan is by localising production throughout the world. The plan outlines the need to have factories operating in Hungary, Uzbekistan, Brazil and Thailand in order to be able achieve its goal.BYD’s global growth plan will not include the United States, where recent high tariffs against Chinese carmakers have prevented the brand selling its cars there and made the company focus on Europe as the key to its success. Australia, too, will be part of BYD’s plan. Currently Australia doesn’t impose tariffs on Chinese carmakers and this combined with our fairly new and strong interest in electric cars has seen a multitude of Chinese brands arrive here offering what the established mainstream brands could not — very affordable electric cars.  This includes brands such as Geely, Zeekr, MG and Deepal.In April this year alone BYD sold 3207 in Australia, outstripping even Volkswagen with 2076 sales by an enormous margin. And all of BYD’s cars are electric or hybrids.BYD, which started as a battery maker before turning its hand to producing vehicles, arrived in Australia in 2022 with its first EV, the Atto 3 small SUV. The brand soon brought more vehicles to Australia including the Dolphin, Seal, Sealion 6 and Sealion 7 and the Shark 6.