Of course, most North American Volkswagen dealers are looking forward to the Eos, but no doubt would rather have more competitive
mainstream products to thwart Japanese rivals. Totally redesigned Jetta and Passat models have just become available in North America, but the popular wagon version of the former will have to wait for an indefinite period of time.
The Jetta has received lukewarm reviews, mostly due to its bland styling compared to the much-loved outgoing model, but the car's advanced engineering is impressive to most that have driven it. The Passat is getting more positive reviews all-round.
But VW's North American divisions need new Golf and GTI models to spur on sales of core buyers, and possibly a new smaller entry-level vehicle, in order to lure younger, first-time buyers into the family.
Also,
while the luxurious Touareg midsize SUV has sold well, VW is in desperate need of a compact sport 'ute, a market segment that is growing in popularity at about the same rate as the price of gasoline. The new Golf-based model, dubbed Beduin, will not be available in the immediate future, but is no doubt one of the all-new vehicles Bernhard is referring to.
But no matter the current state of affairs at Volkswagen, sensible leadership looks to be turning the brand back to its fundamental roots, and new more competitively priced models will eventually find their way to your local VW dealership.
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| Most North American Volkswagen dealers are looking forward to the Eos, but no doubt would rather have more competitive mainstream products, such as the new Jetta, to thwart Japanese rivals. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
The Jetta has received lukewarm reviews, mostly due to its bland styling compared to the much-loved outgoing model, but the car's advanced engineering is impressive to most that have driven it. The Passat is getting more positive reviews all-round.
But VW's North American divisions need new Golf and GTI models to spur on sales of core buyers, and possibly a new smaller entry-level vehicle, in order to lure younger, first-time buyers into the family.
Also,
 |
| A new Golf-based compact SUV, dubbed Beduin, will not be available in the immediate future, but is no doubt one of the all-new vehicles Bernhard is referring to. (Photo: Artist's Rendering) |
But no matter the current state of affairs at Volkswagen, sensible leadership looks to be turning the brand back to its fundamental roots, and new more competitively priced models will eventually find their way to your local VW dealership.