New Volkswagen Nivus breaks cover as baby coupé-style crossover...
by Ryan Bubear
Volkswagen has revealed a brand new nameplate, presenting the fresh-faced Nivus as a coupé-style crossover developed in Latin America.
Slotting in just above the T-Cross (in terms of dimensions, anyway), the Nivus will initially be built in Latin America, although production will be extended to Europe in the second half of 2021. It's not yet clear whether the Nivus will eventually join VW South Africa's range, should it be built in right-hand-drive form, but the brand's local arm said on Twitter it had "no immediate plans" to introduce the newcomer.
Like the Polo hatchback and T-Cross, the new Nivus is built on the VW Group’s MQB A0 platform. It measures 4 266 mm in length (which makes it some 31 mm longer than the SA-spec T-Cross) and 1 493 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2 566 mm (15 mm more space between the axles than the T-Cross).
The biggest differentiator, though, is styling, with the Nivus featuring a dramatically sloping coupé-style roofline below a set of chunky roof rails. Still, VW claims the newcomer offers “ideal internal space to comfortably carry up to five occupants”, while boot space measures an impressive (claimed) 415 litres.
At launch in Brazil, the engine range will include just a single powertrain. The turbocharged 1,0-litre, three-cylinder (EA211) unit offers the front axle 94 kW and 200 N.m via a six-speed automatic transmission.
Inside, the Nivus employs an infotainment system “fully developed in Brazil” and featuring a system called “VW Play”. It includes a 10-inch touchscreen alongside the Wolfsburg-based firm’s familiar active info display.
See Full Volkswagen Polo Hatch price and specs here
See Full Volkswagen T-Cross price and specs here