2021 Volkswagen Nivus debuts – compact ‘SUV coupe’ on sale in Brazil next month, Europe next year

2021 Volkswagen Nivus debuts – compact ‘SUV coupe’ on sale in Brazil next month, Europe next year

The 2021 Volkswagen Nivus has made its debut ahead of going on sale in Brazil at the end of next month. Argentina will get the new model by the end of 2020. Designed and made in Brazil, the coupe-roofed compact crossover will also be made and sold in Europe in the second half of 2021.

The Nivus sits on Volkswagen’s MQB A0 platform that also underpins several group products, including the current Polo and the T-Cross, VW’s junior SUV. The Nivus measures 4,266 mm long, 1,757 mm wide and 1,493 mm tall, with a 2,566 mm wheelbase.

The latter is identical to the sixth-generation Polo hatchback that first surfaced in 2017. However, the Nivus is longer than the Polo (4,057 mm) and T-Cross (4,199 mm) and has the biggest boot of all at 415 litres (115L more than the Polo and 42L more than the T-Cross).

2021 Volkswagen Nivus debuts – compact ‘SUV coupe’ on sale in Brazil next month, Europe next year

Of course, the main difference between the Nivus and T-Cross is the new car’s roofline, which slopes down from rear doors onwards. The T-Cross is a conventionally-shaped small SUV.

The dashboard is largely similar to the T-Cross’ but with slight changes to the shapes of the side AC vents and centre console. The VW logo is also the latest one. It’s properly modern in here with two 10-inch screens in the cockpit – one is the Active Info Display instrument panel and the other belongs to the new VW Play infotainment system.

The latter, developed in Brazil, is a touchscreen with “virtual buttons” and is anti-scratch. Services, streaming and apps are promised, and there’s 10GB of memory. VW Play is compatible with Android and Apple smartphones and is the first car in Brazil with wireless mirroring, Volkswagen says.

2021 Volkswagen Nivus debuts – compact ‘SUV coupe’ on sale in Brazil next month, Europe next year

Notable equipment include adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, LED headlights and daytime running lights, Driver Alert System, Kessy keyless entry and start, reverse camera and 17-inch alloys. The hatch can be opened using a virtual button in VW Play.

Under the hood is Volkswagen’s 1.0 litre TSI engine, branded as 200 TSI in Brazil. This EA211 family turbocharged engine has three cylinders, 128 hp and 200 Nm of torque, and is paired to a six-speed automatic transmission. Power goes to the front wheels – no 4Motion here. Typically for Latin America, it’s flexfuel ready.

What do you think of VW’s latest SUV? Looks quite good with its Subaru XV-esque shape and Audi Q8-style rear end, no?


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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

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