New VW Tera.
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The Tera is a brand-new VW model for the Brazilian market. It replaces the discontinued popular VW Gol in VW’s Brazilian lineup.
It basically looks like a smaller version of the new 2025 VW Tiguan, which is fine. Except maybe a little better than the much larger Tiguan.
While the new Tera is mainly for Brazil, it will also make it to India and South Africa where it will be built as well starting in 2027.
The Tera actually looks pretty cute, except for the ghastly lower front grille, which is a huge chunk of cheap-looking black plastic plastered all over the front end. And is mostly fake anyway. Anything would be better than this…
The Tera, at about 157 inches is a lot shorter than our Taos. By almost 20 inches! And even about a couple of inches shorter than the Hyundai Venue. Even with an SUV look, the VW Tera is a FWD car only and no AWD is offered. It is powered by a 1.0 Liter Turbo engine.
As it is the trend these days, the little SUV is actually replacing a car model. A very popular model that was produced in Brazil from 1980 to 2023 through 3 generations. For a few years starting in 1987, a version of the first generation VW Gol was sold in the US as the VW Fox. A rather boring 2 and 4-door sedans were offered. As well as a much cooler-looking 2 door wagon.
Even in Brazil, cars are getting less popular compared to SUVs. While the Gol enjoyed big sales numbers until 2012 with almost 300,000 sold that year, it went crashing down to just 72,000 units 10 years later. I guess VW is hoping that a new name and a switch to an SUV-looking design can save the day. As it often dies.
