If they launch this crossover with only the diesel-hybrid...they're hosed. There's no way that will happen...it wouldn't be able to compete price wise.
Lower priced models with other powertrains will be available...if not they might as well give up now.
Okay, let's ignore the drivetrain. Why should it be cheaper than a Touareg when it is massively larger than a Touareg?
Oh believe me, I'm a Multivan fan and even the last gen gave the extended length Chrysler's a run for the money when it came to sheer space. It won't play well here in todays market though. Honda changed the game with the 95 Odyssey (although it took the 2nd gen in 99 for it to catch on here): if you don't have a foldaway third row...you may as well go home.
Yes, the traditional third row is more comfortable but the convience of being able to create space at a moment's notice cannot be ignored.
That's why I thought a stretched Sharan would be a better idea here.
If you've ever been inside the boot of a Multivan you'd know there is no need to create space at a moment's notice.
Besides, those fold-away seats occupy space (and weight) in either position. With the Multivan you can take out all the rear seats if you like, to have all the space ... ... ... in the world
That Multivan loaded as it is in the picture looks like it has absolutely 0 legroom, but take out the whole second row (if you can, idk) and you'll have legroom for daaaaaaaaaays.
The middle space isn't legroom, it's cargo space when you have no extra seats in.
When I was younger my parents had Multivans and Transporters, off the top of my head I recall three different ones with the last one surviving in their hands from 1995 to 2005ish, built 1990 - one of the last rear-engine rear-drive models
We usually had five-seaters, two in front and the rear bench. The last one had an optional sixth seat rear-facing behind the driver with four bolts. Without that in, you could put two bikes in the middle and leave room for people on the rear bench. Have a large baby carriage? Drive it right in, no need to fold or disassemble anything. No need to lift it up high either, the step is similarly low as other steps you encounter anywhere. If it's raining, you open a sliding door, drive the carriage inside, hop in, close the door. Then start the tedious business of unpacking the baby and strapping it in the child's seat without getting wetter than necessary. No need to get out into the rain again either, you can just walk from the back to the front on the inside.
Modern ones can look quite brilliant, but are amazingly expensive.
You can spot the rails rick mentioned, easy to make some space ad-hoc by just sliding everything together if nobody's sitting in the back. For more space, all the parts come out fairly easily.