More details on three-row Volkswagen Tiguan for U.S.

When Volkswagen opened its new Chattanooga factory, there were lots of questions about what else it was going to build there, since Passat volume wouldn't come close to soaking up the facility's 150,000-unit capacity. A three-row crossover was often mentioned as another model, with Automobile reporting that a possible 180,000-unit expansion could lead to Porsche, Audi and VW CUVs being built there.

Now Car and Driver reports that a three-row Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer fighter will be built, and it will "almost definitely" be assembled in Tennessee or Mexico. It might use the Passat's platform, the rumored engine is VW's 3.6-liter V6, and its MSRP is expected to strongly challenge those of its competitors (in the manner of the Jetta and Passat's newly competitive price strategies).

The same report claims that VW is working on a Tiguan more suited to American tastes, which probably means turning it into something more like a Jetta crossover than a Golf CUV. Last year, there were several reports that Volkswagen was considering moving both Golf and Tiguan production to North America, and a Stateside-leaning Tiguan might mean now is the right time to do so.