4Motion all wheel drive Mark 7 for Australia?

[Diesel_vert]

BMW and Mercedes also had AWD passenger cars in LHD markets for as long as I can remember (badged as "xDrive" and "4MATIC" respectively these days) though I believe BMW have recently made some xDrive passenger cars available in RHD for the first time.

[Tornado_ALIVE]

Generally 4WD/AWD drivetrains into three basic groups: full-time 4WD, part-time 4WD, and all-wheel drive (AWD).

You can also split the 4wd group into soft roaders and off roaders. Soft roaders may be 4wd and were built for wet and greasy roads / formed tracks but were never really designed to venture too far off road. Then you have your off roaders / real 4wds. These vehicles have high and low range gears and are built for very rugged terrain. Compare an Amarok or a Touareg to a Tiguan.

[AdamD]

Manufacturers have been making AWD derivatives of their 2WD passenger cars for years (from the aforementioned BMWs and Mercedes, to Honda Accords, Mazda 3s, etc etc). There's just no way that these models would make financial sense for the local distributors to import, market and sell in Australia - so they don't. They rarely even get a look-in in the UK, which is a far colder climate than Australia. These models are typically developed for people in areas where there is frequent snow and ice (so, northern Europe and Russia, northern Japan, Canada etc).

[Tobes_WIR35]

It is beyond me why anyone would buy a 2WD SUV. They're basically buying an expensive hatchback or station wagon that handles like crap and is hard to park.

[GippsCC]

It is beyond me why anyone would buy a 2WD SUV. They're basically buying an expensive hatchback or station wagon that handles like crap and is hard to park.

Well said, couldn't agree more.

[phaeton]

It is beyond me why anyone would buy a 2WD SUV. They're basically buying an expensive hatchback or station wagon that handles like crap and is hard to park.

Each to their own (opinion), some people may not want/able to pay for AWD costs and just want the practibility of an SUV.
Last time I drove a Tiguan it was not crap but quite surprising the handling ths vehicle had over its opposition.
I'd expect the 118TSI version with FWD to be upto the challenge to.

[Tobes_WIR35]

Yeah, people say that, but I don't see what extra practicality you'd actually achieve by buying a 2WD SUV over a hatchback or wagon the same size. They're almost the same in every way except height and tyre size. Considering they spend most of their time at Westfield shopping centres and ferrying kids to school, the cumbersome handling would actually make them less practical?

I think it's a case of marketing people solving a problem that doesn't exist.

[Arnold]

The only real benefit of a FWD Tig over a Golf is the higher vantage point for seeing more easily through the rear window and 'screen of other SUVs ahead . . . and conning some parks rangers into believing you're not required to put on chains.

[Tobes_WIR35]

Actually that's a good point. Most people who buy 4WDs and SUVs say they love the visibility and it makes them feel safe. Having owned a couple of 4WDs myself, I can say this is true. It does make you "feel" safe. But it doesn't actually make you safe. I feel much safer now in the knowledge that if I need to take evasive action, my Golf will (and has) get me out of trouble, and it's not going to dive and roll over.

[team_v]

and it's not going to dive and roll over.

After pushing my car fairly hard , i can safely say that the likelihood of this happening is pretty much nil.
If it did happen, a golf in the same situation would liklely roll as well.