VW Officially Squashes the Bug as it Preps for Tiny Crossover

The Volkswagen Beetle has been a staple in the U.S. since it returned to The States as the New Beetle in 1998. Volkswagen announced a while back the 2019 model year would be the end of the line for the Beetle, and that became official on July 9, 2019, when the final production Beetle rolled off the assembly line in Mexico.

The final 2019 Beetle is a Denim Blue coupe that will remain on display at the VW museum in Puebla, Mexico. Before this final model rolled off the production line, VW also produced two final U.S.-spec Beetles in Kings Red with custom dashboards, keys, and quilted seats. These models will never see the pavement, though, as they will go directly to the Volkswagen of America collection of historic vehicles.

Volkswagen will now turn its Puebla assembly plant’s focus to the most in-demand segment in North America today: the compact SUV. The Puebla plant will become the production home for a new small crossover that’ll sit under the recently enlarged and redesigned Tiguan. We expect this model to be an Americanized version of the Chinese-spec Tharu, which goes by Tarek in South America. The current Tharu/Tarek subcompact crossover is 175.3 inches long, putting a healthy 10-inch gap between it and the Tiguan. Production should kick off in 2021, according to reports.

Keep it locked here for updates on the upcoming subcompact VW crossover.