Volkswagen Teramont

Model Overview

The Teramont is SAIC Volkswagen's flagship E-segment SUV. Since its local debut in 2017, it has quickly captured the market with its distinct "supersized dimensions and expansive cabin" proposition, consistently ranking among the best-selling joint-venture large SUVs. The current 2026 Teramont range is headlined by the Teramont Pro, which officially debuted in October 2025 in two powertrain variants: 380TSI and 450TSI. The official retail price across the range is pegged between RM299,900 and RM359,900; with the manufacturer's "fixed price" campaign, the effective entry price drops to RM259,900. Pitched as an "all-terrain full-sized 7-seater intelligent SUV" built for versatile long-distance touring, its key rivals include the Changan Ford Explorer, Dongfeng Nissan Pathfinder, and Toyota Highlander.

Design Language

The 2026 Teramont Pro showcases the "Wing of Clouds" signature design language, marrying Eastern aesthetics with digital tech. Up front, a full-width illuminated light bar connects the IQ.Light full-LED matrix headlamps on either side, complemented by an illuminated VW emblem and horizontal chrome accents to visually widen the vehicle's stance. Muscular bonnet creases paired with lower gloss-black honeycomb inserts and aerodynamic air curtains amplify its sporty edge. Down the flanks, clean and sturdy profile lines, a 5,158 mm overall length, and a 1,991 mm width lend it commanding road presence; the flush pop-out door handles have been uprated with heavy-duty breakaway force to easily crack through ice, eliminating the freeze-up woes common in freezing climates. At the rear, 3D full-width LED tail lamps and hidden exhaust outlets strike a neat balance between executive presence and family-friendly sophistication.

In terms of dimensions, the Teramont Pro measures 5,158 mm long, 1,991 mm wide, and 1,788 mm tall, riding on a 2,980 mm wheelbase. Five exterior paint finishes are available: Basalt Black, Polar White, Cloud Mountain Grey, Sunrise Purple, and Dune Brown.

Inside, the Teramont Pro features a layered, floating high-tech cockpit architecture. The dashboard gets extensive soft-touch upholstery paired with metallic trim accents, offered in three interior colour themes: Starry Night Black, Cloud Sea White, and Shining Star Black. The cabin centres around a 15-inch 2K floating touchscreen infotainment unit, a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and an 11.6-inch passenger entertainment display on higher-spec trims.

Powertrain & Performance

The 2026 Teramont Pro comes standard across the range with Volkswagen's Gen-5 EA888 2.0-litre TSI turbocharged engine, paired with a DQ501 7-speed wet dual-clutch (DSG) gearbox. It is offered in two output tunes:

• 380TSI (Standard Output): 157 kW (approx. 220 PS) and 340–350 Nm of peak torque. Combined WLTC fuel consumption is rated as low as 7.57 L/100 km.

• 450TSI (High Output): 200 kW (272 PS) and 400 Nm of peak torque. It completes the 0–100 km/h sprint in 7.6 seconds, with a combined WLTC fuel economy of 8.35 L/100 km.

The 450TSI variant comes equipped with 4MOTION intelligent all-wheel drive as standard. The powerplant adopts the Miller cycle and VTG (Variable Turbine Geometry) turbocharger technology (shared with Porsche), delivering max torque from just 1,500 rpm to completely banish turbo lag. The entire line-up runs on RON 95 petrol and is fitted with a 70-litre fuel tank.

Chassis & Handling

Underneath, the Teramont Pro employs front MacPherson struts and an independent multi-link rear suspension. The 450TSI variants feature the 4MOTION intelligent on-demand AWD system with an electro-hydraulic multi-plate clutch centre differential, dynamically distributing torque between the front and rear axles based on road conditions. Six selectable drive modes come standard: Sport, Eco, Standard/Comfort, Off-road, Snow, and Custom/Individual. Flagship variants gain DCC adaptive damping, with an optional continuous damping control package (priced at RM5,000). Ground clearance exceeds 210 mm alongside a 30° approach angle, providing decent rough-road clearance. Steering duties are handled by an electric power steering (EPS) rack, with the chassis tuned primarily for supple ride comfort and high-speed cruising stability.

Cabin & Equipment

The intelligent digital cockpit is a headline update for the 2026 Teramont Pro. Running on the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 processor, the infotainment system is backed by 12 GB RAM and 128 GB of on-board storage. It supports 5G connected-car services, OTA software updates, and AR heads-up navigation. For voice commands, it features a dual-AI large-language model voice assistant co-developed with Baidu (with integrated DeepSeek LLM capabilities), shaving response times down to under 0.8 seconds. Smartphone integration covers three major protocols: wireless Apple CarPlay, HUAWEI HiCar, and Baidu CarLife.

Seating comes in a practical 2+3+2 7-seater configuration. Both front seats boast 12-way power adjustments, ventilation, heating, 10-point massage, and memory settings; the front passenger side introduces a dedicated "Boss/Queen Seat" equipped with an electric ottoman leg rest for the first time. The second-row bench features fore-aft sliding and backrest recline adjustments, with seat heating fitted as standard. The third row delivers proper adult-friendly legroom and headroom, complete with dedicated rear air vents and USB-C charging ports. Boot capacity stands at 286 L in standard 7-seat mode, expanding to 1,310 L with the third row folded, and maxing out at a cavernous 2,427 L with both rear rows laid flat, offering a cargo load depth of roughly 2.3 metres. An opening panoramic glass sunroof, tri-zone climate control, and a 30-colour ambient lighting system are standard across all trims. Audiophiles are treated to a standard Harman Kardon sound system (9 speakers, with an optional 14-speaker premium surround setup available for RM5,100).

Safety & ADAS

On the safety front, the 2026 Teramont Pro is packed with 9 airbags, including a front-row centre airbag and full-length side curtain airbags that span across all three rows. The vehicle shell features 82.3% high-strength steel, with hot-stamped ultra-high-strength steel making up 26.8% of the structure, reinforced by over 7.28 metres of structural laser welding for exceptional torsional rigidity.

For advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), the Teramont Pro marks the debut of the next-gen IQ.Pilot Enhanced Driver Assist 2.0, offering Level 2+ semi-autonomous driving capability from 0 to 200 km/h. The package introduces Highway Navigation on Autopilot (Highway NOA) powered by binocular OCC vision algorithms and end-to-end neural network models, capably handling automated on/off-ramp merging, active obstacle dodging, sharp curve tracking, navigation-guided lane changes, and active overtaking lane suggestions. IQ.Pilot is bundled complimentary on top-spec variants and offered as an option on other trims for RM5,000. Other standard active safety kit includes a 360-degree surround-view monitor, front and rear parking sensors, Door Open Warning (DOW), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), and Hill Start Assist (HSA).

Market Performance & Editorial Verdict

The Teramont remains a definitive benchmark in China's large 3-row SUV segment. In 2025, the Teramont range registered annual retail volume close to 38,000 units, with the Pro variant accounting for over a third of deliveries. In August 2025, the Teramont nameplate shifted 3,182 units, placing 10th in the large SUV segment, followed by roughly 2,534 units in November 2025. In March 2026, the newly introduced 450TSI 4WD Navigation Edition hit showrooms with an attractive fixed price of RM299,900, further sweetening its value-for-money appeal.

Motoring media reviews consistently praise the Teramont's standout strengths: its class-leading cabin space (a generous 2,980 mm wheelbase with usable third-row seating for full-grown adults), the effortless punch and refined power delivery of the Gen-5 EA888 engine, and the high-tech highway capabilities of the IQ.Pilot ADAS suite. On the flip side, amid the aggressive onslaught of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) and shifting consumer tastes, the Teramont faces increasingly tough competition as a traditional petrol-powered large SUV. Built around the ethos of "evolving the intelligent ICE benchmark," the 2026 Teramont Pro leverages its Gen-5 EA888 mill, IQ.Pilot driver aids, Snapdragon 8155 smart cockpit, and competitive "fixed pricing" strategy to carve out a compelling, tech-driven ICE alternative in the competitive RM300,000-class family SUV arena.