Volkswagen has unveiled a new SUV concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit called as the CrossBlue. If it goes into production, it would sit above the Tiguan and below the Touareg in the Volkswagen SUV line-up.

The CrossBlue features a plug-in hybrid powertrain that combines a 190PS TDI engine with two electric motors, a six-speed DSG transmission, and an electric all-wheel-drive system dubbed as ‘propshaft by wire’.

Painted in ‘CrossBlue Glass Flake’, the concept is 4,987 mm long, 2,015 mm wide, and 1,733 mm high.  A wide track of 1,686 mm (front) and 1,696 mm (rear) give it a confident stance on the road, as do 21-inch alloy wheels, and flared wheel arches.

The CrossBlue has two ‘fuel doors’: one for the diesel tank on the passenger side, and one covering two electrical sockets on the driver’s side.  The first socket is to charge the lithium-ion battery and the second can be used to connect electrical devices.  

While the CrossBlue concept car is equipped with six individual seats in three rows, in a production version, the second row would have the option of three seats to make it a full seven-seater.

The CrossBlue's powertrain produces up to 305 PS and 700 Nm of torque and can achieve a 0 to 100 km/h run in an estimated time of 7.0 seconds, while the top speed is 204km/h, or 120km/h in electric mode

"The CrossBlue concept is exactly the right type of vehicle for the U.S. market," said Jonathan Browning, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. "It combines a truly versatile interior layout with sophisticated Volkswagen design, to give a unique and supremely stylish offering in this segment."