Opel is expected to launch a crossover based on the Astra K

The range of crossovers from Opel will evolve in a similar way to the North American one of General Motors. Although they will differ in the presence of a fourth tier, the German brand will have, just like Chevrolet in the United States, two more above the one already covered by the Trax and the Mokka.

The third will be the luxury SUV announced by GM’s CEO, Mary Barra, in November 2014, and the second, of mid-size, has just been confirmed by the Dutch magazine Autovisie through manufacturer sources. The publication has verified that it is included in the DRIVE!2022 plan of targets for Opel and forms part of the 27 new models with which it will strengthen its offering.

The confirmation fits with the data obtained last week by Automotive News from General Motors regarding the future crossovers of Chevrolet aimed at the North American market. The next generation of the Equinox, the crossover in the C segment that the bow-tie brand sells in America, will be built on the global platform used by the new Cruze –not available in Europe– and the Opel Astra K.

The new Equinox will thus become a comparable product that will join the lineup of the Rüsselsheim company. In an interview with the French magazine Challenges, the engineer responsible for developing the Astra K, Horst Bormann, considered this same model one of the most likely derivatives of the compact’s architecture. Autovisie states that the German counterpart of the Chevrolet Equinox will use the same engines as the Astra, but it has not managed to find out the timeframe Opel is considering for its launch.

The introduction of the model into the strategy of Opel responds to the strength of a segment that still shows no signs of stagnation or weakness. With most of its competitors already competing for part of the share, the German brand could not afford to stay absent, and this car will give it the opportunity to rival the leaders of this niche such as the Nissan Qashqai, the Kia Sportage or the Volkswagen Tiguan.

Via | Autovisie