Volkswagen Brazil is killing the Fox hatchback for one of the lamest reasons possible. Volkswagen needs its Fox production line to crank out more T-Cross models because even a practical, little hatch is powerless against the onslaught of sport utility vehicles. And what does the Fox say? Well, nothing. Not anymore. Are you happy, SUVs? Are you happy now?
The Fox did enjoy a storied 18-year run in its native market. It’s one of those VW models that was proudly Brazilian, having been designed and developed there. Over 2 million Foxes were produced in Brazil, and about 500,000 of these were exported to various Latin American markets and Europe. There were different versions, too, like the Fox Xtreme, the Fox Connect, and the SpaceFox. But no StarFox, I’m afraid.
I first ran across the Fox when the Mexican model was bombing around the border in the mid-to-late aughts. The version sold in Mexico was the CrossFox, which added a little off-road flavor to the hatchback’s appearance. It probably wouldn’t be anyone’s pick for hitting hard trails, but it seemed like a decent car for driving over dirt roads south of the border. And with its fender cladding, tall(ish) stance, and full-size spare, it looked pretty sweet. The CrossFox even came from the factory with a bull bar and fog lights!
The Fox could be fitted with a five-speed manual transmission, and later with a six-speed MT. In Brazil, it could be configured either with a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine or a 1.4-liter four-cylinder. Drivers in Brazil could also get an I4 diesel engine.
The Fox’s chassis was ancient, though, as it predates even the MQB platform. So, I get why VW is killing it, but considering the sheer amount of SUVs from the German carmaker, it’s a little sad to see the Fox killed for yet another SUV that hardly differs from its stablemates.
