You Will See This Russian SUV Coming To You in 2021

A Russian SUV, in America, imported by an Italian truck manufacturer, and sharing a model name with an upcoming Volkswagen crossover? we need to elaborate on this, but first, you’re looking at the 2022 Bremach Taos, an SUV that the company wants to sell in America for just under $27,000.

Under the fresh-start rebranding, the Taos is really a UAZ Patriot—something unusual to us, maybe, but old hat to the Russians. The Patriot has been on sale since 2005. It’s a simple body-on-frame SUV, with chunky styling and angular headlights that vaguely recall the modern Suzuki Vitara. Like the Jeep Wrangler, the Taos features solid axles front and rear—a benefit for off-roading, but not the most advanced or comfortable arrangement for on-road missions. As you’d expect for a vehicle with old-school axles, there’s a real four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case. Its 108.0-inch wheelbase splits the difference between the two- and four-door Wranglers.

A 2.7-liter inline-four making 150 hp is the only available engine. It’s shared with the Patriot. Oh, the diesel version sold in Russia doesn’t appear to be making the leap across the lake. The transmission is a Punch 6L50 Powerglide automatic, a six-speed unit. If the “Powerglide” moniker got your notice, that’s because the Punch Group purchased a General Motors transmission plant in France that churns out six- and eight-speed units for sale to other companies, including UAZ, which only recently put the unit in its Patriot.

Inside, it’s … spartan, if we’re being kind. Photos reveal huge expanses of unadorned, presumably hard plastic, moulded into simple, generic shapes. No one expects a premium experience in a vehicle like this, and if go into the Taos with that mindset, you won’t be dissatisfied. There’s seating for five, at least, and even ISOFIX child seat anchors. Bremach promises a range of optional equipment, including differential lockers, an air suspension, blind-spot monitors, and an “Expedition Package” with an integrated winch and roof rack.

Standard TAOS features

• 7” touchscreen In-dash multimedia and navigation
• Front and rear heated leather seats
• 18” Sahara alloy wheels
• Multifunctional heated leather steering wheel
• MP3/USB Audio with 4 speakers
• Heated front windshield and side mirrors
• Air conditioned / cooled glove box
• 6-Speed Automatic transmission
• LTE / Wi-Fi (modem)
• USB / SD and Bluetooth
• Remote ignition

Standard Safety Systems:

• Rearview camera with dynamic guidelines
• Front and rear parking sensors
• Anti-lock braking systems (ABS)
• Electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD)
• Driver and passenger advanced airbags
• Electronic Stability Program (ESP), aka Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a computerized technology improving vehicle stability by detecting and reducing the loss of traction (skidding), one of the many TAOS components made by Bosch
• LED daytime running lights, and front fog lights
• Cornering Brake Control (CBC), introduced by BMW and Mercedes-Benz, as a further development and expansion of the anti-lock braking system, designed to distribute braking force during braking while cornering
• Hydraulic Brake Assist System (HBA)
• Electronically controlled two (2) speed transfer case offering High or Low ratio gearing during 4×4 operation (via rotary knob in photo)
• Eaton electronic rear locking differential (Optional, not Standard)
• Rare body-on-frame design
• Considerable ground clearance (8.26 inches) wading depth (19.68 inches), approach (35 degrees), and decent (30 degrees)
• Numerous off-road accessories (eg, snorkels, lift kits, bull bar, cable winches, etc)
• Optional manual transmission available

And what about Bremach’s bankruptcy? The Italian truck manufacturer had been producing rugged commercial trucks for decades but closed in 2018. Its American branch remained and has partnered with UAZ after discussions with other automakers, including some in China, for a vehicle to import and sell in the U.S. That said, the Taos itself is still seemingly in the process of getting all its necessary regulatory approvals—we’ve reached out to Bremach to get a better sense of where the Taos is in this process. And we’re questioning how Volkswagen feels about the name, too.

Provided everything goes according to Bremach’s plan, the Taos will go on sale in 2021, and a pickup counterpart called the Brio will join it later with a slightly more high-priced tag. Bremach is currently taking refundable deposits for those interested in its little off-roader.