VOLKSWAGEN TAIGUN 1.5 TSI

VW makes some wise choices with the equipment which helps the Taigun come across as a more premium product than its sibling

- ROHIT PARADKAR

Type 999cc 3-cyl/ 1,498cc 4-cyl, turbo petrol

LxWxH (mm) 4,221x1,760x1,612mm

Max power 115PS@5,000rpm/ 150PS@5,000rpm

Price ₹11-18 lakh (estimated ex-showroom)

OD Rating

Max torque 178Nm@1,750-4,500rpm/ 250Nm@1,600-3,500rpm

Elegant design and more spacious than what the size suggests

Expected to be pricey

It was back in 2014 that Volkswagen showed their intentions of creating a compact crossover called the Taigun. It was a concept that was designed to take on the sub-4m segment and had everything one would ask of a crossover of that order - compact dimensions, sophisticated styling and even a spare wheel on the boot. But VW knew that to take on the new-age competition of the future, the Taigun would need a lot more space and tech than what the concept’s VW Up! PQ12 underpinnings (or even Polo’s PQ25 platform) would offer. This debate has cost them seven years, in which, the brand has managed to localise its more modular and advanced MQB platform - both in terms of cost as well as India-specific engineering. In this time, the Taigun that utilises this Indian-ised platform has also grown to compete with the mid-size crossovers and while it doesn’t set any new benchmarks, the Taigun certainly deserves your attention.