Before you begin reading this review, ask yourself a couple of questions. Do you want to buy a large, imposing SUV? Once you buy it, will all five seats be occupied for the most part?
If the answer to both questions is ‘Yes’, you shouldn’t look at the Volkswagen Taigun (but please do read the review anyway). On the other hand, if you’re looking at a compact SUV that will seat four adults in comfort and, importantly, be a lot of fun to drive, then the Taigun presents itself as a car that you should definitely check out.
I can tell you straight away from my short time with it that it’s a proper driver’s car, and even though it isn’t as well-specced out as its Korean competition, it’s got a lot going for it.
A little background first. The Taigun is an extremely important car for Volkswagen, and given that it’s being flung into the heat of the hugely competitive mid-size SUV segment, it has its task very clearly cut out for it.
Let’s talk about the looks
Part of that competition is the Skoda Kushaq, which is its sibling, since both cars are based on the extensively localised MQB A0 IN platform and share the 1-litre and 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engines. The two stablemates do look quite different, both inside and out, and there’s no mistaking the Taigun for anything but a Volkswagen (except from the side).
The Taigun is a fresher take on the Tiguan, in many ways. It has the same square, rugged appearance, with clean lines all over, but with a lot more pizazz (not to mention chrome – there’s lashings of it on the grille and below the tailgate). It’s a youthful car, in that sense, and although I think there’s too much chrome on it, Indian customers like the stuff.
In profile, it does look like the Kushaq, since the two SUVs share parts such as doors, mirrors, and roof rails, but once you look at the rear, I think you’ll agree it’s the best part of the Taigun. Those tail lights, connected by a long light strip, look like Robocop in person, and I really like the way the rear has been put together.
Moving onto interiors …
The cabin looks and feels more upmarket than the Kushaq’s, which is a good thing since the Taigun is likely to be a bit more expensive. The 8-inch digital instrument cluster on the top-spec GT automatic I was driving looks crisp and tasteful, although if I’m honest I have to say that I prefer the analogue dials on the variant with a manual gearbox.
The list of equipment in the cabin is par for the course for this segment, but not top-of-the-class; kudos to Volkswagen for providing electronic stability control across variants, however. You also get 6 airbags as standard, plus an electronic differential and brake disc wiping; in the top-spec variant, you also get a side and curtain airbags.
This one also gets a sunroof, wireless charging, auto headlights, push-button start, climate control, cruise control, and others. Weirdly, though, the GT doesn’t get ventilated seats, but the non-GT variants do.
The plastics on offer are rather hard, and there are no soft-touch materials on the dashboard, but on the plus side the plastics do feel like they won’t fade and will last a long time. The seats are excellent, at least for a person of my height (6 feet), but as I mentioned earlier, this is a 4-seater at best – three adults in the 2nd row will simply not be comfortable.
Leg and headroom are ample, and there are a number of storage spaces as well. The boot will swallow enough luggage for a decent road trip for four.
Now, the performance
Whatever the perceived pluses and minuses of the cabin, most of those will become irrelevant when you start the car up and set off. I was at the wheel of the variant with the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol, with 150 bhp and 250 Nm of torque, and it really is a brilliantly entertaining engine.
A 0-100 kph run will be dismissed in about 9 seconds, and if you keep the pedal mashed to the metal, you’ll easily see close to 200 kph on the speedometer. The 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox is a fine ally, shifting crisply and holding revs just long enough for the Taigun to fully explore its rev band. Progress from any speed is smooth and rapid, and with the paddle shifters, it’s possible to play boy-racer in a most entertaining manner.
The suspension is probably the jewel in the crown of the Taigun. It’s absolutely sure-footed, feels planted in all conditions and is delightfully agile, with sharp brakes to boot. There is very little body roll on display, and grip from the tyres is impressive even at the limit; the steering wheel is also sharp and full of feedback, letting you know exactly what’s going on.
All of this sharpness doesn’t come at the cost of passenger comfort, either. The Taigun absorbs pretty much anything the road throws at it, with only the worst craters seeping through a bit into the cabin. NVH levels are also very well controlled. The top-spec automatic GT gets 17-inch wheels, while the manual GT gets 16-inchers; the ride quality shouldn’t be too different, however.
The Taigun will be launched in September this year, and word is that pricing will be in the range of Rs 10.5 lakh to Rs 18.5 lakh, ex-showroom. There will likely be a premium of around Rs 20,000 over the Kushaq, which will be worth it, in my view.
For the money, the Taigun is a flashy, fun, and dynamically sorted compact SUV, and is ideal for those who don’t want a car that’s too big (or too Korean, as the case may be). It is – along with the Kushaq – the most fun-to-drive SUV in its segment, and for that reason alone I’m a fan.
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