Volkswagen has truly become a people's car now. As its name denotes, here is the first people's car from Volkswagen, a true German SUV for just Rs 10.50 lakh.
Lessons from Hyundai
It was Hyundai that gave birth to the compact SUV concept through its Creta. The Creta targeted a large customer base with a single product and sold 15,000 units on average every month. The arrival of Kia Seltos from the same family and Skoda's Khushaq has not made any dent to the sales of the Creta. In August, 12,597 units of the Creta were sold, 8,619 units of Seltos and 2,904 units of Khushaq. The Taigun is aiming to make an impact in the segment that also includes Maruti S-Cross and Nissan Kicks and altogether sells about 30,000 units a month.
Truly German
Though Volkswagen has made a late entry into the segment, what makes it different is the quality of German engineering. Who won't be impressed when a complete German SUV is available for less than Rs 11 lakh. Though not in the same league as the Tiguan and the Tiguan AllSpace, the Taigun is definitely Volkswagen. Don't wonder if you were fooled into thinking that it is one of those Volkswagen SUVs that cost more than double the price of a Taigun.
India 2.0 project
All carmakers are in the India 2.0 mode. Volkswagen too has shifted into the 2.0 mode. As part of the strategy, the Taigun will be fully made in its Chakan plant near Pune and is 95% localised. This make in India plan has definitely helped Volkswagen to keep the costs low. The vehicle is built on the Volkswagen Group's famous MQB platform's variant, the MQB A0 IN. Though it looks big, the Taigun is smaller than the Creta in length and width.
A Looker
The Taigun has an appealing design and is bigger than expectations but at the same time it is also compact. Though it is a bit smaller in length and width than its rivals, it doesn't reflect in the interior. The main reason is the wheelbase; it has the longest wheelbase in the segment at 2,651 mm.
The front looks quite imposing with the muscular elevated bonnet and helps in providing it a large SUV stance. A three-slat grille, large logo and head lamp cluster are integrated within the frame of the grille to make it look like one single unit. Below the LED head lamp, the fog lamps are fixed on the bumper. A chrome strip runs across the black bumper. The GT automatic gets 17-inch alloy wheels, while the manual gets 16-inch alloys. The Infinity LED tail lamps are the highlight of the rear and the boot has 385 litres of space.
Premium
The Taigun has an attractive interior. The cherry red colour and the carbon fibre inserts provide a premium feel inside. Sporty red and white ambient lighting is tasteful. The 10-inch infotainment system has both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity and an eight-inch digital display for the driver. The seats are comfortable.
No diesel, only 2 petrols
The Taigun is offered in two petrol engine options -- a three-cylinder, 1.0-litre engine and a four-cylinder 1.5-litre turbo engine. The 1.0-litre engine gets both manual and six-speed automatic gearboxes while the 1.5-litre engine is mated to a six-speed manual and seven-speed DSG transmission.
Power packed
The GT 1.5 DSG is the pick of the lot. The 150 bhp of power and 250 Nm of torque on tap make it a strong performer and stays true to its GT badging. It is super refined too. But don't underestimate the 1.0-litre variant, which produces 115 bhp of power and 178 Nm of torque. The same engine and gearbox combination is doing commendable work in Polo GT too.
Test drive: EVM 9895764023
