2021 Volkswagen Taigun review, driving impressions, verdict

What’s attention-grabbing is that the GT manual and GT automatic are specced really differently. A Volkswagen official uncovered that the carmaker would like to make the GT manual “more accessible”, while buyers looking to get an automatic normally are not averse to shelling out a more substantial premium for the sake of usefulness and gear.

Volkswagen Taigun: what is it like on the exterior?

First things initial, the Taigun is not the premier of the midsize SUVs on sale in India. Marginally shorter and narrower than a Hyundai Creta, the Taigun doesn’t very have the butch street presence that numerous buyers could associate with an SUV. That explained, the Taigun is stylish and present-day and is interesting in the steel. 

Heavy dollops of chrome have been included to cater to the taste of domestic buyers.

The glance is unmistakably Volkswagen, with clean up lines and an unfussy design and style language. The a few-slat chrome grille that athletics an oversized VW symbol seamlessly blends into the significant headlamp clusters, although the lifted, squared-out bonnet immediately one-way links the Taigun to the a lot more premium Tiguan. There’s a generous use of chrome up front that’s explained to have been included in line with Indian preferences. Having said that, if you like your German automobiles understated, you are going to uncover there is too a lot bling on the Taigun.

It appears to be stylish and present-day, but it lacks the butch charm that buyers find in an SUV.

The Taigun has a clean up-lower silhouette, with the long wheelbase (a class-major 2,651mm) and small overhang stance most evident in profile. Commendably, it is only at the sides that you could quite possibly error a Taigun for a Kushaq. The two designs share, doorways, mirrors, roof rails, shark-fin antenna and even feature the very same physique cladding. Inside of the Taigun GT line, the automatic is distinguishable by its 17-inch diamond-lower wheels, although the GT manual can make do with scaled-down, single-tone16-inchers.

The most striking factor is its rear styling, with the infinity LED tail-lamps nestled in a exceptional smoked bezel.

The Taigun’s most exclusive angle is its tail-end. Nestled in a significant, smoked bezel sit interesting LED tail-lamps that are linked by a purposeful light bar, which runs the width of the tailgate. The tail-lights glance specially interesting when lit and surface off of a futuristic idea automobile. Including a lot more flash at the back are the chrome elaborations on the rear bumper that are intended to mimic twin exhaust housings.

Volkswagen Taigun: what is it like on the inside?

The Taigun can make a constructive initial effect the instant you shut the door, which closes with a reassuring thud, anything we’ve occur to associate with VW automobiles. Within, you are going to uncover yourself in a really modern Volkswagen cabin. The dashboard is specially great, with a seamlessly integrated, higher-set touchscreen and a satisfying combine of components. There are no soft-contact plastics on the dash but faux carbon-fibre inserts and a ceramic-like panel on the fascia increase some temperament inside. Interestingly, the gloss panel is also readily available in pink with sure physique colours – lively or overkill, it is a element that will divide view.

Red inserts readily available with sure exterior paint selections could not have a universal charm.

Including a lot more colour to the cabin is the 8.-inch coloured electronic instrument cluster that’s portion of the deal on the GT car. Whilst interesting and effortless to go through, it is not a widescreen unit like Audi’s Virtual Cockpit only the central monitor (out of the a few) is configurable, although the kinds on the aspect are dummies. The GT manual model has less complicated analogue dials with a relatively fundamental monochrome MID. Other great bits involve the really sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel and the contact-operable climate management panel, which appears to be premium and is effortless to use.

8.-inch electronic instrument cluster is effortless on the eyes exhibit selections are limited.

The match-complete is respectable in most locations, and even while the plastics are challenging, they come to feel sound and built to very last. The cabin expertise is, nonetheless, dampened by the roof lining, which feels low-rent the uncovered sunroof railings are an eyesore and the strip of dummy buttons underneath the touchscreen glance out of area in a car of this segment. Also, although the backlit automatic gear selector appears to be premium, it is not correctly equipped and tends to rock about aspect to aspect.

Backlit automatic gear selector appears to be premium, but it isn’t really correctly equipped and tends to rock aspect to aspect.

The Taigun GT’s seats are comfortable and properly trimmed, and there is enough adjustment on offer you to uncover the right seating situation. What’s also great is that the rear seat is spacious and there is enough light filtering by way of, thanks to the low window line. The rear bench is supportive and the backrest is properly contoured to offer you a sure diploma of lateral assist. For India, Volkswagen has decreased the peak of the central floor hump (a construction that presents rigidity to the physique), included an adjustable head restraint, as nicely as a a few-place seatbelt for the center passenger. Owing to the car’s narrow width, nonetheless, this seat is a lot more suited for two grownups, than a few.

Properly contoured, supportive rear bench ample knee- and legroom on offer you nonetheless, the seat isn’t really broad plenty of to accommodate a few grownups.

There are a good deal of storage provisions throughout the cabin, like large door bins, a significant wireless charging pad to hold a smartphone, cupholders, seatback pockets, and even the boot is a lot more accommodating than what its 330 litres could recommend. The rear seats split sixty:forty, must you require a lot more baggage room.

Red ambient lights is tastefully executed.

Volkswagen Taigun: what gear does it occur with?

What’s outstanding is that all variants of the Taigun get electronic security management as conventional, alongside with required kit like Ab muscles with EBD, dual airbags and reverse parking sensors.

Slick 10-inch touchscreen wireless Android Car and Apple CarPlay are a welcome inclusion.

Volkswagen’s new 10-inch touchscreen is slick to work, and wireless Android Car and Apple CarPlay are a welcome inclusion. It also packs in pre-loaded apps this sort of as Gaana that operate working with your smartphone’s internet. In addition to these, the GT manual is also equipped with a wireless charging pad, climate management, cruise management, sixteen-inch alloys and a reverse camera. The GT automatic goes a number of ways forward and gives car LED headlamps, 17-inch alloys, thrust-button commence, car dimming inside mirror, a electronic instrument cluster, sunroof, and aspect and curtain airbags. Curiously, the non-GT variants also get ventilated front seats, although the GT variants never. These are probable to make it in the gear checklist further more down the line, we’ve been explained to.

Volkswagen Taigun: what is it like to drive?

The Taigun GTs will be the initial port of phone for keen motorists. A portion of the EA211 EVO engine family, the GT’s 1,498cc turbocharged petrol unit develops 150hp at five,000-6,000rpm and a max torque of 250Nm at 1,600-3,500rpm. This engine feels energetic right from the get go, and since of the wide spread of max torque decreased down the rev assortment, you can merrily amble around town with no shelling out attention to which gear you’re in. Generate with a weighty foot on the accelerator and the Taigun does create tempo swiftly, albeit in a really linear fashion. You won’t get that thrust back into your seat but progress is potent. There is a downside to winding this engine, as it receives very vocal once the revs cross 3,500rpm, and this boomy character can get very intrusive on a more time drive.

Calm cruising or mild drives, on the other hand, will activate the engine’s cylinder on need technological innovation, wherein it shuts off two of its four cylinders to lessen fuel usage. The method functions so unobtrusively that, except you glance at the exhibit on the MID, you won’t even realise when the engine is operating on two cylinders. Prodding the accelerator pedal a little bit more difficult has the engine back to firing on all cylinders (pun meant).

The GT auto’s seven-velocity dual-clutch transmission is an update model of the DQ200 gearbox, which did obligation in the old Polo GT TSI and the preceding-gen Octavia 1.8 TSI. What’s great is that its sleek character continues to be unchanged. The shifts are seamless and, in D method, it feels keen to shift to the maximum ratio attainable in the interest of fuel performance so you are going to usually uncover yourself in fifth or even sixth gear although pottering around town. In Sport method, it holds the gears a little bit more time for crisper, a lot more instant responses. The Taigun capabilities paddleshifters too and although the gearbox functions relatively properly for the most portion, you are going to uncover yourself achieving for the remaining paddle only when you abruptly place your foot down and the gearbox usually takes a second or so to react.

6-velocity manual is very sleek and has small throws.

The MQ281 6-velocity manual is the a person that’ll tug at the heartstrings of driving lovers. The small-toss gearbox is sleek and can make the activity of rowing by way of the gears a breeze. And although the engine feels speedy with the DSG automatic, it feels even a lot more energetic in the manual guise, usually egging the driver to spin this engine and discover its power band all the way to 6,500rpm. The clutch pedal nonetheless is springy in its motion and the excess weight is a little bit a lot more than what you’d have expected in a car of this dimensions.

The GT manual model receives halogen headlamps and scaled-down, sixteen-inch alloys.

As talked about, wherever the manual rides on sixteen-inch wheels, the automatic rides on 17-inchers. Having said that there is not a perceptible variation in their experience consolation. The great information is that experience high quality is outstanding and the Taigun usually takes the potholes in its stride relatively competently. Highway security is rock-sound and the Taigun maintains its composure at all instances, with limited physique motion.

Its chassis is thirty per cent stiffer than the present-day Polo’s and that is really evident when pushed with verve.

This MQB A0 IN platform is explained to be thirty per cent stiffer than the outgoing Polo’s platform, and the consequence is rather evident when driving this SUV with verve. It tackles corners with fantastic poise, in a really well balanced fashion, and feels really nimble from guiding the wheel. The Taigun really surprises you with the amount of money of grip it has around corners, and it doesn’t roll as a lot as you would have expected in a car in which you are sat comparatively higher previously mentioned the floor. The steering is light, so it is great and effortless in the town, and it weighs up sufficiently at highway speeds.

Generate a Taigun on a winding street and the zesty engine and keen dealing with are sure to be the major takeaways for you.

Volkswagen Taigun: should you invest in a person?

So, must you be fascinated in the Taigun? If it really is a major and beefy SUV you want, or will be travelling with all five seats occupied usually, the Taigun will not be the right pick for you. That getting explained, the Taigun is a comfortable 4-seater and it does glance stylish, both equally exterior and inside. Of course, it really is not as nicely equipped as its Korean rivals and there are some symptoms of price-slicing too, but on the furthermore aspect, it feels as tricky as you’d expect a German SUV to. 

Where by the Taigun really appeals is in the driving division. The 1.five-litre engine is potent, and coupled with the comfortable experience and crisp dealing with, this a enjoyment SUV to drive. The scaled-down-hearted Taigun 1. TSIs also guarantee great bang for your buck. We expect pricing in the assortment of Rs 10.five -fourteen lakh (ex-showroom) for the 1. versions, although the 1.five MT will probable commence at Rs 15.five lakh, with the assortment-topping DSG versions coming in at Rs 18 lakh. 

Only a complete blown comparison with rivals will explain to us ultimately wherever the Taigun suits in, but if it really is a sound, innovative and sporty midsize SUV you want, the Taigun could be the a person for you.

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Volkswagen Taigun video evaluate