Volkswagen has launched the long-awaited Taigun SUV in India at an introductory price of Rs 10.50 lakh (ex-showroom, India). The midsize SUV is available in two distinct variant lines - Dynamic Line and Performance Line. The Dynamic Line includes three trim levels - Comfortline, Highline and Topline, while the Performance Line includes two trims - GT and GT Plus. The Taigun comes with four engine-gearbox combinations to choose from. Given below are the variant-wise prices.
- Powered by 115hp, 1.0 TSI and 150hp, 1.5 TSI engines
- Rivals Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos
Volkswagen Taigun: exterior and interior design
Up front, the Taigun features large LED headlights with DRLs, a two-slat chrome grille and chrome inserts on the lower part of the bumper. At the rear, the tail-light cluster runs across the width of the tailgate and there’s even more chrome garnishing on the bumper below.
The Volkswagen Taigun is available with 5 colour options - Wild Cherry Red, Curcuma Yellow, Candy White, Reflex Silver and Carbon Steel Grey.
On the inside, while the switchgear may be identical to the Skoda Kushaq's, the Taigun has a more minimalistic interior theme, with the infotainment screen integrated in the dashboard and a different design for the AC vents. The trim elements on the dashboard are also notably different.
Volkswagen Taigun: features on offer
In terms of features, the Taigun SUV's top-spec GT Plus variant gets a 10-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the My Volkswagen connect app, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, leatherette upholstery, ambient lighting, automatic climate control, USB Type-C ports, wireless charging pad, cooled glovebox, a sunroof, cooled front seats and 17-inch alloys.
On the safety front, the Taigun comes with six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC (standard across all trims), hill-hold control, tyre pressure deflation warning, parking camera, and ISOFIX child seat mounts.
The Taigun comes with a 4-year/1,00,000km standard warranty that can be extended to 7-years/1,50,000km. There's also service value packages on offer, which are priced at Rs 21,999 for the 1.0 TSI MT variants, Rs 23,999 for 1.5 TSI variants and Rs 27,999 for the 1.0 TSI AT variants. Volkswagen also revealed that it has recieved 12,221 pre-bookings for the Taigun so far.
Volkswagen Taigun: engine and gearbox options
Volkswagen is offering the Taigun with two TSI turbo-petrol engine options – a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder unit that produces 115hp and 175Nm of torque and a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder unit that’s good for 150hp and 250Nm. Both engines come with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard. However, they get different automatic gearbox options, with the 1.0 TSI getting a 6-speed torque converter and the 1.5 TSI getting a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. The 1.5 TSI engine also features fuel-saving cylinder deactivation technology. The Volkswagen Taigun’s powertrain options are identical to that of the Skoda Kushaq.
Volkswagen Taigun: competition check
In comparison to its Skoda counterpart, the Kushaq, the Taigun's starting price is the same but, it is Rs 10,000 cheaper at the top-end. Furthermore, there are only minor differences in price for the variants in between.
Apart from the Kushaq, the Volkswagen Taigun takes on other midsize SUVs like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Nissan Kicks, Maruti Suzuki S-cross and Renault Duster. The Taigun will also have to contend with the larger-in-size Tata Harrier and MG Hector in this segment.
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