Volkswagen's much anticipated Creta rival - the Taigun - will be in showrooms by mid 2021. Here's why it has the potential to warrant your close attention.
Volkswagen is all set to make its most committed assault on the Indian market yet. Finally out of hibernation & up for a fight, Germany's most successful car maker is leaving no stone unturned. At stake is not only the successful launch of the Taigun, but also the continuing growth of the brand in India. But can VW, with its higher cost structure & elevated quality levels, match rivals when it comes to specifications, features, size & price? Let's put the Taigun under the microscope.
ANTI-AGEING
FORMULA
First Up, the design, which as expected, is clinical, understated & anything but in your face. Designed by the elimination of the superfluous, VW's long-held anti-ageing formula, Taigun is a conventional-looking SUV. And that, as far as Indian car buyers are concerned, is a good thing. But it's also a VW, so it's no big surprise that the nose looks similar to its larger sister, the Tiguan. This is especially true head on, where the square bonnet & cliff-like nose follow the same template. The high-mounted headlights merge seamlessly with grille, horizontal line run across to accentuate the width and, for India, there's plenty of bling up front. Must say, the tiny chrome 'wedges' on the grille do catch the light nicely.
The area below the chin is more intricate. A stylised 'bull bar' runs across the bumper & curls back around the fog lights. There's plenty of matte black cladding around the chin & it even gets the ubiquitous faux skid plate. Question is, will VW's clinically designed nose draw enough attention, especially in light of flashier competition?
Around the side, the high bonnet, upright cabin & strong shoulder line, all work well. The nose is a bit stubby but since the wheels are the right size, the Taigun looks like a proper SUV. The shoulder line & waist are also nicely chiselled & there are some creases that catch the light at the bottom of the doors too.
The chunky nature of the design also stands out when you view the car from the rear. The wide base, with plenty of 'weight' in the bottom, sets the tone & the interlinked tail-lights help give it some individual character.
SPACE STATION
At 4.2 meters long the Taigun isn't very big on the outside, but space on the inside is more than sufficient. Built on a larger wheelbase than either the Creta or Seltos, VW has also made sitting in the back more pleasant by using a higher seating position. So, not only is there plenty of legroom at the rear, there's also space to put your feet under the front seats. Even the height of the central tunnel has been lowered, and the flatter floor helps give you a greater feeling of space. The higher-spec versions will get powered front seats, & with the high seating position, visibility will be good as well. The Taigun also gets a multi-layered dash. The large, 10-inch touchscreen on the centre console gets pride of place, and what should also delight Indian car buyers is the fully configurable digital instrument screen. Like Audi's Virtual Cockpit, this one can be configured to display a map, reams of driving information, traditional dials or a combination of the three. As we've seen on other VW SUVs, the screen is super-sharp, bright even in direct sunlight & so fluid, they look almost like physical dials. The Taigun will also get VW's new, high-quality flat-bottom steering wheel. Not sure the body-coloured will be to everyone's taste, though, especially the brighter shades.
Equipment is important, and will include a panoramic sunroof, leather seats,six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Wireless charging & Connected Car Tech. Cooled Seats, however, will get a miss.
Versions of this SUV in other markets also get features like 300-watt eight-channel Beats Audio sound system, active Lane-Keeping Assist,Radar-Based Cruise Control & a Degree of Autonomous Driving. So, the potential for VW to lead with features is there as well.
At 330Ltrs, Boot Space isn't massive, but the boot is wide & looks deep enough to hold two large bags or three strollers.
HIGH-TECH
ENGINES
Under the Hood, the Taigun will get two Petrol Engines. The mainstay will be a more powerful version of the 1.0Ltr TSI that powers the Vento & Polo. Expected to put out approximately 115HP (up from 110HP), this version will come with 6-Speed Manual & 6-Speed Torque Converter Automatic options. While VW's small-capacity 3-Cylinder Engine may not seem impressive at 1st glance, it is similar in output to Hyundai's naturally aspirated 1.5Ltr Petrol that powers the Creta. VW's 1.0, however, has a clear advantage when it comes to torque, making 200Nm VS the Creta 1.5's 144Nm.
The more powerful engine for the Taigun will be the 150Hp, 1.5Ltr TSI, which also has a 10Hp advantage over Hyundai's 1.4L Turbo. Top-End Versions of this SUV will come with a DSG Twin-Cluth Automatic gearbox, & from what we've seen on VW's T-ROC, you can expect strong performance & quick shifts. There will be no Diesel Engine, however - a fallout of VW's 'Dieselgate' emissions scandal. This will mean buyers who only want a Diesel will have to look elsewhere.
WORTH
WAITING FOR
The Taigun, expected to be launched toward the middle of 2021, promises a lot. Likely to be a spacious, comfortable, well-equipped & well specified, with a pair of powerful engines to boot, it has a lot going for it. It may not be the largest SUV in its class when it comes to overall length & there will be no Diesel, but priced competitively, somewhere in the Rs 10-18 Lakh (Ex-Showroom) bracket, the Taigun has a good shot at being the most desirable VW sold here yet.
ARYAN DIXIT
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