Drove the Volkswagen Taigo recently, which joins the T-Cross and T-Roc as Volkswagen’s trio of compact SUVs in the A0 SUV segment. By the end of 2022, Volkswagen’s T SUV range will consist of seven models namely the T-Cross, Taigo, T-Roc, Tiguan, Tiguan Allspace, Tiguan R (launching in the local market in the third quarter of 2022) and Touareg.
Taigo derives its name from a combination of ‘tiger’ and ‘Taiga’, which is a forest in the Northern Hemisphere. Taigo symbolises strength, outdoors and adventure. The SUV’s name starts with the letter ‘T’ and follows Volkswagen’s naming convention for its SUVs in South Africa.
The new Volkswagen Taigo is a good looking SUV, and impresses with its trendy crossover body style, raised seating position and pioneering connectivity. Numerous driver assistance systems guarantee comfort and a high level of safety for all passengers. It offers a lovely drive, and the DSG gearbox, auto of course is sublime. Smooth changing, and the Taigo has a zip around town, that belies it’s diminutive engine size.
The cabin is very attractive and comfortable, albeit a little tight in the rear. With full LED headlights, a digital cockpit and the latest generation of infotainment systems, the Taigo sets high technology standards in its class. The Taigo will be offered with Volkswagen’s popular tilting and sliding panoramic sunroof.
Standard features of the Taigo Life 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG® include LED headlights and LED tail lights, a Digital Cockpit, 6.5-inch Composition Colour infotainment system, App-Connect, We Connect Go, front centre armrest with a USB-C interface, multi-function leather steering wheel, electric foldable exterior mirrors with heating function and 16-inch Belmopan alloy wheels. Exterior highlights include an individualised front section with a chrome-look crossbar, projection light from the exterior mirrors and black roof rails. This is quite a comprehensive feature list and goes up exponentially with each model.
In addition to the standard features in the Life derivative, the Taigo Style 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG® also comes standard with IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights, ambient lighting, 17-inch Aberdeen alloy wheels, Park Distance Control in the front and rear, Dynamic Light Assist, 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro, Active Info Display and an 8-inch Composition Media infotainment system. The Style is differentiated from the rest of the range by the rear bumper which has a chrome strip, a silver diffuser and silver anodised roof rails.
In addition to the standard features in the Style, the Taigo R-Line comes standard with a black headliner, stainless steel pedals, privacy glass for rear side windows and rear windows as well as 17-inch Valencia alloy wheels. The top-of-the-range Taigo’s bumpers are distinguished by their striking R-Line design. In the front bumper, the high-gloss black cross and longitudinal bars of the air intakes convey a unique and charismatic sense of dynamism. This sets the R-Line apart from it’s siblings and gives it a sporty and chic feel.
VW have their boxes ticked with a range of SUV’s that cover most segments. All their products are well built, hence their popularity. This range will hopefully fill the gaps in sales from the Golf and Polo, which according to Global trends, are moving towards SUV’s. The Taigo is another winner for VW, and only price can possibly hold them back.
Pricing (VAT and emissions tax included)
Taigo Life 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG® R429 900
Taigo Style 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG® R464 100
Taigo R-Line 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG® R486 000
The Volkswagen Taigo comes standard with a 3 year/120 000km warranty, a 3 year/ 45 000km EasyDrive Service Plan and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.