Go beyond the ordinary with this revised SUV from a German major

The Taigun from Volkswagen has had a steady run in India, although its Korean counterparts stole the show with their long list of standard features. Volkswagen India has now hit back with the Taigun, which gets a lot of new features and a brand-new aircon system with a variable compressor that does wonders with its cooling capabilities. For those who value quality along with style, the new VW Taigun delivers with some panache.

On the exteriors, the most significant change is the new illuminated front and rear logos. At the rear, you also get that ‘connected’ tail lamp bar, which every manufacturer is now implementing in their design. Sleeker LED headlamps, a smaller grille and slightly revised exteriors give the Taigun a sleek, smart appearance. It is easily the best-looking SUV in its segment.

Inside, the changes are much more apparent. The driver’s side uses the same 10.25-inch display as before, but it has been upgraded in terms of software and is very slick in operation. Ditto for the infotainment screen, which is quite intuitive to adjust. Surprisingly, ADAS features are absent, though the management has hinted that it could be in the works. New this time round is the panoramic sunroof, which fills the cabin with a good amount of natural light. Not so cool, however, is the absence of rear window sunshades, which means the rear passengers don’t get much protection on hot days. And oh yes – front parking sensors are available on top versions now, but a 360-degree rear camera is missing. You will be thankful for one thing, though – the aircon has been improved drastically with a new variable scroll compressor and the cooling is excellent on very hot days as well, which we experienced during our Udaipur to Jaipur drive. The ventilated front seats work well, and the overall combination keeps you cool even on torrid days. The boot is classified at 385 litres, but in reality is quite practical and holds a lot of luggage.

The 1.5-litre engine remains the same mechanically, but the 1.0-litre is the powertrain that gets a major change. The latter gets a new 8-speed automatic tranny, over the previous 6-speed iteration. The first few ratios are ideally short to run in city traffic – the 1.0-litre engine is known for its torquey nature from low revs, and the 8-speed takes full advantage of that with great tractability that never finds you wanting in day-to-day traffic. Find an open area and push the accelerator hard, and the 3-cylinders give a nice growl as they charge up to their redline. The new transmission handles this quite admirably, and we would go a step further to state that this combo works great for most of your daily requirements. Suspension, in true VW style, is well sorted, and the vehicle feels well-planted even at very high speeds.

The new version of the Taigun sees a lot of improvement, especially in essentials like air-conditioning and new transmission options. Sure, it does miss out on features like ADAS and a 360-camera, but then we are confident that this will be rectified soon – and oh yes, VW – please put in those rear window blinds as well!

Prices start at ₹11 lakh, ex-showroom.

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