The recent unveiling of the India-spec Volkswagen Taigun ahead of the Auto Expo 2020 confirms that the carmaker is all set to enter the mid-size SUV segment. The production model of the car will launch in 2021 and it will resemble closely to the Skoda’s Vision IN concept. Both the SUVs will be the first products under the MQB A0 IN platform that will also form the basis of other future products for India.
The design of the Volkswagen Taigun SUV echoes the international T-Cross SUV, though the car is longer for India with more rear-seat space and enhanced comfort. The 2,651mm wheelbase is about 100mm longer than the Euro-spec T-Cross. The India-spec model of the VW Taigun has 205mm of ground clearance. The brand has worked on the design elements too. The bonnet of the SUV gets a more angular look while the brand has used a lot of chrome on the grille and bumpers.
Inside the car, it sports a multi-layered dashboard that places the touchscreen infotainment system high-up and in-line with the all-digital instrument cluster. There is a good and solid feel to all controls that looks neat throughout. The rear seat also looks decently good with reasonable legroom. In terms of features, the VW Taigun gets an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system which is further expected to get new-gen connectivity features. The SUV will come loaded with ample safety equipment that would be closely related to Latin America-specVW T-Cross that received a 5-star safety rating from Latin NCAP.
Mechanically, we are expecting the SUV to be powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that produces 130HP of maximum power. There will be no diesel engine option but the brand may consider launching a CNG variant to minimise the running costs. The products by VW have always been priced on the higher side when compared to their respective rivals but we can expect the things to change with the launch of Taigun in the Indian market.
