October 2021 - Volkswagen Taigun Petrol Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Volkswagen Taigun Petrol?

The pros or advantages of Taigun petrol are:

• 1.0L turbo petrol engine has a better torque curve and output than the base 1.5L normal petrol engines available in the segment

• Because of the sub-1.0L displacement, this engine will save you some cash on insurance every year

• A decent list of features like ventilated seats, full-colour instrument cluster, cruise control, sunroof, 3-point seatbelts for all occupants, TPMS, etc.

• Typical German build quality, which we’ve come to expect from Volkswagen

• 1.5L turbo petrol engine gets fuel-saving cylinder-deactivation technology

• Good-to-excellent fuel efficiency figures for both petrol engines are either better or on par for the segment

The Volkswagen Taigun petrol has the following shortcomings or problems:

• The Taigun is small and lacks the road presence we expect from a C-segment SUV

• Torque converter-type automatics are generally gas guzzlers because of their fluid coupling

• The 1.5L engine gets a dual-clutch automatic transmission; DCTs are yet to prove themselves with a long-term reliability record

• No seat ventilation in the top-spec GT Plus variant; it’s available in the Topline 1.0L

• No manual transmission option in the GT Plus variant

• Missing features like no power seats, no front parking sensors, no 360 camera, no panoramic sunroof, no subwoofer

What Is The Price Of Volkswagen Taigun Petrol?

The Volkswagen Taigun is available with 2 turbo petrol engines, and both of these get a manual and an automatic transmission. The 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine is Taigun’s mainstay as it’s available in 3 variants with the option of automatic transmission in 2 of these. The Taigun 1.0L turbo manual starts at Rs. 10.5 lakh and tops out at Rs. 14.57 lakh. The 2 Taigun 1.0L automatic cost Rs. 14.1 and Rs. 15.91 lakh. The automatic is Rs. 1.3 to 1.34 lakh more expensive than the manual.

The more powerful 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine is available in GT and GT Plus variants. The GT gets only the manual transmission and costs Rs. 15 lakh. The Volkswagen Taigun GT Plus is available only with the dual-clutch automatic and costs Rs. 17.5 lakh (ex-showroom).

Volkswagen Taigun Petrol Comfortline - Base Model Features & Review

The Taigun’s base Comfortline variant with the 1.0L turbo petrol engine and manual transmission costs Rs. 10.5 lakh. It gets a few notable features like:

• 16-inch steel wheels with covers

• Front differential lock

• 3-point seatbelts for all passengers

• Front armrest

• LED DRLs

• LED tail lamps

• All power windows

• Power mirrors

• Fabric upholstery

• 7-inch touchscreen infotainment

• Android Auto and Apple Carplay

• Steering-mounted controls

• Side cladding

• Manual AC with rear AC vents

The base variant itself covers the basic features very well. However, you may miss the following features, which are available in the Highline variant:

• Rear defogger

• Rear washer wiper

• Rear camera

• Front fog lamps

• 16-inch alloy wheels

• Rear armrest

• Rear parcel tray

• Height-adjustable driver seat

• Power folding mirrors

• Auto AC

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The price jump to the Highline variant is too steep to justify for these features. If you can manage without these features and want better value for money, then we don’t see the need to jump to the Highline variant.

Volkswagen Taigun Petrol Comfortline vs Highline Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The price difference between the Taigun Comfortline and Highline variant is Rs. 2.30 lakh and it costs Rs. 12.79 lakh (ex-showroom) with the manual transmission. With an ex-showroom price of Rs. 14.1 lakh, the Taigun Highline automatic is Rs. 1.3 lakh more expensive than the Highline manual.

For the additional Rs. 2.3 lakh, you get the following notable features:

• Split rear seatback

• Larger 10-inch touchscreen

• Wireless connectivity for Android Auto and Apple Carplay

• Telematics for connected car features

• Rear defogger

• Rear washer wiper

• Rear camera

• Front fog lamps

• 16-inch alloy wheels

• Rear armrest

• Rear parcel tray

• Height-adjustable driver seat

• Wireless phone charger

• Power folding mirrors

• Auto AC

• Ambient lighting

Most of these features are a straight-up must-have for a lot of SUV buyers, but the price jump is difficult to justify. So, whether you want the Taigun with manual or automatic, we suggest you expand your budget and get the Topline variant or sacrifice some of these features and get the cheaper Comfortline trim. Highline is not a value for money option in the Taigun variant lineup.

Volkswagen Taigun Petrol Highline vs Topline Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The price difference between the Taigun Highline and Topline variant manual is Rs. 1.77 lakh. The Topline automatic is Rs. 1.81 lakh more expensive than Highline AT. The Taigun Topline manual costs Rs. 14.57 lakh while the automatic costs Rs. 15.91 lakh, which is Rs. 1.34 lakh more than the manual.

For the extra Rs. 1.8 lakh or so, you get extra features like:

• Tyre pressure sensor

• LED headlamps

• Auto wipers

• Cruise control

• Leather upholstery

• 17-inch alloy wheels

• Keyless entry with push-button start/stop

• Ventilated front seats

• Side and curtain airbags

• 8-inch full-colour LCD instrument cluster

• Electric sunroof

• Auto-dimming inside mirror

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A good chunk of these features are strictly good-to-have, but at least on the value front, the Taigun 1.0L Topline justifies spending more cash upfront than the Highline trim. So, the Topline is a better choice for manual and automatic buyers if you want the Taigun with a reasonably long list of features.

Volkswagen Taigun Petrol Highline vs GT Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The Taigun GT and GT Plus variants get the more powerful 1.5L turbo petrol engine. The GT trim is the same as the Highline, but with a more powerful engine and a few extra features. So, it’s fair to compare the Taigun GT 1.5L with the Highline 1.0L.

The price difference between the Taigun Highline 1.0L manual and GT 1.5L manual variant is Rs. 2.20 lakh and it costs Rs. 15.0 lakh (ex-showroom). The Taigun GT is only available with a manual transmission.

For the additional Rs. 2.2 lakh, you get the larger 1.5L petrol engine with 35PS more power and 72Nm more torque. The Volkswagen Taigun GT’s power and torque output stand at 150PS and 250Nm, respectively. Since the larger engine has 4 cylinders compared to 3 cylinders in the smaller 1.0L engine, you can also expect it to drive more smoothly because of its inherently balanced nature. This engine also gets cylinder deactivation, which cuts the fuel flow for the 2 cylinders in the middle. The ECU automatically enables cylinder deactivation when we’re cruising at a constant speed, and it doesn’t need the extra torque. This helps save some fuel while cruising at highway speeds of 80 - 100kmph, but it can also work at lower or higher speeds depending on the torque demand.

On top of the features available in the Taigun Highline, the GT also gets hill start, idle start-stop, leather-fabric upholstery with contrast red stitching, red ambient lighting and GT badges.

Since the Highline variant itself is a poor value for money option, the GT also becomes difficult to recommend. However, it’s the only variant you can buy with the larger 1.5L petrol engine and manual transmission as the GT Plus only gets the automatic transmission.

Volkswagen Taigun Petrol GT vs GT Plus Variant - Price, Feature Comparison

The GT Plus variant is based on the Topline variant, and it’s only available with the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Taigun offers no choice for buyers who want all the bells and whistles along with the more powerful 1.5L turbo petrol engine and an engaging manual transmission.

Compared to the Taigun GT, the GT Plus is Rs. 2.5 lakh more expensive and it costs Rs. 17.5 lakh (ex-showroom).

The notable additional features of the GT Plus over the GT variant are:

• Tyre pressure sensor

• LED headlamps

• Auto wipers

• Cruise control

• Leather upholstery

• 17-inch alloy wheels

• Keyless entry with push-button start/stop

• Side and curtain airbags

• 8-inch full-colour LCD instrument cluster

• Electric sunroof

• Auto-dimming inside mirror

• Dual-tone exterior

• Metal pedals

The one feature, which is available in the Taigun 1.0L Topline and not available in the GT Plus is front seat ventilation. Other than that, from a value perspective, the Taigun GT Plus comes across as a better option than the GT manual. So, if you want to buy the Taigun with the more powerful 1.5L turbo petrol engine, then the GT Plus is our top choice.

Which Variant Of The 2021 Volkswagen Taigun Petrol Should You Buy?

Let’s start with the Volkswagen Taigun manual transmission buyers. The base Comfortline variant of the Taigun with the smaller 1.0L turbo petrol engine is our top choice as the mid-spec Highline trim doesn’t justify the higher asking price. If the Comfortline is too basic for your preferences and you want more features, then we recommend spending a little more and getting the Topline variant. If you want more performance, then the Taigun GT is an option, but this one too doesn’t justify the asking price as it’s based on the Highline trim, which already offers a poor value for money.

For the Taigun petrol automatic buyers also, we don’t recommend the Highline trim as it offers poor value for money. You should instead buy the Topline 1.0L. If you want better performance, then the 1.5L GT Plus trim with the 7-speed dual-clutch is worth upgrading. Between the GT manual and GT Plus automatic, the more expensive GT Plus is a better choice from a value-for-money perspective.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The Volkswagen Taigun Petrol?

The base 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine of the Volkswagen Taigun is the smallest in the segment, but its power output is on par for the segment and better than the Astor 1.5L, Duster 1.5L, Kicks 1.5L and the S-Cross. But, this is a turbo petrol engine, so it makes better torque than all C-segment SUVs with a non-turbo petrol engine. Turbo patrols also have a wider torque curve, and they deliver their performance at low RPMs, which gives them great drivability characteristics. In the case of Taigun 1.0L, the peak torque arrives at 1750rpm and stays at 178Nm until 4500rpm.

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This engine is also available with a 6-speed torque converter type automatic transmission. In terms of fuel efficiency, the Taigun 1.0L manual is better than Creta, Seltos, Kicks and Duster and almost comparable with the S-Cross hybrid. However, the gas-guzzler torque converter automatic gives it a 16.44kmpl rating, which is considerably lower than the manual’s figure but still comparable with the rivals.

Most of Taigun’s rivals also have a more powerful turbo petrol engine available as an option. Taigun also has a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, which makes 150PS of power and 250Nm of torque. Both of these figures are on point for the segment. This engine is also available with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Among its powerful peers, the Taigun is the most fuel-efficient option with the manual as well as the automatic.

What Are The Dimensions Of The Volkswagen Taigun?

The Volkswagen Taigun is one of the smallest SUVs in the segment. It’s the shortest, and its length is comparable with only the Skoda Kushaq. The Taigun is taller than only the S-Cross, which most buyers don’t even consider an SUV. However, the ground clearance is still acceptable at 188mm, which is better than the Astor and S-Cross.

What Are The Colour Options Of The 2021 Volkswagen Taigun?

The 2021 Taigun is available in the following 5 colour options:

• Yellow/Gold

• White

• Red

• Grey

• Silver

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we are classifying cars based on their size.