Volkswagen launches its SUV at the coupe line, the Taigo. Wedged between a T-Cross and a T-Roc, what is it worth on the road? Responnse.
The latest addition to the large family of Volkswagen SUVs, the Taigo is not yet unrecognized. Since 2020, it has been marketed in Brazil under the name Nivus. After a quick passage through Wolfsburg to be reworked and to please Europeans, the SUV integrates the range of the German manufacturer. It is placed between the small T-Cross, more urban with its 15 cm less, and the T-Roc, wanted more premium and more family-friendly despite 3 cm less. The Taigo is therefore 4.26 m long, 1.75 m wide and 1.51 m high (5 cm less than the T-Cross and T-Roc).
To seduce, the Taigo relies on its plastic. The model follows the trend of SUV coupes. This segment, launched in 2008 with the BMW X6, has since gained momentum among German premiums: BMW X4, Audi Q3 Sportback, Mercedes GLE Coupé… Among generalists, Renault recently launched its own with the Arkana, a derivative du Captur and already a great commercial success. Volkswagen is following suit in 2022 with this Taigo with a plunging roofline. The SUV offers a few attributes of adventurer, such as roof bars (removed if we choose the sunroof) and body protectors in black plastic. Nevertheless, it has no all-wheel drive, since it is only available in traction.
As standard, the Taigo adopts a signature C-shaped LED light up front, complemented by the extended IQ.Light system (matrix headlights) for the high-end variants. This allows it to offer the same light strip in the center of the grille as the Golf, Tiguan Allspace or Arteon, but also the ID family. In back, the German SUV has a real light strip on a black lacquered element, unlike the T-Cross which inherits only reflectors.
The tilted rear window could lead to believe in a less good habitability. But it is not. The German gladly welcomes five passengers and their luggage, with a generous and well-square 438-liter trunk thanks to the double floor. That’s barely 7 liters less than the T-Roc and almost as much as the T-Cross and its clever sliding bench (388 to 455 l). Admittedly, the Taigo’s loading threshold is a bit high, and the window ultimately lowers relatively little on the tailgate, which can penalize visibility during maneuvering.
Based on the MQB A0 platform for city cars, the Taigo is therefore quite close to a Polo, recently restyled. It takes its dashboard almost identically, with rather rewarding foamed materials on the top of the dashboard but grained plastics less pleasant on the door frames. Nevertheless, the whole is very correct, and can be adorned with a few touches of color to appear less austere. For example, the Visual Green Design Pack offers specific upholstery and a light green and white interior with colored inserts, but only on the Style level and for certain body colors.
The Taigo has digital counters as standard from entry level, as well as an optional central touch screen of up to 9.2 inches. The three-spoke steering wheel benefits from physical buttons on the spokes (regulator, control of the audio system and the display of the meters) and capacitive zones on the hoop for autonomous driving. The air conditioning settings and shortcuts near the screen are tactile. The air conditioning touch zone requires a little adaptation time to find the right temperature, sometimes forcing you to take your eyes off the road. Fortunately, in case of inattention, the driving aids are on hand.
Indeed, the Taigo is provided with many assistance. As standard, it comes with Travel Assist, an advanced cruise control which keeps the vehicle in its lane and at a safe distance from others, making it a level 2 autonomous driving system. Other functions such as emergency braking with detection of pedestrians and cyclists are also required series, just like l’airbag central. This cushion placed between the two front seats prevents shocks between passengers in an accident. It is a technology that is still not widely used, which is used in particular in the Toyota Yaris and the restyled Volkswagen Polo.
Under the hood, the Taigo offers only gasoline, and no form of hybridization, even slight. Three choices are possible: the three-cylinder 1.0 TSI, available in 95 and 110 hp like the T-Cross, or the four-cylinder 1.5 TSI 150 hp from our test version. This supercharged block with cylinder deactivation is automatically associated with a DSG7 double-clutch automatic transmission. The engine-gearbox association is good, with frank reminders. However, there are some jolts at start-up or hesitation about the gear to engage. A problem corrected thanks to the small paddles placed behind the steering wheel.
We are not surprised by the behavior, very typical Volkswagen: the chassis is healthy and the steering precise, although sometimes a little soft. On the road, the Taigo is therefore a good companion for families, with a slightly firm suspension, especially on fittings and potholes. But that doesn’t mean the SUV is uncomfortable. Finally, consumption is very reasonable. We identified 6.5 liters per 100 km on our 450 km journey through the Var and Nice hinterlands.
Opinion
WE love
- Healthy driving behavior
- Habitability preserved despite the plunging roof
- Full equipment
We like less
- Relatively high loading threshold
- Direction precise but a little “soft”
Verdict
The Volkswagen Taigo is entering an already crowded market, hoping to capitalize on its on-trend SUV coupe styling and full standard equipment. The future will tell whether customers prefer it to the more traditional T-Cross and T-Roc, which are priced at similar or slightly higher.
Volkswagen Taigo: range and prices
TO BUY
- Volkswagen Taigo 1.5 TSI 150 ch DSG7 R-Line
- Tested version: 35,510 €
- From € 32,100
- Average manufacturer consumption / during the test (l / 100 km): 6.1 / 6.5
- CO2 (g / km) / malus: 138 (WLTP) / 260-1 629 €
- Fiscal power (CV): 8
- Country of manufacture: Pamplona (Spain)
Range offered: Petrol from 95 to 150 hp, from € 23,850 to € 32,360.
Recommended options:
- Heated seats: 365 €
- Beats premium audio system: € 660
- Selection of driving profile: 340 €
Volkswagen Taigo: technical sheet
TO DRIVE
- Engine: front, 4-cylinder turbo petrol, direct injection, 16 valves, 1498 cc
- Transmission : traction, DSG7
- Power (hp at rpm): 150 at NC
- Torque (Nm at rpm): 250 to 1,500 – 3,500
- Empty weight (kg): 1,304
- Long. x larg. x haut. (m) : 4,26×1,75×1,51
- Wheelbase (m): 2.55
- Tank (l): about 40
- Max speed (km / h): 212
- 0 to 100 km/h (s): 8.3
- Test tires: Hankook Ventus Prime 3 215/45 / R18
TO LIVE
- Elbow width AV / AR (cm): NC
- Rear legroom (cm): NC
- Chest at 5 / at 2 (l): 438/1 222
MAIN CONCURRENTS
- Renault Captur E-Tech 145 ch Auto. RS Line, from € 32,700
- Peugeot 2008 1.2 PureTech 155 hp Auto. GT, from € 33,550
- Ford Puma 1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid 155 hp Auto. ST Line, from € 27,300
Photos: Franck Camuzat.
Also read on Auto-Moto.com:
New Volkswagen Polo 2021 test: our opinion behind the wheel of the city car
Volkswagen: what’s new in 2022?
Volkswagen T-Roc restyled vs Renault Captur: Franco-German duel
Volkswagen launches its SUV at the coupe line, the Taigo. Wedged between a T-Cross and a T-Roc, what is it worth on the road? Responnse.
The latest addition to the large family of Volkswagen SUVs, the Taigo is not yet unrecognized. Since 2020, it has been marketed in Brazil under the name Nivus. After a quick passage through Wolfsburg to be reworked and to please Europeans, the SUV integrates the range of the German manufacturer. It is placed between the small T-Cross, more urban with its 15 cm less, and the T-Roc, wanted more premium and more family-friendly despite 3 cm less. The Taigo is therefore 4.26 m long, 1.75 m wide and 1.51 m high (5 cm less than the T-Cross and T-Roc).
To seduce, the Taigo relies on its plastic. The model follows the trend of SUV coupes. This segment, launched in 2008 with the BMW X6, has since gained momentum among German premiums: BMW X4, Audi Q3 Sportback, Mercedes GLE Coupé… Among generalists, Renault recently launched its own with the Arkana, a derivative du Captur and already a great commercial success. Volkswagen is following suit in 2022 with this Taigo with a plunging roofline. The SUV offers a few attributes of adventurer, such as roof bars (removed if we choose the sunroof) and body protectors in black plastic. Nevertheless, it has no all-wheel drive, since it is only available in traction.
As standard, the Taigo adopts a signature C-shaped LED light up front, complemented by the extended IQ.Light system (matrix headlights) for the high-end variants. This allows it to offer the same light strip in the center of the grille as the Golf, Tiguan Allspace or Arteon, but also the ID family. In back, the German SUV has a real light strip on a black lacquered element, unlike the T-Cross which inherits only reflectors.
The tilted rear window could lead to believe in a less good habitability. But it is not. The German gladly welcomes five passengers and their luggage, with a generous and well-square 438-liter trunk thanks to the double floor. That’s barely 7 liters less than the T-Roc and almost as much as the T-Cross and its clever sliding bench (388 to 455 l). Admittedly, the Taigo’s loading threshold is a bit high, and the window ultimately lowers relatively little on the tailgate, which can penalize visibility during maneuvering.
Based on the MQB A0 platform for city cars, the Taigo is therefore quite close to a Polo, recently restyled. It takes its dashboard almost identically, with rather rewarding foamed materials on the top of the dashboard but grained plastics less pleasant on the door frames. Nevertheless, the whole is very correct, and can be adorned with a few touches of color to appear less austere. For example, the Visual Green Design Pack offers specific upholstery and a light green and white interior with colored inserts, but only on the Style level and for certain body colors.
The Taigo has digital counters as standard from entry level, as well as an optional central touch screen of up to 9.2 inches. The three-spoke steering wheel benefits from physical buttons on the spokes (regulator, control of the audio system and the display of the meters) and capacitive zones on the hoop for autonomous driving. The air conditioning settings and shortcuts near the screen are tactile. The air conditioning touch zone requires a little adaptation time to find the right temperature, sometimes forcing you to take your eyes off the road. Fortunately, in case of inattention, the driving aids are on hand.
Indeed, the Taigo is provided with many assistance. As standard, it comes with Travel Assist, an advanced cruise control which keeps the vehicle in its lane and at a safe distance from others, making it a level 2 autonomous driving system. Other functions such as emergency braking with detection of pedestrians and cyclists are also required series, just like l’airbag central. This cushion placed between the two front seats prevents shocks between passengers in an accident. It is a technology that is still not widely used, which is used in particular in the Toyota Yaris and the restyled Volkswagen Polo.
Under the hood, the Taigo offers only gasoline, and no form of hybridization, even slight. Three choices are possible: the three-cylinder 1.0 TSI, available in 95 and 110 hp like the T-Cross, or the four-cylinder 1.5 TSI 150 hp from our test version. This supercharged block with cylinder deactivation is automatically associated with a DSG7 double-clutch automatic transmission. The engine-gearbox association is good, with frank reminders. However, there are some jolts at start-up or hesitation about the gear to engage. A problem corrected thanks to the small paddles placed behind the steering wheel.
We are not surprised by the behavior, very typical Volkswagen: the chassis is healthy and the steering precise, although sometimes a little soft. On the road, the Taigo is therefore a good companion for families, with a slightly firm suspension, especially on fittings and potholes. But that doesn’t mean the SUV is uncomfortable. Finally, consumption is very reasonable. We identified 6.5 liters per 100 km on our 450 km journey through the Var and Nice hinterlands.
Opinion
WE love
- Healthy driving behavior
- Habitability preserved despite the plunging roof
- Full equipment
We like less
- Relatively high loading threshold
- Direction precise but a little “soft”
Verdict
The Volkswagen Taigo is entering an already crowded market, hoping to capitalize on its on-trend SUV coupe styling and full standard equipment. The future will tell whether customers prefer it to the more traditional T-Cross and T-Roc, which are priced at similar or slightly higher.
Volkswagen Taigo: range and prices
TO BUY
- Volkswagen Taigo 1.5 TSI 150 ch DSG7 R-Line
- Tested version: 35,510 €
- From € 32,100
- Average manufacturer consumption / during the test (l / 100 km): 6.1 / 6.5
- CO2 (g / km) / malus: 138 (WLTP) / 260-1 629 €
- Fiscal power (CV): 8
- Country of manufacture: Pamplona (Spain)
Range offered: Petrol from 95 to 150 hp, from € 23,850 to € 32,360.
Recommended options:
- Heated seats: 365 €
- Beats premium audio system: € 660
- Selection of driving profile: 340 €
Volkswagen Taigo: technical sheet
TO DRIVE
- Engine: front, 4-cylinder turbo petrol, direct injection, 16 valves, 1498 cc
- Transmission : traction, DSG7
- Power (hp at rpm): 150 at NC
- Torque (Nm at rpm): 250 to 1,500 – 3,500
- Empty weight (kg): 1,304
- Long. x larg. x haut. (m) : 4,26×1,75×1,51
- Wheelbase (m): 2.55
- Tank (l): about 40
- Max speed (km / h): 212
- 0 to 100 km/h (s): 8.3
- Test tires: Hankook Ventus Prime 3 215/45 / R18
TO LIVE
- Elbow width AV / AR (cm): NC
- Rear legroom (cm): NC
- Chest at 5 / at 2 (l): 438/1 222
MAIN CONCURRENTS
- Renault Captur E-Tech 145 ch Auto. RS Line, from € 32,700
- Peugeot 2008 1.2 PureTech 155 hp Auto. GT, from € 33,550
- Ford Puma 1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid 155 hp Auto. ST Line, from € 27,300
Photos: Franck Camuzat.
Also read on Auto-Moto.com:
New Volkswagen Polo 2021 test: our opinion behind the wheel of the city car
Volkswagen: what’s new in 2022?
Volkswagen T-Roc restyled vs Renault Captur: Franco-German duel
