The Volkswagen Taigo redefines urban commutes with style
Prashirwin Naidu
Now, the Volkswagen Taigo is like a big boy Polo that has grown up. It also targets the young and up-and-coming professionals to the family goers.
Looks-wise, it's unique from the Polo and T-Cross. It has a sharp and aggressive-looking front-end design, incorporating these powerful LED matrix headlamps accompanied by the R-Line badge- given that it's the top-spec model. In terms of chassis, it is the same as the T-cross. But with an edgier style and aimed to stand out from the ordinary crowd.
The 18-inch Misano alloys are painted black, followed by the matte black body cladding. And the paint colour is called smoky grey.
Towards the rear end, one will take notice of the sloping roofline; it's a crossover coupé mix. The car's overall dimensions are well-balanced and offer a modern and futuristic look to the back; the illuminated taillight bar is an elegant touch.
Boots space offers 440l, slightly more than the T-Cross, which measures about 377l of capacity.
The sporty slope of the Taigo's roof doesn't compromise rear headroom, and rear passengers, even full-sized adults, have generous head and legroom. The rear seats can be folded down to accommodate more oversized cargo.
Right up front, the flagship R-Line model offers an eight-inch infotainment screen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, stainless steel pedals, rear privacy glass, a Beats sound system, wireless charging, navigation, voice control, and wireless smartphone connectivity.
You have a sleek panoramic sunroof and IQ Drive safety features such as lane-change and blind-spot assist with adaptive cruise control and emergency braking.
Since this is the comfort package, a reversing camera, keyless entry and start, and the semi-autonomous parking assistant function, which can sometimes be a bit dramatic, were added.
The Taigo range does not offer leather seats, but the cloth upholstery in the range-topping R-Line models looks stylish with its diamond pattern in multi-tone grey.
Taigo Life 1.0 TSI starts from (R475,000), the Taigo Style 1.0 TSI is (R512,800), and the top of the R-Line edition 1.0 is (R537,100). With all the optional extras, ours came over to (R600 000).
At Taigo's price point, you could also look into a Mazda CX-30, Hyundai Kona or Toyota C-HR, vehicles with a similar crossover-coupé aesthetic.
All models are powered by the same 1.0-litre, turbocharged, three-cylinder engine with a dual-clutch automatic (DSG) seven-speed transmission.
Behind the wheel, it feels almost similar to the Polo, but the additional ground clearance (168mm) contributes a tangible superiority in comfort.
In the day-to-day city driving situations, it felt smooth and refined. The only qualm is at a standstill; it takes time for the turbo to kick in.
Power output is 85kW and 200NM, which may not sound like an exuberant amount, but it has some kick due to the turbo; it can do 0-100km/h in 10 seconds, which means it is a smooth cruiser.
Consumption is quoted at 5.4l/100km, but real-world figures are in the 6l-8l/100km range.
Overall, the Taigo is a lovely specimen of the VW brand, and the price and optional extras will make this car costly in the eyes and wallet of the consumer.
