Volkswagen is betting big on SUVs in India and the model portfolio shows. And now there’s one more. This is the new Volkswagen Taigun and it is probably the most awaited model, as it will tap the mass volumes mid-size segment. The Taigun was first showcased at the Auto Expo 2020 and is part of the VW Group’s India 2.0 strategy. The Taigun does share a lot with its cousin, the Skoda Kushaq and will also take on the likes of the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos for a share of the pie. So how good is the new VWSUV? A first drive in the City of Lakes Udaipur gave the answers. For this review, I drove the GT variant with the 1.5 litre TSI engine coupled with the 7 speed DSG and 6 speed manual gearbox.

Volkswagen Taigun Exterior

The Volkswagen Taigun is based on the MQB A0 IN platform that also underpins the Skoda Kushaq and features 95 percent localization. The Taigun features clean lines and you cant mistake it to be anything but a Volkswagen. It has that distinct character. The front grille features three horizontal chrome slats and blends nicely with the LED headlamps. The bonnet gets crease lines and does give out muscular stance, while the front bumper gets dollops of chrome. While personally I am not a fan, the bling loving country thinks otherwise. On the side, the Taigun gets black body cladding and there is a GT logo on the front fender as well. The Taigun has the longest wheelbase in its class at 2,651 mm. The GT automatic gets diamond cut 17 inch alloys while the GT manual makes do with smaller 16 inch single tone alloy wheels. And don’t miss the red brake calipers. They look super cool. There are silver roof rails and a shark fin antenna. A couple of distinct character lines run across the doors to the tail lamps. The rear is the most eye catching of the Tiguan. The LED tail lamps with a smoked effect look super funky and are connected by a light bar that runs across the tail gate. The Taigun lettering sits in the centre of the tail gate with a GT badging on the right hand side. And yes, there is more chrome on the rear bumper as well. The Taigun will be available in five colours and for our drive, we had the automatic in Curcuma Yellow and the manual in Wild Cherry Red. The Curcuma Yellow is quite a stand out and my personal favourite shade.