Volkswagen Taigun (Creta Rival) Launched In India From Rs. 10.49 Lakh

Volkswagen Taigun derives power from a 1.0-litre turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with three gearbox choices

Volkswagen India has today officially announced the launch of the Taigun midsize SUV today in the domestic market and is priced between Rs. 10.49 lakh for the base trim and it goes all the way up to Rs. 17.49 lakh (both prices, ex-showroom) for the range-topping model. It is positioned in a highly competitive segment that has gained popularity in recent years.

The Taigun locks horns with the segment-leading Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Tata Harrier, MG Hector, Nissan Kicks, Renault Duster, and Skoda Kushaq. Just a few weeks ago, VW commenced production of the five-seater at the Chakan plant in Pune to cater to the Indian space and is certainly the make or break product for the German auto giant.

The Volkswagen Taigun has plenty in common with the recently launched Skoda Kushaq and is the first product from the German manufacturer under the India 2.0 project. Volkswagen Group has invested more than one billion euros over the last three years in its operations under this crucial project and it has spawned the heavily localised flexible MQB A0 IN platform.

Just as the Skoda Kushaq, the Taigun is also underpinned by the same architecture with up to 95 per cent localisation to keep the prices competitive. It derives power from the same 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol and 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol mills. The former develops a maximum power output of around 115 PS and 175 Nm of peak torque while the latter pushes out 150 PS and 250 Nm.

Both the powertrains are paired with a six-speed manual transmission as standard. The smaller petrol mill can also be had with a six-speed torque converter automatic unit and the 1.5-litre gasoline mill comes with the option of a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Despite sharing the architecture with the Kushaq, the Taigun has its unique identity inside and out influenced by the global VW models.

On the outside, the VW Taigun boasts a single-piece headlamp cluster, double chrome slat front grille, abundance use of chrome on the lower bumper, full-width LED tail lamps running across the width of the boot, chrome garnished rear bumper, stylish alloy wheels and so on. The cabin with a dual-tone theme gains a large 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility alongside MY VW Connect app.

The equipment list of the VW Taigun boasts automatic climate control, ambient lighting, ventilated front seats, push-button start/stop, wireless charging facility, a host of connectivity options, an all-digital instrument console, six airbags in the top-end variants, Electronic Stability Control, TPMS, reverse camera, HHC, TC, ISOFIX child seat mounts, USB Type-C ports, steering wheel with mounted controls, cruise control, etc.

Courtesy of the lengthy teaser campaign and roadshows, VW has gained 12,221 pre-bookings for the Taigun so far. The brand also offers over 90 accessories and six accessory packages along with different warranty options. It is claimed to have Rs. 5,000 per year maintenance cost with 37 paise per km ownership cost for 1.0L versions and 40 paise per km for 1.5L variants.

Sold in Dynamic Line and Performance Line grades, the Taigun comes in yellow, white, red, grey and silver colour schemes. The GT variant with MT has a claimed fuel economy of 18.47 kmpl, GT Plus with DCT with 17.88 kmpl, and 1.0L MT with 18.10 kmpl.