Suv. Compact. Coupe. These are the main ingredients of the new Volkswagen Taigo to succeed in the crowded SUV segment shorter than 4.30 meters. The car of the German brand has practically no competitors among the generalist brands, given that Renault Arkana is a coupe suv but 4.57 meters long and Audi Q3 Sportback and Bmw X2 fall into the premium range. In addition to the absence of competitors, there is also a competitive list price, thanks to the origin of the project and the large economies of scale; the Taigo, in fact, is the European version of the Volkswagen Nivus marketed in Brazil. It is not a photocopy model imported from Latin America but a revised version produced in Spain in Pamplona.
As far as economies of scale are concerned, the new model is built on the modular Mqb-A0 platform, the same as that of Seat Ibiza, Skoda Fabia, Volkswagen Polo and T-Cross. Despite the technical affinities with the latter model, the Taigo differs in size, proportions and design, starting from the increased length (4.27 meters against 4.11) for the reduced height of almost 10 cm ( 1.49 meters against 1.58 m) and for the more pronounced rear overhang with the tail characterized by the single full-width headlight assembly. At the front there are matrix Led projectors.
Climbing aboard the R-Line version, the protagonist of our test, in addition to the specific seats, the technological equipment with double 10.25 “screen stands out instead of the traditional instrumentation and 9.2” touch monitor from which to manage the Mib3 infotainment system connected with WeConnect services and compatible with CarPlay and Android Auto. Thanks to the Ota updates, the equipment can also be integrated at a later time: for example, on the tested version, the satellite navigator and voice assistant were not there (little to bad to tell the truth) but can be purchased through the Vw store.
Promoted load capacity: 438 liters. Moving on to the equipment, the Life set-up includes 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, digital dashboard, 8-inch screen multimedia system and the driver assistance system package, compliant with level 2 with predictive cruise control that regulates the distance taking into account speed limits and route data from the navigation system, and lane keeping assistance, which enable partially automated driving up to 210 km / h. The R-Line trim adds 17-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, electrically opening panoramic roof and front and rear parking sensors.
Only petrol engines available starting from the 1.0 Tsi three-cylinder 95 hp with manual gearbox and 110 hp also in the DSG version. The offer closes with the 1.5 Tsi DSG with 150 horsepower. The absence of electrified versions should be noted.