Since their introduction to the Indian market, over one lakh families have chosen the Taigun and Virtus for their exceptional safety and performance. Both models boast a 5-star GNCAP rating, ensuring superior protection for both adult and child occupants.

Also Read: New VW Tiguan Earns 5-Star Euro NCAP Safety Rating

The Volkswagen Taigun, which accounts for over 61% of the sales milestone of 100,000 India 2.0 cars, remains a popular choice for its blend of safety and style. Meanwhile, the Virtus has solidified its position as a premium mid-size sedan. Notably, around 40% of customers have opted for the coveted GT variants of both models, highlighting the brand's focus on performance.

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars India, expressed pride in this achievement, stating, "We take great pride in announcing our portfolio of India 2.0 cars offering 6 airbags as standard across the line-up. With this, not only are we showcasing our commitment towards safer mobility but also reaffirming our core belief of safety being a key product pillar for Volkswagen India. We are also delighted to have achieved the over 1 lakh sales milestone by the Taigun and Virtus. We are grateful to our customers and will continue to offer aspirational, premium, and competitive product offerings for the market."

Having received phenomenal response for the two products, the Brand has further increased its value proposition and accessibility by offering ‘Auto Headlights’, ‘Auto Coming/Leaving Home lights’ on the Highline variant of the 1.0l TSI Dynamic Line and the GT variant of the 1.5l TSI Performance Line of the Volkswagen Taigun.

Additionally, the Volkswagen Virtus now offers rear fog lamps across its variants, a safety feature that enhances the visibility of the vehicle on the road. Along with these new feature additions, all MY23 (model year 23) variants on the Taigun and Virtus carlines are RDE and E20 norms-compliant.

The updated versions of both the carlines will be available across the Volkswagen India network which comprises 159 sales touchpoints in 118 cities. In addition, all MY23 (model year 23) variants on these carlines are RDE and E20 norms-compliant. Pursuant to these developments and rising input costs, the Brand also announces a price hike of up to 2% across its product portfolio effective 1 April 2023.

Volkswagen Kota will showcase the Brands’ young and fresh product portfolio through a 4-car display – Taigun, 11 awards winner in the premium mid-size sedan segment, the Virtus & the global best-seller Tiguan. The product portfolio stands true to its Brand legacy offering superior build quality, German-engineering, class leading safety features and a fun-to-drive experience.

Along with the impeccable product offerings, Volkswagen India offers a peace of mind ownership experiences to its customers in Kota. Through a 6-service bay, the highly skilled and trained manpower is capable of handling all the service requirements of customers.

With the addition of two new touchpoints in Kolkata, Volkswagen presents its young and fresh product portfolio – India’s safest SUVW, the Taigun, striking & exhilarating Virtus and the global best-seller, Volkswagen Tiguan. The product portfolio stands true to its Brand legacy and German-engineering prowess offering superior build quality, safety and fun-to-drive experience.

Commenting at the inauguration of the new facility, Mr. Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India said, “We are witnessing an influx in demand for our newly introduced products, the Volkswagen Taigun, Virtus & Tiguan in the state of West Bengal and East India. In an endeavor to be accessible and offer world-class German-engineered products and services, we have expanded our network presence in order to meet the requirements of our aspirational Indian customers.”

Commenting on the inauguration of the new dealership Mr. Rajiv Sanghvi, Managing Director, PPS Group said, “We have a long-standing partnership with Volkswagen India, catering to the Brands’ customers in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. We are extremely delighted to have extended our network to the state of West Bengal, with the inauguration of two new touchpoints in Kolkata. We look forward towards delivering the best of Volkswagen experience to the customers in this region.”

Along with the impeccable product offerings, Volkswagen offers peace of mind ownership experiences to its customers in Kolkata. The three service touchpoints cater to the service and maintenance requirements of our esteemed customers, managed by highly skilled and trained technicians.

VW India today announced the launch of a new state-of-the-art sales & service touchpoint in the heart of Agra city at Nagla Padi, Bypass Road. Operated under the able leadership of Mr. Hari Mohan Garg, CMD, NRL Group the new sales & service touchpoint will cater to the premium mobility requirements of aspirational customers in the region.

In line with the customer-first philosophy, the new 3S (sales, service & spares) facility will provide a holistic and integrated experience to customers, under one roof. The 6-car display area in the showroom will showcase India’s safest SUVW, the Volkswagen Taigun, the striking and exhilarating Virtus and the global best-seller, the Tiguan.

Ensuring peace of mind ownership experience, the facility comprises of 7-bay service area including the body & paint shop, that will cater to the service and maintenance requirements of esteemed customers through skilled and trained technicians. Customers situated at a distance from the service shop can avail the door-to-door service initiative – Volkswagen Assistance.

With the inauguration of the new 3S (sales, service & spares) facility, customers can now avail an integrated Brand experience of sales & service housed under one roof.

The facility comprises a 5-car display area that showcases the bold & dynamic Taigun, the striking & exhilarating Virtus and the global best-seller by Volkswagen, the Tiguan.

Along with a 13-bay service area and a body & paint shop that will cater to the service and maintenance requirements of the customers through skilled and trained technicians. Customers situated at a distance from the service shop can avail the door-to-door service initiative – Volkswagen Assistance and Mobile Service Unit.

In Delhi NCR, the Volkswagen brand has a total of 9 sales and 8 service facilities across the region. With this, the total network strength of Volkswagen in India stands at 153 sales and 121 service touchpoints across 115 cities.

The Group’s INDIA 2.0 project set out to custom-make cars of European quality standards to cater to domestic and overseas markets. This global safety recognition underlines the Group’s focus on safety and showcases India’s manufacturing excellence on a global stage.

Every Skoda & VW model has been tailored to customers’ needs – from the design, driving experience, cutting-edge technology and latest features to class-leading safety. The Volkswagen Group has invested significantly in technology and facilities that contribute to increasing the safety of its vehicles.

The Skoda Kushaq and VW Taigun come equipped with a range of active and passive safety features. These include three-point seat belts with adjustable headrest for all passengers, Seat-belt Reminder for the front seats, up to six airbags, Roll-over Protection, ISOFIX for child protection, Hill Hold Control, Electronic Stability Control with ABS and Electronic Brake-force Distribution as standard, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Differential Lock System, Multi Collision Braking, Brake Disc Wiping and Rear Parking Sensor with camera – not to forget impact absorbing body components and Side Impact Protection Beam in the doors.

VW India will increase the prices by up to 2% across its entire product portfolio. The revised prices will be effective from 1 Oct 2022. The German auto maker has said that it has taken this step due to the rising input costs.

In other news, VW India has started exporting the Made-in-India Virtus. The first shipment of 3000 cars has being recently sent to Mexico from the port of Mumbai.

With this move, the Group marks another significant milestone in its INDIA 2.0 journey as the Virtus joins the Volkswagen Taigun, which was the first in a range of vehicles built on the MQB-A0-IN platform, to be exported from India.

The VW Taigun First Anniversary Edition is offered on the Dynamic Line, Topline variant available on the 1.0 TSI MT & AT. It adorns a sportier look by flaunting its “1st” anniversary badging across the exterior and interior. In addition, the Taigun First Anniversary Edition comprises of 11 specially developed elements including high lux fog lamps, body-colored door garnish, black C-pillar graphics, black roof foil, door-edge protector, black ORVM caps, window visors along with aluminum pedals.

The VW Taigun First Anniversary Edition is available in a vibrant new colour ‘Rising Blue’ along with Curcuma Yellow and Wild Cherry Red.

Commenting on this milestone, Mr. Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India said, “The Taigun has had an extremely fulfilling journey in India as well as reaching the global stage by being the Top 3 finalists at the World Car of the Year. We have been extremely overwhelmed with the feedback, appreciation and acceptance the SUVW has received from our customers. The carline truly embodies the core DNA of the Volkswagen brand with superior build quality, safety and fun-to-drive experience. With the introduction of this celebratory First Anniversary Edition offering, we would like to thank our valued customers who have been instrumental in making Taigun one of the most admired SUVW in India and resonated the #HustleModeOn personality of the Taigun.”

The VW Taigun is available in two engine options - 1.0L TSI engine with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmission option that delivers peak power of 115PS and peak torque of 178 Nm. On the other hand, the 1.5L TSI EVO engine is equipped with a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed DSG transmission option, delivering peak power of 150PS and peak torque of 250Nm. The 1.5L TSI EVO engine also comes equipped with Active Cylinder Technology (ACT) and engine idle start/stop technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India said, “The beginning of Onam festivities, marks the onset of the festive season across India. As a brand, it is an absolute honor to be joining the festival celebrations and auspicious occasions of our customers, by delivering happiness and cheer through their newest family member, a Volkswagen. We wish all our customers a happy and safe festive season.”

With Taigun being the most-awarded SUVW, the Tiguan being our global best-seller and the Volkswagen Virtus that has broken records at the Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records through the efforts by our dealer partners. The Brand has a long-standing legacy of offering strong, sturdy German-engineered cars that are safe while retaining the fun-to-drive experience.

Also Read: Upcoming VW Virtus Spied Testing in Pune

Moreover, there is no camouflage on the vehicle. This VW Taigun prototype misses out on several features, which we have seen on the other test mules earlier. The VW SUV snapped testing in the past gets chrome grille upfront. This gives the front fascia of the car a premium look, but in the recent spy pictures, the chrome grille is missing. The headlamp cluster is also different. Rather than an all-LED setup, it might get halogen units or a single projector lamp. It also misses out on chrome strips, which runs across the bumper. In this test mule, it seems that the chrome strip has been replaced with the silver-coloured strip. The design of alloy units also looks quite different from the one we have seen in the past.

The upcoming VW Taigun will be based on the company’s MQB AO IN platform, which is a little customized version of their global MQB AO platform. The all-new Skoda Kushaq is based on the same platform, and this platform will also underpin the upcoming VW and Skoda vehicles. In our market, the all-new VW Taigun will rival with the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Skoda Kushaq. It will get propelled by a 1.0-litre three-pot turbo petrol and a 1.5-litre turbocharged gasoline mill. The former develops 155PS of power and 175 Nm of torque, while the latter shreds out power and torque outputs of 150 PS and 250 Nm. The same powertrain options do duties in the all-new Skoda Kushaq.

The wheelbase of the VW Taigun is more than its direct rivals, Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos, but the Korean SUVs are longer and taller. The ground clearance and luggage space of VW Taigun are not specified officially, but one can expect it to be 200mm and 385-litres. Moreover, the cabin of the SUV will feature a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. The new infotainment system will also support the My Volkswagen connect app via which a person can access the connected car features. Another big highlight in the cabin will be the addition of a fully digital instrument console. For the better convenience of the passengers, the SUV will get Type C and regular USB charging ports.

Furthermore, the all-new VW Taigun will also employ a multi-functional leather steering wheel and an electric sunroof. In terms of safety features, the SUV is likely to feature airbags, ESC, hill-hold control, tyre pressure monitoring system, ABS with EBD and much more. In the Indian market, the upcoming VW Taigun will be offered with a 1.0-litre three-pot turbo petrol mill, which develops power and torque outputs of 115 PS and 175 Nm. The engine will come paired with a 6-speed MT or a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. The SUV will also get propelled by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine, which churns out 150 PS of peak power and 250 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties will be done by a 6-speed MT or an optional 7-speed DCT.

If you recall, IndianAutosBlog.com was the one to break news in September 2018 that the VW T-Cross will be launched in India, and that was before the model was even unveiled officially. Jürgen Stackmann, Member of the BoM with responsibility for Sales, Marketing and After Sales, Volkswagen, had told us that there will be not three but four versions of the VW T-Cross worldwide. Three versions broke cover in October 2018, and the fourth one followed just earlier this month, albeit as a separate model - the 2021 VW Taigun.

The first three versions of the VW T-Cross are intended for sale in different regions. One is primarily meant for Europe, there’s one for sale in Latin America, and then, of course, there’s one for China. The European version has a wheelbase of 2,563 mm, while the Latin American and Chinese versions have a longer (+88 mm) wheelbase of 2,651 mm. The Indian version, or the Indian mechanical cousin 2021 VW Taigun, has an even longer (+108 mm) wheelbase of 2,671 mm.

The 2021 VW Taigun looks the closest to the Chinese-spec VW T-Cross. Both, if you look at their headlamps and the front bumper, have hints of the VW Tiguan. The Indian and Chinese SUVs look nearly identical. As the Indian model was introduced after the start of a new era for Volkswagen in 2019, the one that focuses on electric, fully connected vehicles, it bears the new logo with a flat two-dimensional design.

At the front, the 2021 VW Taigun has some additional crease lines on the bonnet. On the sides, it features shorter turn indicators on the ORVMs, silver trim on the rocker panels and an extended greenhouse to give the rear passengers more view of the outside and a roomier feeling. Apart from the addition of a quarter glass, another difference on the C-pillar is the motif with split squares, a design cue reminiscent of the VW ID.3 electric car that features diamond-shaped ID. Honeycomb foil at the C-pillar.

At the rear, the roof spoiler of the Indian premium B-SUV extends further down to the end of the back glass. The light graphics are just a wee bit different, and the same goes for the full-width chrome garnish strip on the bumper. Also, our model has a full-width reflector strip and instead of two individual reflectors on the sides. The light graphics, reflector and chrome garnish may vary a little on the production version.

Inside, unlike the Chinese-spec VW T-Cross, or any other VW T-Cross for that matter, the 2021 VW Taigun features a new steering wheel similar to that of the VW ID.3. Look closer and you’ll see that the pattern on the passenger side of the dashboard is different too. Also, the Indian SUV has no storage space in the centre of the dashboard. While it could have been an ideal thing here as an idol keeping space, we are in favour of the even more uncluttered appearance.

Also Read: 7-seat VW Taigun and 7-seat Skoda Vision IN ruled-out

Volkswagen will launch the 2021 Taigun in India with 1.0L TSI turbocharged three-cylinder and 1.5L TSI-Evo turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines in the second half of 2021. The 2021 Taigun will be based on MQB A0 IN, a low-cost version of the T-Cross’ MQB A0 platform. Know more about our premium B-SUV here.

Fun Fact: In China, Shanghai-Volkswagen sells the VW T-Cross and FAW-Volkswagen sells a rebadged version of the same as the VW Tacqua.

The VW Taigun and the production version of the Skoda Vision IN concept, which is yet to be named, will be based on the MQB A0 IN platform. MQB A0 IN is a low-cost version of the MQB A0 platform. While MQB A0 models have a wheelbase as long as 2,651 mm, the MQB A0 IN models, so far seen only in concept form, have a wheelbase of 2,671 mm.

In a recent interview with Electric Vehicle Web, Zac Hollis, Director - Sales, Service & Marketing, Skoda (India), revealed that a 7-seat SUV cannot be built on the MQB A0 IN platform. “The issue with this platform is if you make this platform any longer, it probably won’t work,” he said.

Hyundai, on the other hand, reports say, does plan to launch a 7-seat version of its premium B-SUV Creta. However, no company official has gone on record to confirm if there is such a model in the pipeline. The reported launch timeline for the 7-seat Creta is 2021.

Also Read: Next-gen VW Vento teased - Specs & features revealed

Skoda has stated in its press releases that it will launch the production version of the Vision IN concept in early 2021 (January-April 2021). Hollis, on the other hand, has said Q2 2021 (April-June 2021) to be the launch timeline. So, it means that April 2021 will be the month when the launch of this premium B-SUV will take place. Volkswagen will likely launch the Taigun a few months later, in the second half of 2021.

[Source: electricvehicleweb.in]

1. Design

The production Volkswagen Taigun will look very similar to the all-new VW Taigun concept (there was a smaller concept with the same name in the past). The concept, in turn, shares a lot of its design cues with the VW T-Cross available overseas. It has the same upright stance with taut lines and slightly conventional boxy layout as the T-Cross.

The 2021 Volkswagen Taigun concept has a wide radiator grille with chrome inserts, rectangular headlamps with full LED illumination, skid plate, body cladding in the lower portion and a heavily designed front bumper with big housings for fog lamps. The taut stance is complemented with gloss black wheel arches and ORVM housing, silver roof rails and large dual-tone alloy wheels.

At the rear, the all-new Volkswagen Taigun concept has large LED tail lamps with sleek LED strip flowing across the tailgate. The bulging out design for the bumper with faux skid plates and roof spoiler are expected to be there on the production-spec model as well.

On the inside, the Volkswagen Taigun will share much of the dashboard layout and overall design with the rest of its global sub-compact siblings, including the not-for-India VW Polo Mk6. The concept model shown at Auto Expo 2020 also features contrasting panels on the dashboard, centre console and door panels. The production version could be offered in a choice of all-black or dual-tone black and beige finish for the interior.

2. Features

The production Volkswagen Taigun will likely retain the flat bottom multi-functional steering wheel, full TFT instrument console, touchscreen infotainment system positioned in a geometric housing at the centre, cascading centre console having a trapezoidal housing for automatic climate control buttons, rear AC vents and all-black roof from the concept version.

The touchscreen infotainment system should include the modern essentials like Android Auto, Apple Carplay, inbuilt navigation and display for the reverse camera. Other bits like push-button start with keyless entry, cruise control, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, tilt and telescopic adjustable steering are a given.

3. Engines and transmissions

Volkswagen has already announced that it will no longer rely on diesel engines, at least for its A- and B- segment offerings. The company will offer the Taigun with two petrol engines.

The basic option will be a 1.0-litre TSI turbocharged three-cylinder engine likely producing 115 PS of power and 200 Nm of torque. The higher option would be the 1.5-litre TSI-Evo turbocharged four-cylinder engine developing 150 PS of power and 250 Nm of torque.

The Volkswagen Taigun will likely be offered with 6-speed manual and 7-speed DSG automatic gearboxes. It will be strictly FWD.

4. Launch timeline

With the Skoda Vision IN concept's production version confirmed to arrive in Q2 2021 (April-June 2021), we expect Volkswagen to launch the Taigun in Q3 2021 (July-September 2021) Taigun.

5. Price and rivals

Set to rival the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Nissan Kicks and the production version of the Skoda Vision IN concept, the VW Taigun should be priced from around INR 10.50-11.00 lakh (ex-showroom). Price-wise, the competition will include even the Tata Harrier and MG Hector C-SUVs. Volkswagen is targeting a localisation level of up to 95% for its MQB A0 IN models.

Following the first appearance at the 2012 Sao Paulo Auto Show, the VW Taigun concept has been reincarnated at the first-ever Skoda Auto Volkswagen Group Night this year. It has been brought back to life as an India-specific SUV. However, if you recall, a revised version of the Latin model was introduced at Auto Expo 2014.

Just like the VW Taigun unveiled in 2012, the VW Taigun introduced today is a concept. However, today’s model belongs to a higher class and thus is much bigger. While the old model was developed primarily for Latin America and never launched, the new model is developed for India and will be launched in 2021.

The 2021 VW Taigun concept might be mistaken as a mini VW Tiguan from the front. It doesn’t let its smaller size do injustice to its SUV character. Similarly designed radiator grille, rectangular LED headlamps and the rugged bumper are the elements that make Volkswagen’s upcoming baby SUV look like its compact offering Tiguan.

Even on the sides, the simplistic character lines and greenhouse would remind you of the VW Tiguan. Things get funky and a lot more stylish moving towards the rear, beginning with trendy graphics on the C pillars. A reflective band stretches across the width and houses the LED tail light clusters, emphasising the width of the vehicle and giving it individuality. In case you didn’t notice, the VW Taigun flaunts the new Volkswagen brand logo that debuted in the VW I.D. 3.

On the inside, the dashboard, steering wheel, instrument console and pretty much every main element carries an angular design. The overall look is very similar to that of other Volkswagen global sub-compact models like the VW Polo Mk6, the VW T-Cross and the VW Virtus. Fully digital instrument cluster, large touchscreen infotainment system with sat-nav and smartphone integration, dual-zone automatic climate control, etc. are among the SUV’s noteworthy features.

Underpinned by the MQB A0 IN platform, the 2021 VW Taigun will likely be offered with a 115 PS 1.0L TSI petrol engine and a 150 PS 1.5L TSI-Evo petrol engine. 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic will be the transmission choices. An AWD system won’t be available in this model. The bigger engine could feature a fuel-sipping automatic cylinder deactivation system.

The VW Taigun will likely be launched in the second half of 2021. It will compete with the likes of Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta.

The VW Taigun is essentially an Indianised VW T-Cross. It has a slightly different design to look tougher and thus more like a proper SUV. A higher ground clearance, differently designed front grille, headlamps, tail lamps and bumpers and a bigger body are some of the key visual differences. The model you see here is a near-production concept, and the road-ready version will be introduced closer to the launch in 2021.

Like the Skoda Vision IN concept’s production version, the production VW Taigun will be based on the MQB A0 IN platform. It should be offered with 115 PS 1.0L TSI turbocharged three-cylinder petrol and 150 PS 1.5L TSI-Evo turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines. 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic will likely be the available transmissions with these engines. The 1.0L engine will be locally manufactured. All the configurations sold will have a front-wheel drive drivetrain layout.

LED headlights and tail lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, fully digital instrument cluster, large touchscreen infotainment system with eSIM-enabled connected car features and multiple airbags will likely be among the key features of the production VW Taigun.

Also See: 2020 VW Tiguan (facelift) spied naked during ad shoot, to be unveiled soon

The production VW Taigun production version will be launched in India likely in the second half of 2021. In addition to the mechanical cousin from Skoda, it will compete with the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and Renault Captur.

According to German publication Focus, VW has cancelled the highly anticipated VW Taigun compact SUV as the company deems it to be "too small". The Taigun previewed a future sub-4m SUV that could rival the likes of the Ford EcoSport and Nissan Juke.

However, since the prospect of an entry level compact SUV remains interesting, VW will launch a Polo-based SUV that is expected go on sale in 2018. Reports suggest that the SUV will be previewed by a concept study at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show in early March. The production version is rumored to be a hair under four meters long.

The Taigun concept made its world debut at the 2012 Sao Paulo Motor Show, targeting emerging markets that favored entry-level, bang-for-the-buck SUVs. It was even showcased at the Auto Expo 2014 in Noida, India, offering customers an insight into a VW sub-4m SUV in one of the world's biggest markets for compact vehicles.

Also Read: VW Ameo ruled out for South African market – Report

So far, the only SUV that VW will have in its range is the second generation VW Tiguan, which will slot into the premium compact SUV segment. With the cancellation of the Taigun, there may not be a sub-4m VW SUV in the foreseeable future from the German manufacturer, unless VW India takes up a new project specifically for the Indian market - similar to the path taken by Maruti Suzuki for the Vitara Brezza.

[Source: Focus]