Volkswagen Taigo Review 2024

Volkswagen Taigo At A Glance

3/5
Honest John Overall Rating
An unexpected addition to Volkswagen's range, the Taigo represents good value for money and is more stylish than the standard T-Cross. It''s generously equipped and comes with frugal petrol engines – although it's a shame it's not available with hybrid power.

+Stylish alternative to a Volkswagen T-Cross. Interior is more practical than you might expect. Generous equipment levels (particularly driver-assist tech).

-It's the compact coupe-SUV no one really asked for. Interior isn't the plushest. Not as fun to drive as a Ford Puma. No hybrid engines.

On average it achieves 0% of the official MPG figure

Volkswagen isn't short of small crossover SUVs. It already has the impressive Volkswagen T-Cross as an entry point into the range, while the T-Roc is a slightly bigger and more stylish choice. Sitting awkwardly in the middle is this, the new Volkswagen Taigo.

Essentially a coupe-SUV version of the T-Cross, the new Volkswagen Taigo is priced from £22,500 and rivals the Ford Puma, Nissan Juke, Renault Arkana and Mazda CX-30. It's available with a range of petrol engines but no diesel or, perhaps more significantly, hybrid power.

There are three core trim levels available: the Taigo Life, Style and R-Line. There's no need to push the boat out too much with the Taigo; even the entry-level Life is comprehensively kitted out with the standard kit list including 16-inch alloy wheels, a basic digital cockpit setup, front/rear parking sensors and a simple infotainment display with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

The mid-range Volkswagen Taigo Style builds on this with LED matrix headlights, navigation, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and 17-inch alloy wheels. Topping the range is the Volkswagen Taigo R-Line, which adds privacy glass, configurable drive modes, Art Velours seats and 17-inch alloy wheels finished in grey.

While you'd expect the Taigo to be a fair bit less practical than the functional T-Cross, it's 150mm longer than the baby VW. That means it's surprisingly spacious for a small style-led crossover, only losing 15 litres of boot space compared to the T-Cross.

The interior is typical 2022 Volkswagen and not necessarily in a good way, with a few more flimsy finishes than you might expect. The Ford Puma isn't exactly the last word in plushness, though, and you have to remember it's at the budget end of the Volkswagen SUV spectrum.

It's easy and inoffensive to drive, while there's an extensive list of safety and driver-assist tech on hand. We reckon the SEAT Arona feels slightly more agile but there's not a great deal in it, while it's firmer than a Citroen C3 Aircross – meaning it's less bouncy on the open road.

The 1.0-litre petrol engine is great (provided you opt for the more powerful 110PS version), although it is hampered slightly by the seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. We'd go for the manual gearbox with this engine, or stretch to the more powerful 1.5-litre unit if you really want an auto.

Looking for a second opinion? Read heycar's review of the Volkswagen Taigo.

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