New 2021 Volkswagen Taigo coupe-SUV on sale from £21,960

The new Volkswagen Taigo coupe-crossover has gone on sale in the UK, with pricing and spec details confirmed. The entry-level Taigo Life costs from £21,960, with top-level R-Line trim heading up a three-tiered range at £26,150.

The Taigo is based on Volkswagen’s South American-market Nivus SUV, but the brand has “technologically adapted the car for Europe”, equipping it with much more advanced kit and adding a Europe-only, sporty R-Line trim to the line-up.

As a result - and depending on trim level - the Taigo will be available with features usually found on larger, more premium cars, such as VW’s IQ.Light LED adaptive matrix headlights and IQ.Travel Assist semi-autonomous cruise control.

A digital dash and an infotainment screen up to 9.2 inches in diameter, running VW’s latest MIB 3.1 operating system, will be available, too.

Volkswagen Taigo: engines and powertrains

The Taigo is based on the VW Group’s MQB A0 platform, which underpins the Polo and T-Cross and T-Roc SUVs, so it will use a similar range of engines.

The 1.0-litre TSI three-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit will make up the bulk of the line-up, in 94bhp and 108bhp forms; the former will be linked to a five-speed manual transmission and the latter a six-speed manual. A seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic will be offered on the 108bhp TSI 110 as an option. The most potent engine option will be a 1.5 TSI four-cylinder turbo unit, producing 148bhp and paired exclusively with the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

The 94bhp model can launch from 0-62mph in 11.1 seconds, going on to a top speed of 114mph. Claimed fuel economy is 51.4mpg, with CO2 emissions of 124g/km. 

The 108bhp unit cuts the 0-62mph time to 10.4 seconds, or 10.9 seconds when equipped with the dual-clutch gearbox, and top speed is 119mph for either option. The automatic version’s fuel economy falls from 52.3mpg to 47.9mpg, however, and CO2 emissions increase by 10g/km to 134g/km.

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 The 1.5-litre TSI provides the strongest performance in the line-up, hitting 62mph in 8.3 seconds and reaching 132mph flat out. This is the least efficient offering, however, with WLTP economy figures of 46.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 138g/km.

Despite the Taigo’s sportier looks, the brand has already confirmed that there won’t be a performance-focused model in the future, even though the Polo GTI powertrain would fit in the Taigo’s body.

VW confirmed that while there’s no plan to electrify the Taigo for now, mild-hybrid tech could be implemented at a later stage if customer demand is great enough.

Volkswagen Taigo: design, trim levels and equipment

The Taigo’s look is defined by its sportier, fastback-style rear end with its sloping rear hatchback. A full-width light bar at the rear links the light clusters, while the LED headlights and deep front bumper mean the Taigo is the sportiest looking car in VW’s small SUV line-up. It’s helped by sharp creases down the car’s flanks.

There’s a big focus on personalisation too, with VW offering the Taigo in a green colour unique for the model called Visual Green. This can be specced with a Visual Green design pack that brings a green insert for the dash and contrast green stitching around the cabin.

The entry-level Taigo Life starts from £21,960, and comes with a generous kit list, including a 8.0-inch digital instrument panel and a wireless charging pad. A multifunction steering wheel and lumbar support for the front seats also feature inside.

Outside, the Life receives black 16-inch wheels, LED headlights, front foglights and a black contrast roof. Logo projection lights are fitted to the door mirrors, which are also heated and electrically adjustable. 

Life models are equipped with VW’s Park Assist system with front and rear parking sensors, too, along with a multifunction camera and safety features such as fatigue detection, lane-change assist and adaptive cruise control. The Taigo Life is the only model that cannot be optioned with the 1.5-litre TSI engine.

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The range structure then moves in two divergent paths; the Taigo Style focuses on comfort and luxury, while the R-Line majors on sportiness.

R-Line specification is the pricier of the two, at £26,150. The Taigo R-Line gets the most aggressive styling of the trio, with redesigned front and rear bumpers, 17-inch ‘Valencia’ alloy wheels and rear privacy glass. Inside, there’s a unique R sports steering wheel, black headlining and R-Line floor mats.

Other equipment includes ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control and an 8-inch infotainment system featuring navigation. A 10.25 inch Digital Cockpit Pro instrument panel replaces the standard item, and R-Line models bring a selection of driving modes. 

Style trim starts from £25,300, and offers Volkswagen’s IQ.Light LED matrix headlight system as standard, which also adds Dynamic Light Assist and an LED light bar across the Taigo’s front grille. The Taigo Style is fitted with a set of 17-inch ‘Aberdeen’ alloy wheels and rear privacy glass.

Both Style and R-Line trim are available with an optional 9.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system, with the two larger set-ups also adding an Online Connectivity Unit that opens up more connected car features and services to owners.

The Taigo will also feature VW’s IQ.Drive Travel Assist semi-autonomous adaptive cruise control, which keeps the car at a set distance from the vehicle in front, and in its lane on the motorway at up to 130mph.

The Taigo is slightly longer and slightly wider than the brand’s T-Cross SUV, but with a more sloping roof rear headroom could be impacted compared with its boxier sibling.

However, the car’s 438-litre boot means the Taigo should offer a strong level of practicality. The T-Cross offers up to 455 litres of space, so it’s not too far down on its sibling when it comes to load volume.

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