Buy Or Hold: Wait For Volkswagen Taigun Or Go For Its Rivals

Let’s see if the VW Taigun is the SUV you’re waiting for, or if readily available rivals can meet your needs

The Taigun will be Volkswagen’s entry into India’s highly competitive compact SUV segment. All the details of this new car have already been revealed, except the prices which will be announced on September 23. We’ve already driven the Taigun and you can read what we think of it here. Pre-bookings have been open for a while but before you go put your name down for one, let’s find out if one of Taigun’s readily available rivals might be a better fit for you. 

All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi

Hyundai Creta: BUY for comfortable cabin, multiple petrol and diesel powertrain options, and panoramic sunroof

The Creta has been dominating the segment for years and is now in its second generation. It is offered with the choice of three engines: a 115PS 1.5-litre petrol, a 115PS 1.5-litre diesel, and a 140PS 1.4-litre turbo-petrol. Each is offered with an automatic transmission option while the 1.5-litre engines get the choice of a manual as well. Hyundai is still the only one to offer a panoramic sunroof in this segment which makes the cabin feel more premium. It is also equipped with ventilated front seats, connected car tech, 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a Bose sound system.

Kia Seltos: BUY for premium styling, 360-degree camera, and most number of powertrain choices

Even though the Kia Seltos is directly related to the Hyundai Creta with the same mechanicals and much of the same features. However, the Seltos is a step above with its sportier styling and also offers the choice of the 6-speed iMT (clutchless manual) with the 1.5-litre petrol engine and a 6-speed manual with the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine. The Seltos also gets more premium features like the 360-degree camera, 8-inch head-up display, and connected car tech for remote vehicle functions.

Skoda Kushaq: BUY for good build quality and a fun to drive experience

The Kushaq is the closest alternative to the Taigun as the two have the same mechanicals and similar features but very different styling inside and out. It has rugged SUV styling with the kind of sturdiness one would expect from a Skoda offering. The Kushaq is a petrol-only offering with the choice of 115PS 1-litre and 150PS 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engines, both with manual and automatic transmission options. The powerful engine is currently limited to the top-spec variant only. While the Kushaq is not as spacious or as well-equipped as its Korean rivals, the Skoda promises to offer a more excitable driving experience. In terms of features, it does get touch controls for auto AC, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and ventilated front seats.

Nissan Kicks: BUY for spacious and comfortable cabin

The Kicks hasn’t been around for all that long but it’s the oldest car in this list. It is also a petrol-only SUV available with a 106PS 1.5-litre engine and a 156PS 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine, the latter getting the choice of a CVT automatic too. The Kicks is not ill-equipped either with features like the 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, connected car tech with remote engine start, and 360-degree camera view. But perhaps the Kicks’ best competitive edge is the amount of space inside its cabin.

Volkswagen Taigun: HOLD for mature styling and premium driving experience

The Taigun bears no visual similarities with the Skoda Kushaq despite their shared underpinnings. They also get the same engine and powertrain options. It looks premium while understated unlike most of its rivals but is notably smaller in comparison. The Taigun’s feature list includes a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, digital instrument cluster, ventilated front seats, up to six airbags, and LED lighting. However, it's truly a driver-centric offering and the only one in the segment to offer a proper digital instrument cluster with typical Volkswagen driving dynamics.

Want something bigger?

The premium pricing of the Taigun and its rivals also brings it within contention of aggressively priced mid-sized SUVs like the Tata Harrier, MG Hector and the upcoming Mahindra XUV700. They’re all bigger in size, thereby offering a more spacious cabin and also get more powerful powertrains than the usual compact SUV. The XUV700 is the most enticing one here with introductory prices starting from Rs 11.99 lakh (ex-showroom) but you’ll have to wait even longer for that one. Here’s how their prices stack up:

Also read: Here’s A Look At The Standout Features Of Each Variant Of The Mahindra XUV700