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Volkswagen Taigo

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Expert Rating

Volkswagen Taigo

(2022 - present)

    Summary


    Arriving in the UK in early 2022, the Volkswagen Taigo is a compact coupé-SUV that sits between the slightly smaller T-Cross and the slightly larger T-Roc in the Volkswagen SUV family.

    Essentially, the Tiago is a small five-door SUV but with a sloping roofline in the rear – like a coupé model. Before arriving in Europe, the Taigo was available on the South American market, known there as the Volkswagen Nivus.

    With both manual and automatic transmission models available, the Taigo range consists of several turbocharged petrol engine options that are also found in the T-Cross range, starting with the entry-level 95hp 1.0-litre Taigo Life to the range-topping 150hp 1.5-litre Taigo R-Line.

    “It’s a shame it’s not available with hybrid power”, Honest John comments. While most of the Taigo’s SUV competitors offer diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, the Taigo range is limited to just petrol models – to the disappointment of a few eco-conscious publications.

    Like the closely-related Polo hatchback, the most prominent criticism levelled against the Volkswagen Taigo is that other alternatives offer more exciting driving dynamics, and that the coupé-SUV is more expensive than class leaders like the Ford Puma.

    “It isn’t as capable or fun as the Ford Puma”, What Car? claims, “but that’s forgivable given the superb ride and the fact that you get plenty of toys with even the entry-level version.”

    The majority of reviewers agree with What Car?‘s praise, often commending the Taigo for its ride quality and cabin comfort, as well as the generous levels of equipment included as standard. According to The Sun, this generous list of standard on-board tech means that the entry-level model is “all you need”. Despite the lack of choice, many publications also praise the engine quality of the Taigo, which Carbuyer calls “excellent”.

    Many reviewers also state their surprise at how practical the Taigo is, even with the sloping roofline which restricts rear headroom, and many British reviews include plaudits for the coupé-SUV’s attractive exterior styling. As Parkers concludes, “it’s not at all difficult to recommend if you’ve fallen for the looks.”

    As of April 2023, the Volkswagen Taigo holds an Expert Rating of 66%, based on 14 reviews published by the UK media. The Taigo is a brand new model and we expect to see several more reviews published in coming months, which could push its rating up or down by a few points.

    Taigo highlights

    • Spacious and comfortable cabin
    • Cheap running costs
    • Generous list of on-board tech as standard
    • Attractive exterior looks
    • Impressive engine quality

    Taigo lowlights

    • Ford Puma is more exciting to drive
    • Smaller boot than the Volkswagen T-Cross
    • Petrol only, no electrification
    • Top-spec models get pricey
    • Fiddly touch-sensitive controls

    Key specifications


    Body style: Small coupé-SUV
    Engines: petrol
    Price: From £24,260 on-road

    Launched: Spring 2022
    Last updated: N/A
    Replacement due: TBA


    Media reviews


    Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

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    Honest John

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    Parkers

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    The Sun

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    The Telegraph

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    Top Gear

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    What Car?

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    Which?

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    Safety rating


    Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

    Overall score: 5 stars
    Date tested: March 2022
    Read the full Euro NCAP review

    Adult protection: 94%
    Child protection: 84%
    Vulnerable road users: 71%
    Safety assist: 70%

    Note on safety rating

    The Taigo is structurally identical to the Volkswagen Polo hatchback, and shares the same level of safety equipment. Therefore, Euro NCAP has used some of results of its crash test of the Volkswagen Polo to assess the Taigo, and conducted additional tests where structural differences might exist and to verify the performance of the Taigo against that of the Polo.

    Eco rating


    No eco rating

    As of April 2023, the Volkswagen Taigo has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.

    If the Taigo is put through the Green NCAP lab testing programme, we will publish the results here.

    Reliability rating

    MotorEasy logo 600x167

    As the Volkswagen Taigo is still a fairly new model, we don’t have enough reliability data to generate a reliability rating.

    The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusive from extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as we have sufficient data on the Taigo, we’ll publish the score here.

    Similar cars


    If you’re looking at the Volkswagen Taigo, you might also be interested in these alternatives

    Audi Q2 | Citroën C3 Aircross | Dacia Duster | Fiat 500X | Ford Puma | Honda HR-V | Hyundai Bayon | Hyundai Kona | Jeep Renegade | Kia Stonic | Mazda CX-3 | MG ZS | Nissan Juke | Peugeot 2008 | Renault Captur | SEAT Arona | Skoda Kamiq | Suzuki Vitara | Toyota Yaris Cross | Vauxhall Mokka | Volkswagen T-Cross | Volkswagen T-Roc

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    A stylish and practical coupé-SUV, the Volkswagen Taigo is a sensible choice in a very crowded small SUV class, but rivals are more fun to drive.Volkswagen Taigo