Fleet World Fleet: Volkswagen Taigo

Julian Kirk reports back on our new Taigo compact coupé-SUV long-termer.

Volkswagen Taigo 1.0 TSI 110 R-Line DSG

P11d: £28,870 BiK: 31% Economy: 47.8mpg CO2: 134g/km Test mpg: N/A

Our test car looks fairly subdued although the engine is proving lively already

Report 1:

It’s a mark of how much we in this country love SUVs that Volkswagen now offers eight in its line-up, ranging from the city-sized T-Cross up to the full-fat four-wheel drive Touareg (plus a pair of EV variants too).

Our new long termer, the Taigo, joins the line-up in second-from-bottom form, being slightly bigger than the T-Cross and slightly smaller than the T-Roc. Where the Taigo differs from its stablemates is in its style – a bit more coupé-like with a sloping rear hatchback – and some quirky personalisation options such as bright colours, various interior trim options and differing roof colours.

Our test model, however, hasn’t been too near the personalisation button on the configurator – it’s finished in a restrained grey metallic (a £630 option) and inside is grey upholstery and grey alloy wheels. It’s fairly subdued and I’m sure younger drivers – the key market here – will be far more flamboyant with their choices.

Other than the metallic paint, we’ve ticked the heated front seats box (£310), a rear-view camera at £265, keyless access and start at £350, plus a ‘beats audio’ package at £635, which improves the stereo system and adds a space-saver spare wheel (presumably to make room for the uprated amplifier and sub-woofer).

All-in, this Taigo costs more than £31,000 in top-spec R-line trim fitted with the DSG automatic gearbox, which seems somewhat hefty for a 1.0-litre model. However, versions start at £23,000 which is where I think this model makes more sense.

Despite the price, initial impressions are positive – the lively three-cylinder 1.0-litre TSI engine is a cracker, delivering nippy acceleration, while interior space is ample for a family of four (plus there’s a decent sized boot, too).

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