Volkswagen’s newest SUV, the Taigo, has opened for orders priced from £21,960.

The Taigo is Volkswagen’s first SUV-coupé and conceived to bring sleek looks, charisma and flexibility to the compact SUV segment

It’s the brand’s first SUV-coupé and sits above the brand’s entry-level T-Cross SUV and below the T-Roc.

Based on VW’s Nivus model sold in Brazil, the newcomer features the higher seating position and ground clearance of an SUV, but brings a more rakish, sporty design, along with a focus on customisation and big-car technology.

Engine line-up is solely focused on petrol units; ranging from an entry-level 95hp 1.0-litre, three-cylinder TSI petrol engine, fitted with a 5-speed manual gearbox and with emissions from 124g/km.

The range also includes a 110hp engine of the same size, mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed DSG automatic and with emissions from 124-134g/km.

A second DSG-equipped option – a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder TSI engine with 150hp – is available in the higher grades and returns 138g/km.

Three trim levels are offered: Life, Style and R-Line. All come with LED headlights, an 8.0-inch Digital Cockpit, multifunction steering wheel, wireless smartphone charging, Park Assist, a fatigue detection system and curtain airbags in the front, along with a central airbag.

The Taigo Style is priced from £25,300 and adds in VW’s IQ.Light LED matrix headlights, first introduced on the Touareg and automatically switching modes to suit a variety of driving situations. The Style also upgrades to 17-inch alloys.

The R-Line comes in from £26,150 and adds in bespoke styling cues, including a black roof-lining and R-Line badging on the interior, along with features such as ambient lighting, 2-zone Climatronic climate control, an upgraded, 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro dashboard display and an 8.0-inch Discover Navigation infotainment system. The driver can also select between profiles.

Claire Haynes, Taigo product manager Volkswagen UK, said: “The Taigo is special, being the first SUV-coupé in the Volkswagen range, and it offers a diverse range of qualities recognisable from the brand’s hatchbacks and other SUVs. It really does provide the best of many worlds.

“Its blend of technology, style, practicality and quality make it entirely at home within the Volkswagen SUV family, but its special status as the brand’s first SUV-coupé, and its focus on connectivity, style, and scope for personalisation, mean that it has its own unique character within the range.”