New Volkswagen Taigun: First Teaser Showing Full Car Now LIVE
Staying relevant in the fiercely competitive mid-size SUV space requires careful product planning, smart strategies and more importantly, timely updates. Keeping the same in mind, Volkswagen has revealed the facelifted Taigun for the Indian market. It gets refreshed looks, more equipment and a new automatic transmission. Hours after unveiling the SUV, a teaser video was shared online showing the facelifted Taigun GT, up close.
This 18-second clip gives us a quick look at the key highlights of the updated SUV. It starts by showing the design changes and later reveals the car fully. The new Taigun comes in nine colour options including two new shades- Steel Grey and Avocado Pearl. The video appears to show the latter. Avocado Pearl is a shade of Green but seems to be slightly distorted due to the particular lighting shown in the video.
The clip opens by showing the LED DRLs of the updated Taigun GT. These are linear units placed inside the sleek headlamp cluster. Next, we see the adaptive LED headlamps, connecting LED bar and illuminated central logo lighting up. This lighting signature looks interesting against the dark backdrop.
We then get to see the ‘GT badges’ finished in a sporty Red colour, and ‘Taigun’ lettering on the boot. The clip also shows the connected LED lighting setup. The overall shape of this may look familiar. But, the internals are new. The lighting signature is new. An illuminated Volkswagen logo can be seen even at the rear. Though not shown in this video, the rear bumper has also been restyled on the facelift.
The car is fully revealed toward the end of the video. The front three-quarter view makes it look like a ‘mini-Tayron’. The clip also shows a silhouette of the car, which interestingly, is the same as that of the one it replaces. The facelift, however, gets a new set of wheels- 17-inch units on higher trims and 16-inchers on lower ones.
The facelift comes with the same dimensions as the model it replaces. The length, width, height and wheelbase remain unchanged. At 385 litres, the boot space is also the same as before.
Inside, the overall layout remains largely unchanged, but subtle improvements in trims can be found on closer inspection. The larger experience has been elevated on the facelift. More importantly, the feature list has improved on the new model.
It gets a larger 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system which is now smoother, more responsive and comes with a fresh user interface. It gets wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto and comes with voice commands powered by Google Automotive AI.
It also sees the addition of a large panoramic sunroof. Other features on the new model include wireless charger, ventilated and powered front seats, ambient lighting, automatic climate control, cruise control, front parking sensors, and more. These improvements have brought the facelifted Taigun more in line with segment expectations.
However, ADAS features and 360 degree camera are not offered even on the updated model. Another notable omission is the rear seat massage function, which is offered on the Kushaq facelift.
The facelifted Taigun comes with over 40 active and passive safety features and also holds a five-star Global NCAP safety rating. Safety features include six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, ISOFIX mounts, auto-dimming IRVM, traction control and hill-hold assist. All wheels are equipped with disc brakes as well.
Mechanically, the Taigun facelift continues with the same turbo-petrol engines- a 1.0-litre TSI engine that makes 113 hp and 178 Nm, and a 1.5-litre TSI engine that delivers 148 hp and 250 Nm. The smaller capacity engine comes with the choice of a 6-speed manual and a new 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, while the other continues with the 7-speed DSG gearbox. Volkswagen claims the 1.0TSI engine’s fuel efficiency to have improved on the new model.