Volkswagen Taigo Review 2024

Volkswagen isn't short of small crossover SUVs. It already has the impressive Volkswagen T-Cross as an entry point into the range, while the T-Roc is a slightly bigger and more stylish choice. Sitting awkwardly in the middle is this, the new Volkswagen Taigo.

Essentially a coupe-SUV version of the T-Cross, the new Volkswagen Taigo is priced from £22,500 and rivals the Ford Puma, Nissan Juke, Renault Arkana and Mazda CX-30. It's available with a range of petrol engines but no diesel or, perhaps more significantly, hybrid power.

There are three core trim levels available: the Taigo Life, Style and R-Line. There's no need to push the boat out too much with the Taigo; even the entry-level Life is comprehensively kitted out with the standard kit list including 16-inch alloy wheels, a basic digital cockpit setup, front/rear parking sensors and a simple infotainment display with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.

The mid-range Volkswagen Taigo Style builds on this with LED matrix headlights, navigation, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and 17-inch alloy wheels. Topping the range is the Volkswagen Taigo R-Line, which adds privacy glass, configurable drive modes, Art Velours seats and 17-inch alloy wheels finished in grey.

While you'd expect the Taigo to be a fair bit less practical than the functional T-Cross, it's 150mm longer than the baby VW. That means it's surprisingly spacious for a small style-led crossover, only losing 15 litres of boot space compared to the T-Cross.

The interior is typical 2022 Volkswagen and not necessarily in a good way, with a few more flimsy finishes than you might expect. The Ford Puma isn't exactly the last word in plushness, though, and you have to remember it's at the budget end of the Volkswagen SUV spectrum.

It's easy and inoffensive to drive, while there's an extensive list of safety and driver-assist tech on hand. We reckon the SEAT Arona feels slightly more agile but there's not a great deal in it, while it's firmer than a Citroen C3 Aircross – meaning it's less bouncy on the open road.

The 1.0-litre petrol engine is great (provided you opt for the more powerful 110PS version), although it is hampered slightly by the seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox. We'd go for the manual gearbox with this engine, or stretch to the more powerful 1.5-litre unit if you really want an auto.

Looking for a second opinion? Read heycar's review of the Volkswagen Taigo.

While the Volkswagen Taigo might look sportier than the T-Cross, it's pretty vanilla to drive. The light steering is great around town but means it's not as fun to drive on an open road as the Ford Puma.

The Taigo doesn't roll about too much in the corners, while there's a reassuring amount of grip from the tyres. You can't buy a four-wheel-drive Taigo which is no great loss as the fuel consumption penalty would be significant.

Our test car was fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels and winter tyres, neither of which are offered in the UK. Even so, it seems to ride well enough, smoothing over any imperfections in the road surface. The Skoda Kamiq is probably a bit more comfortable but we'd have to drive them back-to-back to tell any real difference.

The Volkswagen Taigo's engine line-up is pretty simple. You can choose between petrol, er, and that's about it.

The range kicks off with a 95PS 1.0-litre petrol engine that's probably worth avoiding unless you're on a strict budget – not least because it's only available with a five-speed manual gearbox. The 110PS version of this is expected to be the bigger seller, and it's available with a six-speed transmission. It's a feisty unit that we rate highly in other VW Group models, although so far we've only tried it with the seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox in the Taigo. This hampers it slightly.

If you do want an automatic Volkswagen Taigo, there's the option of the 150PS 1.5-litre petrol which is available exclusively with the seven-speed DSG gearbox. We haven't tried this yet but, with a healthy power advantage over the 1.0-litre engine, it should be more up to the job of motorway driving.

Volkswagen hasn't skimped on standard safety equipment in the Taigo. Even the most basic Volkswagen Taigo Life comes with the brand's Front Assist (autonomous emergency braking), Travel Assist (including lane-keeping and traffic jam assist) and automatic headlights.

The Volkswagen Taigo was awarded a full five stars for safety when it was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2022. This includes an impressive 94 per cent score for adult occupants.

You might think that the Volkswagen Taigo's sloping rear end means it's not as practical as other small SUVs, but you might be surprised. It can carry 440 litres of luggage, which is only 15 litres less than in a T-Cross (and still more than in a Volkswagen Golf hatchback).

There's loads of room in the front, although you don't sit particularly high (even with the seats cranked up to the max). There's plenty of storage for your odds and ends, including a big glove box and a fairly large cubby in the central armrest.

Even space in the rear isn't too shabby, with a reasonable amount of headroom for a coupe-SUV like this. You might want to look at bigger alternatives like the Skoda Karoq if you regularly carry adults in the back, but the seats are fine for children or occasional use.

While Volkswagen generally produces well-finished interiors, the Taigo's isn't quite as upmarket as you might expect. It comes down to expectations, though – you'll find more hard finishes than you would in an Audi Q3 Sportback, but the Taigo's also significantly cheaper. We also suspect it'll stand the test of time.

The entry-level Volkswagen Taigo Life comes with a no-frills infotainment system and a basic digital instrument cluster, while Style and R-Line models feature a more advanced eight-inch navigation system and 10.25-inch digital dials.

We've only sampled the latter and it's a pretty good system – easier to use than the infotainment in the latest Volkswagen Golf, for example, but it's still reliant on touchscreen operation (there's no rotary controller like you get in the slightly bigger Mazda CX-30).

The menus are sensibly laid out and you can mirror apps from your phone using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Prices start from around £22,000 for a Volkswagen Taigo Life with the 95PS 1.0-litre petrol engine, while the range-tops out at nearly £30,000 for a Taigo R-Line with the 1.5-litre engine and DSG gearbox. You're looking at upwards of £25,000 for a mid-spec Taigo Style.

You'll pay a small premium of a Volkswagen T-Cross for what is essentially a slightly more stylish version of the same car, but it's priced in-line with competitors like the Ford Puma and SEAT Arona. Residual values look pretty strong, too, which should make the monthly finance payments easy to stomach.

While the Taigo is still pretty new, you can skip the waiting list by seeking out an ex-demonstrator or pre-reg model. Don't expect much in the way of a discount, though – demand is high and dealers aren't bending over backwards to shift as-new Taigos from stock.

Without any electrical assistance, the Volkswagen Taigo won't be as efficient as the hybrid Toyota Yaris Cross or even mild-hybrid alternatives like the Ford Puma. Even so, the Volkswagen Taigo isn't going to cost a fortune in fuel. The 1.0-litre petrol returns up to 52.3mpg in official WLTP fuel economy tests, while the automatic gearbox sees this drop to 47.9mpg. That figure's matched by the 1.5 DSG, which sounds like a small price to pay for the extra power on offer.

VED (road tax) will be a flat rate of £155/year, while insurance costs ought to be fairly reasonable, too. It might be worth hunting out the entry-level 95PS 1.0-litre petrol engine if you're a young driver as this is in a slightly lower insurance group.

The entry-level Volkswagen Taigo Life is generously equipped as standard, with a suite of driver assistance systems providing safety and assurance. These include Lane Change Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, Park Assist with front and rear parking sensors, and more. From the outside, the Taigo Life’s 16-inch ‘Everett’ Black alloy wheels, front fog lights, LED headlights and black-finished roof rails complement its sharp styling. Comfort and convenience features include logo projection lighting from the car’s door mirrors; a multifunction camera; lumbar support for the comfortable front seats; electrically-folding door mirrors with electric heating and adjustment; and a multifunction steering wheel.

Standard equipment for the Volkswagen Taigo R-Line builds upon that of the Life, offering a sportily-styled alternative with 17-inch ‘Valencia’ alloy wheels and R-Line exterior styling with bespoke bumpers. On the inside, more R-Line styling cues are present, with a black roof-lining, R-Line badging on the floor mats and an R-Line specific multifunction steering wheel; while luxuries 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, are all fitted. The driver can also select between profiles to change the characteristics of the car’s drive, to suit sportier or more relaxed driving styles. Rear privacy glass adds to the dynamic look of the Taigo, and is also standard on the Taigo Style.

Majoring on luxury and comfort, the Volkswagen Taigo Style builds even further upon the model’s generous equipment package, with the standard fitment of IQ.Light LED matrix headlights. These feature individually controlled modules that are able to automatically switch modes to suit a variety of driving situations. The IQ.Light series was introduced on the Touareg in 2018, but has now been adopted across much of the Volkswagen model range. These intelligent headlights are enhanced by a full-width LED bar in the Taigo’s front grille. The Taigo Style also features 17-inch ‘Aberdeen’ alloy wheels, as well as Dynamic Light Assist for the IQ.Light headlights as standard.