Overview

What’s a Volkswagen Taigo? Put simply, it’s a T-Cross SUV with a little more style courtesy of a coupe roofline and elongated tail.

It’s intended to appeal to style-conscious buyers who still want the elevated driving position and rugged character that a compact SUV provides, but just don’t like the boxy shape and don’t need its extended practicality.

Not that long ago the coupe-SUV was the preserve of vastly expensive premium models like the BMW X6, but more and more manufacturers are launching affordable models to give the proletariat a taste of the good life. Rivals include the Citroen C4, Renault Arkana, Kia XCeed and Toyota C-HR, though other stylish SUVs that may be a little boxier – such as the Ford Puma and Mazda CX-30 – will no doubt sit on many of the same shopping lists. These are some of the best small SUVs you can buy, so the Taigo has a lot of work to do in order to keep up.

The Taigo is pure Volkswagen up front – and not very exciting – but round the back it’s slightly more interesting. In addition to the sloping roofline and steeply-raked rear window you get a full-width taillight element which does actually look quite cool, especially at night. R-Line models with their sportier body kits also add to this effect, while VW’s offering the Taigo in some bold exterior shades as well.

Despite the mildly avant-garde exterior looks the Taigo is as conventional as it gets under the skin. It’s closely-related to the T-Cross, of course, which means a compact range of petrol engines with manual or automatic gearboxes. You’ll find no hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric trickery here.

In fact, from behind the wheel you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between this and the T-Cross – but we suspect for many drivers that won’t be a bad thing.

If you’d like to know more about the VW Taigo, you’re in the right place – keep reading and we’ll take you through what it’s like inside and out, how practical it is, how much it’ll cost you to run and what it’s like to drive.