Driving dynamics of the Virtus felt much better than the Taigun. Loved the way it drives. Coming from an Ameo 1.5 DSG, I was right at home.

BHPian SDx recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Did back-to-back test drive of the Taigun and Virtus 1.0 TSI AT last weekend. Below are my few observations. Most of them might have been already covered here in this thread:

• Driving dynamics of the Virtus felt much better than the Taigun. Loved the way it drives. Sedan being a sedan, I guess. Coming from an Ameo 1.5 DSG, I was right at home. Sadly, Virtus is too long for me. I am in the market for a sub-4 meter car but somehow the Taigun feels ok.
• The auto gearbox seemed flimsy while putting it in D, or any mode as a matter of fact when compared to my Ameo. Not sure if anyone else had the same feeling. The SA blamed it on being a test drive vehicle and manhandled by many customers.
• Manual AC on Highline model was a huge disappointment, reminded me of my Figo which came at 1/3 of this price (approx.). My Ameo Highline bought over 5 years ago has more features than a segment above the Highline. Namely Auto AC, Auto IRVM, All 4 one touch anti-pinch windows. I should get more features on a segment above car with a much higher price tag.
• Though temp was not that high on that day, the Taigun AC performed better (I mean adequate) than Virtus. Not sure why.
• Coming back to the IRVM, apart from being manual it is a bit small. Checked with the SA if it was possible for them to install the auto IRVM from Topline. However as per him, its not possible since there are no couplers provided for this update.

Question to current Highline owners – has anyone been able to update the IRVM without voiding the warranty?

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As I am in town, we are able to use the Corolla and when both Taigun and Corolla are busy, my dad takes the Innova.

BHPian adigup recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hey guys,

As the topic mentions, we have 3 cars at home but all of us mostly just require one car everyday. It's just on some days that we take the 2nd or 3rd car out - if the 1st car is taken by someone or when we have to go out for a gathering. On regular days, we just drive one of the three cars depending on which car was driven last.

Background:

We have a 2019 February Toyota Innova Crysta 2.7 Petrol ZX AT (at 35,xxx kms), a 2019 December Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 Petrol VL CVT (at 19,xxx kms) and a 2022 March Volkswagen Taigun 1.0 Petrol Manual Highline (at 5,9xx kms).

The Innova used to be my dad's daily drive until a month back but since he's now working from home, it's mostly parked at home, or is driven once a week.

The Corolla is loved by all, it is mostly used by me when I have to go out for work or to meet friends and family or even if it's going out for a drive.

The Taigun was bought for my mom. My mom is a housewife, involved in some social and community work and prefers manuals. My mom also doesn't have to drive it everyday, so this car is used by me, my dad, my mom and even my sisters for even the smallest of the work.

Now, we are a family of 5 (me, dad, mom and two sisters - out of which, one of the sisters lives overseas and in a month, I will also shift and do not have plans to come back).

(Next year we have some stuff planned - a few family gatherings and we will be needing the cars! so, does this all make sense?)

Their worry:

As I am in town, we are able to use the Corolla and when both Taigun and Corolla are busy, my dad takes the Innova. I went out of town for a couple of weeks, and in 5 days the Taigun was driven only 55 kms, the other cars were just parked. Even my dad stated that we just 'need' two cars. When I am not in town, who will drive the car? Dad said that he will have to make a schedule or something where he makes sure he drives both the Toyotas on week-by-week basis. But then, does that really make sense?

My worry:

Do we need a manual? Yes

Do we need a Taigun-sized car? Yes

Cool, so we are good with the Taigun.

But,

Do we need an Innova? Yes, we've had it for quite a long time. It's nice. We love it.

Do we really need an Innova? Nope, 3rd row is usually of no use at home.

Do we need the Corolla? Not sure, it looks big, it's good to drive. You get nothing like that today.

Also my worry:

• Will it be a good idea to keep the 3 cars until next year and then decide?
• Will it be a good idea to keep the Taigun and sell either of the two cars?
• Will it make sense to trade in the Toyotas for one 'big' / 'luxury' car for the equivalent amount of money? (Oh no! I don't think there's anything reliable in the 35-40 lakh rupees price bracket) Can we stretch the budget a little bit? Maybe, I'm not sure. There isn't anything tempting in the market!

(The car will be driven by my dad primarily)

Another problem:

With the Taigun, we have had mixed experiences. The unpopular ineffective AC issue, the brake noise at low speeds and also dealing with VW service centres.

With Toyota, nothing at all. Send the cars for scheduled services and no problem at all! Another reason why my family loves Toyotas! (Have been a Toyota customer since 2013).

Cars become like family members so maybe it's nice to have a 'reliable' product. We have owned cars from Maruti Suzuki, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Ford and Volkswagen, but nothing beats the service Toyota offers.

I am confused about what we should do, or just let things be this way. Just to mention, the car (or cars) other than the Taigun is driven around 800-1000 kms every month (~400 in city, and ~500 on highways), whereas, the Taigun sees 1,400 kms of city driving every month.

Thank you.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

To simplify, if I had 3 cars and had to retain only 2, I'd get rid of the most inferior one. While all the cars you have are good, the Taigun can't match the Corolla Altis or Innova Crysta. The Altis is a superb sedan that will offer you 15 years of reliable, comfortable service at the least. The Innova is like a swiss knife - a workhorse whose presence in the family will always be valued.

Sell the Taigun.

Here's what BHPian androdev had to say on the matter:

Keep the Corolla for sure. Even though Innova is a safe bet, it's the wrong car. Taigun is a risky one but it's the right car. Pick your poison. I would keep the Taigun given that you have multiple members including ladies driving it.

Here's what BHPian ninjatalli had to say on the matter:

Interesting conundrum.

Are you the one responsible for the majority of the 1400 kms of driving on the Taigun every month? Would the rest of the family still see a need for a "new" car for in-city driving? If not, then let your mother (who the car was supposed to be for) have the first vote (to agree to sell the VW) as the other two are reliable workhorses. You'll face some depreciation but it should be fine if the person intended to use it is okay with letting it go.

If she says no, then sell the Corolla or the Innova depending on your family's choice - it's a seller's market and Toyotas will sell like hot cakes.

As for the functions next year, those are one-time events. Get a rental or other alternatives when the need arises.

Both on the other hand, if anyone else in your family is a driving enthusiast, then keeping a VW and a Toyota makes more sense.

Here's what BHPian Porcupine had to say on the matter:

Interesting situation.

I think your own post answered your question. The Taigun is new and a manual, for your mother, and she likes and uses the car. You use the Corolla, and you guys like that it looks big, is fairly fancy and easily way more fun to drive than the Innova, and will also be useful during the family festivities you have planned.

The Innova, you have no use for the extra space, it isn't fun to drive, your dad doesn't need it anymore, and is the oldest out of all your cars - which are all fairly new. Innova's sell pretty easily too.

If you don't need the space or the 'utility', sell the Innova and keep the Corolla and the Taigun.

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Affected by the chip shortage, my Jan 22 registered Taigun did not come with auto fold mirrors.

BHPian Atharva14 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Retro-fitting Auto folding ORVMs on my Taigun Topline MT:

Alright, so we all know about the chip shortage scene and due to this VW didn't provide auto-fold mirrors in the Taigun for a particular period of time. My car (JAN 22 regd.) was affected by this. Anyways recently they started providing customers with the same. I mailed VW India and got a prompt reply from a service center. They placed the part order under my confirmation and received it within a week's time. Took an appointment today and got it done.

Cost- Rs.15000/- (I was provided a flat discount of the same amount while purchasing the car hence had to pay it now.)

What does the Auto-folding kit comprise of?

Well at first I thought it would just be the rotary knob that needs to be changed but to my surprise, the kit consisted of:

• 2 Mirrors(Without glass and without the mirror cover. This is used from the current mirror setup).
• Rotary switch(See picture).
• New window winder motor(Yes, this needs to be changed too, probably this is the electrical source for folding unfolding of mirrors).

The process was smooth. Old mirror covers were removed with the mirror and replaced with new ones. The glass was used from the old mirror as well.

The new switch was connected with the new window motor. Auto up-down of the window wasn't functioning after this because the system wasn't coded to the new motor. After doing the same, everything worked perfectly.

Now the mirrors open/close automatically while Locking/unlocking and through the switch. The old mirrors, switch, and window motor was provided back with the car. I don't know what to do with it now, lets's see.

Attaching pictures for reference:

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Ride comfort was excellent for all occupants and fatigue was minimal. Boot space was also quite adequate with space to spare.

BHPian PRS7 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Long drive experience on the Taigun 1.5 GT TSI dsg plus a quick trip blog:

Recently I did a drive from Hyderabad to Thrissur in my Taigun. The following are some of my observations about the vehicle and what new buyers could look forward to when they lay their hands on one. Will quickly mention other aspects of the trip that may interest some members.

Started the drive from Hyderabad at around 6AM with a tank filled with 40l of normal petrol. Hit the ORR and quickly moved on to NH44 and continued onwards BLR through the usual route of Jadcherla > Kurnool > Anantapur > Chikballapur > Devanahalli.

I took it steady with cruise control set at 90kmph during most stretches of this road. Though the car gave me confidence to cruise easily at 110 or 120, the frequent intersections on the highway, with it's uncomfortable rumble strips and precariously perched two wheelers, pedestrians waiting to dart in and out, gave me chills through out and I never dared to push it past 90. I found it stressful to go above 100 due to this.

I have to say there was a certain thrill whenever I pressed the resume button on the cruise control after each intersection slow down, to see the beast roar back to 90 pushing all occupants to our seats firmly with a sly grin on our faces.

I was sweltering all the way through as is expected in late April and the air conditioning was just effective. Ride comfort was excellent for all occupants and fatigue was minimal. Boot space was also quite adequate with space to spare.

Stopped at Food pyramid Kothakota for breakfast and AP02 DINE IN Anantapur for lunch. Both were satisfactory, but nothing great to mention.

Stayed at Aloft Whitefield for the night, which is a basic hotel of the Marriott group and I prefer it over others being a member and also due to the fact that it is relatively easier to skip the BLR traffic while coming in to it and also while leaving out the next morning driving into Hosur and onwards to Krishnagiri>Dharmapuri>Salem>Erode>CBE>Palakkad>Th rissur. Made sure to top up fuel in TN to take advantage of the lower prices. The difference is almost 7Rs per liter if you compare with Hyderabad.

The average kilometreage (new term coined by me, excuse me if you find it silly ) achieved was 17.8 for the complete trip on an average speed of 65kmph.
ACT worked perfectly while cruising and otherwise too but only on slopes and flats. The instantaneous returns were 30 to 35 kmpl whenever the car fired only on 2 cylinders. This has lead to me to the conclusion that this beast is a thoroughbred for the long haul on 6 lane divided carriageways. It doesn't quite like the city roads and expresses its discontentment by returning below 10kmpl at the hint of mediocre stretches and bumper to bumper traffic.

On a side note, I unintentionally hurt the egos of some drivers of wannabe SUVs (you know what I mean). When they underestimated the VW beast and tried to overtake, much to their dismay then, found out that it was a difficult task .Guess they will rejoice when and if I have a future DSG failure, which I pray to the almighty gods of the road may never come to be.

Since it is still early days for the Taigun on Indian roads, it surely grabbed eye balls all throughout the journey and it was very pleasing to be honest.

Looking forward to some memorable short trips within Kerala now.

Cheers

PRS7

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I know for a fact that the AC in a Volkswagen 2.0 car isn't THAT great.

BHPian adigup recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The A/C of my Taigun Highline 1.0 MT (Just 10 days old) with blower speed of 4 and temperature set to 19 degrees, isn't cooling at all. Outside temperature is 41 degrees, and it has literally made me and my dad sweat during our1.5 hour drive in Delhi traffic and around 25 kms.

First service is scheduled for tomorrow, any possible problems you guys can think of ? I mean, I definitely think there's something. I know for a fact that the AC in a Volkswagen 2.0 car isn't THAT great. Can anyone help me with this? Just 10 days, and my dad regrets getting this.

Here's what BHPian dhananjay33 had to say on the matter:

We have now completed 4.5K on a Topline 1.0 MT including several inter-city trips and a bit of city travel as well in Bangalore/Chennai. A few observations:

• FE in the city with AC (even in Bangalore) is VERY poor. Often around 6-7 kmpl in city traffic.
• FE on highway drives has been excellent. We have got 18-19 kmpl on multiple Bangalore-Chennai-Bangalore trips even with AC on throughout.
• AC behaves a little strangely, alternating between very cold and blowing lukewarm air at high pressure. Haven't been able to get it right ever on Auto mode. Works well at the lowest temperature setting and moderate blowing, even in Bangalore. It's irritating as you have to change AC settings multiple times, even during short trips.
• Driveability on the highway has made intercity travel an enjoyable experience. Very nice and smooth to overtake on 2/3 gear even inside the city. Very comfortable experience both as a driver and a passenger.
• Missing some side sensors/cameras for parking in the city.
• The car is a bit of magnet for dust/leaves as others have pointed out and needs to be covered or cleaned frequently.
• Wireless charging is hopeless. Carry a cable if you want your phone charged.
• CarPlay gets annoying when you have two phones in the car. Never easy to switch between phones as it keeps trying to load the new phone without ever getting there.
• Volkswagen app store is a mystery. Don't know how to use it even after trying and seems like a wasted effort.
• Needed slightly large holders between the front seats as it can't accommodate most bottles during a journey which is irritating.

Here's what BHPian prabhu7944 had to say on the matter:

AC is definitely avg. Sun films should definitely help atleast the windshield ones and blinds for the windows.Earlier I used to set the AC at 16 or 17 now am ok with around 22. Avg AC is one reason why am trying to delay leather seat covers. First service seems to be more for courtesy than anything else. Are there any creaking noises from doors and while applying brakes? However please write to VW about your honest feedback. For sure they need to listen to users and not experts.

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I thought the Vento 1.0 TSI would be a substantial upgrade for me coming from the 1.2 Polo.

BHPian Petronius recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello everyone,

This is my first post on Team-BHP. I recently bought the Volkswagen Taigun 1.5 GT in its manual guise. Have done about 1200kms in a couple of weeks since delivery. I have tried to capture my buying decision and experiences so far with the Taigun GT MT here.

Buying decision:

To be honest, I didn’t look beyond the VW family when I started to look for a replacement for my 5-year-old 1.2 MPI Polo Highline. That little fellow (Polo) though had a smaller heart, always punched above its weight. In fact, it would bleed its heart out when required to keep me entertained while I pushed it to its limits. It required everything from that little fellow to compete with bigger cars which I always did. And compete it did, without complaining once. We had fun whenever we were together. Except for the outright performance, I liked and cherished every bit the car had to offer such as the precise steering, high-speed stability, good drive-ability, and above all its reliability. Haven’t had a single incident in all my years of ownership. I thought I will never depart with this little wonder. But life had other plans. With the kid entering the scene, I wanted something bigger, more spacious, and of course a solid performer!

I had only two options:

VW Vento:

I thought the Vento 1.0 TSI would be a substantial upgrade for me coming from the 1.2 Polo. But one test drive was enough to tell me that it's ditto to my existing Polo at least from the inside. Yes, the heart was bigger but everything else the same. I felt I would soon outgrow the love for the peppy engine and be bored by similar interior elements. And so my search for the replacement continued.

VW Taigun:

From the day, VW officially launched the Taigun twins I was smitten by the looks of them. I liked the 1.5 tsi engine better from the beginning but knew for sure if at all I can buy one that would be the smaller yet potent one with a 1.0 tsi. I started reading and watching a lot of reviews of the cars. While a dozen of them were all praise for the German mile munchers, some were pointing fingers at the evident cost-cutting in the Taigun twins. I was a little hesitant to take the plunge because of the reported drop in quality. After what sounded like ages, I decided to just pay a visit to the VW dealer in Madurai convincing myself that I was not gonna sell the Polo or buy the Taigun but just check out the new Taigun twins. But one look at the Taigun in flesh is all it took to make me feel weak on my knees. I fell for the car at that moment. I knew then and there that my camaraderie with the little Polo will have to end now. Adding fuel to my fire, the missus was sold on Taigun too, and insisted we get it somehow. In a way, I was glad that I now have someone else to blame.

Test drive experience:

So off we went for test rides on both the 1.0 automatic and 1.5. DSG. Somehow the manuals weren’t available. I was mighty impressed with both of the motors coming from a humble 1.2 MPI. I was grinning from ear to ear throughout the rides. While the 1.0 tsi begged to be driven hard, the 1.5 tsi was all about effortless performance. I immediately liked how the 1.5 tsi pulled past 100kmph. Effortless is the word for 1.5 tsi. Though I would have liked a bit more heft in the steering wheel at higher speeds, still it felt just about enough to give you the confidence to push it hard around corners. The highway stability at triple-digit speeds was immaculate. The added weight in the 1.5tsi variant made the steering feel a bit more heavy which I liked. As always, after the test drive, the salesman was ready with quotes and discounts. He offered meaty discounts for the 2021 1.0 TSI Highline automatic. The offer was so tempting that I was convinced to take it. But at the back of my mind, I was thinking about the 1.5tsi. Keeping in mind that probably I will keep the car for the next 7-8 years. Which also coincides with my prime driving age. I thought I would just give the 1.5tsi Manual a try. The salesperson agreed to bring a 1.5 tsi test mule in its manual guise in a couple of days. So we left the showroom. On the return journey, I was kind of sad that my journey with my ever so reliable Polo has to end soon. I gave the leather steering and the plastic armrest a gentle squeeze as if to assure the car that I wasn’t parting anytime soon. The connection was just too strong for me. Machines indeed do become a part of us, don’t they?

But there was no way (Financially) for me to keep Polo and get the Taigun. So I had to make the hard decision if I wanted an upgrade.

A couple of days later, on one Sunday morning, I called the salesman about the 1.5 gt mt test mule and he told me that the 1.5 gt mt was on a trip to a nearby city and that it will only come in the evening making it hard for them to bring in the evening. So he asked for one more day’s time. As eager as I was, I decided to visit the showroom in the evening by myself. Off I went and reached the showroom premises sharp around 4 pm. The 1.5 GT MT hadn’t arrived yet, the salesperson told me that it will take about an hour for the car to come till then I can test drive the 1.0 topline Automatic to my heart's content. The showroom is situated on a highway so I jumped at the opportunity. The plan was to meet the guy with the 1.5 GT MT on the way. So off we went. The convenience of an automatic is unmatched. Though I have hardly driven automatic cars, it was a seamless transition. The gear shifts were almost unnoticed and the bottom end lag was very much under control. The ride quality was fantastic. It's only on really bad roads the thuds from potholes and unduly road connections were passed on to the cabin. The car reached triple-digit speeds in no time. It was relatively quieter for a 3-cylinder unit. The paddle shifters worked well. And it became an instant addiction. The only downside was that post the 120kmph mark, the car felt a little strained in D mode. Only a little though unlike my 3 pot 1.2 polo. Handling was good but still not perfect like my Polo. Maybe it's gotta do with the lighter steering feel. I may be wrong here. Mileage was a concern for me since the MID showed mileage in single digits for our trip thus far. When checked with the sales guy, he assured 12-13 in the city and 17 on the highway if we drove sanely. I nodded in disbelief.

We finally met the guy with the 1.5 GT MT and we switched cars. The bare bone feeling was evident the moment I stepped into the car. No sunroof, no cruise control, no digital cockpit, and no push-button start. Only driver side one touch up. All four sides one touch up which even my 5-year-old Polo had felt like a luxury. I just reminded myself that if I wanted the 1.5tsi engine, then this is the variant I can afford and so I quietened all the other thoughts and gave the key a twist to fire up the car. The clutch was a little awkwardly placed for my liking. The biting point was a little tricky to find but got used to it rather quickly. The car lurched forward to about 10kmph when I let go of my foot from the clutch. I switched to second and gently pressed the A pedal, the car was easily doing 40kmph. Switched to third at 50kmph and floored the Pedal, boy o boy, now that's a feeling I have missed in my earlier cars. The thrust from 150 horses and 250nm torque was something to experience. Post the 100kmph mark, this mad machine was relentless in the way it pulled all the way up to unmentionable speeds. I was totally impressed with the performance of the car. At that moment, I decided that no matter what I’m getting that car. That's when I decided to buy the 1.5GT MT. Yes, the car was bare bone when it came to the features, no bells nor whistles. But the way it drove, it tugged at my heart. And so I got out completely satisfied from the test drive. While I was very impressed, I didn’t let the sales guy get any ideas. Which I thought might become a hindrance while negotiating deals.

I just asked him for a final quote for the car.

He informed me that they had a 2021 White GT MT. And that they can deliver in a week. I wasn’t ready to take the delivery in a week. Asked him anyway to work out a quote with their best pricing. He offered a good exchange price for my polo as well and came up with a deal too good to refuse for the 1.5GT MT. I asked him for a couple of days' time and left.

Sealing the deal:

Within a couple of days, I asked them to bring the car to my house which is about an hour-long journey from the showroom. They obliged and came all the way. Took another test drive with my in-laws. They all liked it. Negotiated the final deal and booked the car that day. They promised to deliver the car in a week's time.

With everything being finalized, I was asked to hand over my Polo a couple of days before delivery. I asked them if I could hand over the car when I come to do the PDI for the new car. They obliged. And so I took my best buddy Polo for one final ride. It was a day when I experienced joy and misery at the same time. Together we had fun one last time. I never got disappointed with this little buddy of mine. I recorded a nice tribute. I told myself that Polo always enabled me to get bigger things in life. Now it has sacrificed itself for me to get the bigger brother. With that exact thought, I entered the showroom and my eyes caught hold of a White Taigun in all its glory under the afternoon sunlight. Immediately I knew in my mind that the one there had to be my new ride. Just called the sales guy and asked if that was the one to which he confirmed. Parked my little Polo next to the big guy and clicked the pictures. It is when I realized that in fact, Taigun is in a way what Polo would look like if it evolved. There were so many similarities. From the bumper to the way headlights were laid out, everything was so much similar at least to my eyes. Literally, I felt my polo just got evolved.

PDI:

Referred to Team BHPp’s PDI guide and followed it step by step. It had run about 150 km since they had to bring this from another city in the state. The trip meter and the driving data showed the exact numbers too. So I was convinced. I sat in the car for some time. Taking in all the feeling of newness as well as I can. Took pictures as well just in case I missed noticing anything. It's only after I hopped onto my new car I felt a little relieved about letting go of my Polo. This was for me after all an evolved Polo. With that, I handed over my car to the guys at the showroom and asked them to use the cover and sell it to someone who would take care of the car well. I walked away quickly to avoid getting any more emotional. I signed some papers and made the payment and left for the day.

Delivery experience:

Since I had to take my 1-month-old child, I told them I wanted no formalities done at the time of delivery and asked them to complete the delivery process in under 30 minutes at max. They were up for that. On the delivery day (April 26, 2022), they gave me a call around noon to inform me that my car was registered and that the Wheel hub needs to be replaced as part of some precautionary campaign. I was spooked at first but read some posts on Team BHP’s Kushaq ownership forum and made up my mind and gave them the go-ahead. They informed me that they also changed the door beading. I was okay as long as I was getting a trouble-free car.

With everything getting done, they asked me to come around 5:30 in the evening. We hopped onto our in-law’s 1,30,000 km driven Xylo and reached the showroom around 5:15 pm. Finished some more paper works and without any hoopla, they handed me the keys with just a picture and a sweet box. I thanked the salesman who put in all the effort and promised to take him for lunch or dinner sometime and left.

Early impressions:

One thing that I haven’t noticed in all the test drives thus far is the fact that this car was very smooth. It made absolutely no noise while idling. The start/stop function was a little annoying though as it stalled the car even while trying to cross speed breakers. I turned it off immediately. Rest was just glorious. The ride quality was something we liked immediately. It was very quite over the annoying rumble strips. Though the distance to empty showed 180kms, I filled up fuel within 10 km. The car was easily doing speeds of 90-100 kmph. With the infant in the car I had to moderate the throttle now and then to keep it under 80 kmph. It was a struggle. The car pulled neatly from as low as 1200RPM in any gear. I just slotted to 3rd gear around barricades and the car picked up pace gently from there. I realized that it was an effortless car after all. It didn’t require too many gear shifts. Which I liked very much. Thumps up for the drivability. On speed breakers, you can easily sit on 2nd gear and getaway. I will try to note down my likes and dislikes. Please read them with the hint that these are early impressions and are subject to change.

Likes:

• The butter smooth and very punchy 1.5 TSI EVO motor. Effortless performance. It is a delight.
• Impeccable ride quality. Takes everything in its stride. Only on really bad roads do you hear the thud inside.
• High-speed stability and poise. It almost matched up to my erstwhile buddy Polo here.
• Drivability. Just try the 1.5 manual once you will understand what I’m talking about.
• Build quality. The doors and boot are heavy and shut with a thud. That's reassuring of the VW’s top-class build quality I guess.
• Hill assist, a bonus feature is very useful on sharp inclines and ramps when we accidentally stall the car. I guess VW forgot about this feature in 1.5 GT MT else they would have removed this as well.
• Economy seems good if we drive sanely.
• Legroom for the rear passengers. It's enormous for someone coming from Polo.
• The red ambient lighting is very appealing at night.

Dislikes:

• The faulty one touch up driver side button. It has a mind on its own.
• The switches on the doors are slightly flimsy.
• Roof liner quality isn’t very great.
• No cruise control. That was a lifesaver on long boring flats.
• No remote-operated window roll up and down unlike my Polo. That was a bragging right we VW owners had.
• The door panel squeaks when going over bad roads.

That’s it for now. I will try to update the thread on my ownership experience as I munch on more miles in the coming days. Cheers.

Here are some pics of my Carl Matthaus:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

If you switch the air conditioning from auto to any other mode, fuel efficiency seems to drop sharply.

BHPian tanmay 2612 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I had earlier observed that the fuel efficiency of my Volkswagen Taigun 1.0 TSI MT was sensitive to AC controls. I felt that the FE would drop if I changed from Auto to any other mode. If you switch from Auto to any other mode with even moderate fan speed and temperature, FE seems to drop sharply. Almost by 1.5-2.0 Points per L. Same thing on Highway as well as city.

On a recent trip (+200Km one way) when AC was maintained at Auto with temperature set at 21-22 the fuel efficiency was coming as expected (~around 17-18 kmpl on high way run) but with temperature at 21-22 and blower at level-3 I was getting around 15-16 kmpl. I observed that there is a significant improvement in cooling levels when moving from Auto mode to manual.

However after feedback and comments from fellow BHPians, I decided to to find a good route to check my observations. I finally got a chance last weekend.

I kept the temperature set at 23C and used Auto mode for first half of the trip and then used 23C with manual mode and fan set at L2. I opted to use the morning window when the traffic and signals are not particularly high. Also, temperatures are manageable.

I used the same route to travel onwards and back to avoid any difference arising out of the road, elevation, etc.

Lastly i tried to keep the speed and driving style controlled and avoided any sudden accelerations to avoid its impact on the FE.

Please find the two snapshots, one taken midway of the drive and second on the trip end.

One difference was that I had one additional person while traveling till midway.

Overall observations as per the attached information is that if temperature is kept same and blower is not working too hard, the FE drop is not present. Rather due to some other factor I am not sure which one, I got better efficiency on the return.

For the next step, I will have to try this during peak temperature time to understand the difference more accurately.

Adding to the other topic on fuel. A good quality fuel is surely returning me better performance overall when compared with regular fuel. Currently going with Shell as its located just 2 mins from where I stay.

Here's what BHPian darthvader5000 had to say on the matter:

You're saying its best to leave it at auto? One would think that the lowest rpm for the blower coupled with 21/ 22 degrees or even 23,would be better. What's the auto mode temperature cut off set at, if known?

This is quite an update if true. Fuel efficiency is actually bothersome with price of car and fuel ( though my view is that it is the taxes that are making both look pricey). Am getting around 8 to 10 kmpl in city and guessing around 14 on highway. Definitely want it to be around 12 and 16 respectively.

Here's what BHPian prabhu7944 had to say on the matter:

This is quite an update if true. Fuel efficiency is actually bothersome with price of car and fuel ( though my view is that it is the taxes that are making both look pricey). Am getting around 8 to 10 kmpl in city and guessing around 14 on highway. Definitely want it to be around 12 and 16 respectively.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Taigun has no arrangements to fix number plates using rivets / screws on the front bumper.

BHPian adigup recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hey folks,

I got my Volkswagen Taigun on 24th March. Since I got the car from a dealer in UP, and had to get it registered from Haryana RTO, I took the self-registration route and got the car from the showroom with a temporary registration plate (or number).

As the dealers are not allowed to deliver cars without a HSRP, they did not have any sort of number plate to write and fix the temporary registration number on my car. So they printed the number on a piece of paper, and stick it using a transparent tape on the cars front and rear bumpers.

As having a piece of paper as a number plate is illegal, we drove home, performed rituals and next day, I got the temporary number on a white cardboard 'plate' from a local shop. Since there were no arrangements to fix/screw the number plates on the front bumper, he used a double-sided tape to fix the front number plate, and fixed the rear one using screws (as there was arrangements to fix screws there).

To be clear, the temporary number that was allotted was the new series or the new way that has been implemented by the Indian RTOs. It's valid for 6 months. It costed me Rs. 2,100 for getting the car temporarily registered from Noida, UP.

How does the number look like?

T XX YY AA ZZZZ LL

T - Temporary Registration

XX - Month the car was registered (For January, it will be 01; For December, 12)

YY - Last two digits of the year the car was registered (22 for 2022; 21 for 2021)

AA - Standard state code (DL for Delhi, UP for Uttar Pradesh)

ZZZZ - any random number assigned, which is used at mall parkings or just like any 4 digit number

LL - Any letter combination that denotes the series of the temporary number plate

For instance, car was bought from Haryana in Feb. 2021, the number plate will look something like: T0221HR1234A

Police doesn't stop anyone with this number plate, as it's valid for 6 months and they are well aware.

I got my number last week, and got the number plates after 5 days. Since going to the dealer to get the plates fixed would've been a task, they got it delivered to my place.

I went to the same place from where I got my temporary number plates. They fixed the rear number plate without any issue. Now since, getting a number plate fixed from the dealer or some good workshop is different and convenient because you don't really have to see the process.

The Taigun has no arrangements to fix number plates using rivets / screws on the front bumper. This is how it got fixed:

1. Took out the temporary number plate that was fixed using double-sided tape.

This is how the bumper actually looks on the Taigun. Note that it doesn't have ANY place for screws.

This is how the bumper looks on any other car having a place for screws.

2. Number plate was held against the bumper, and points were marked to make holes. Drill machine was used to make holes through the bumper and number plate at the same time (I smiled in pain seeing that happen). After holes were made on both sides, the number plate was riveted.

Since, I could not find a post mentioning any of this, I thought I'd write about this here. Drilling holes on bumper seems pretty okay, but if someone hasn't really seen this happen or has to do it without a skilled mechanic, maybe they can get some help from the above post.

Thanks!

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There's the other self of me who bets that in the next 5 years, I will end up missing the convenience of an AT and then regret my decision.

BHPian Zenboi recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to buy to my first car in the next few weeks. Having zeroed down on the Taigun, I am now torn between a 1.0L manual and a 1.0L automatic transmission.

The following considerations are to be made:

• Planning this one for a 10Yr+ period (I'm currently 32 yrs old).
• Major usage: Driven by wifey and me on trips out of Bengaluru (We have my wife's car which will be used for in-city bumper-bumper traffic).
• Minor usage: Office commute on rainy days (since I'd any day prefer a bike for office commute on other days).
• Budget (Highline and Highline AT, both are in consideration. 1.5L s are out).
• Although I like spirited driving and traveling, I don't precisely indulge in pushing performance limits or getting greater speeds.

There's a self of me who is sad not to have owned and driven a manual car ever. Buying a manual, keeping it as a classic, maintaining the man-machine connection. It prefers the engagement required for driving a stick and the control it offers. Buying an automatic almost feels like the end of an era to this self.

There's the other self of me who bets that in the next 5 years, I will end up missing the convenience of an AT and then regret my decision.

Would be good to know if anyone can relate and had similar thoughts at the time of finalizing your car, and finally, what did you decide on?

Here's what BHPian TurbochargedT had to say on the matter:

Honestly, I would always go for an automatic. The convenience it offers is unparalleled. If you ever feel like taking control just put it in S mode and use the paddle shifters/gear lever, I know it is not the same thing but at least it lets you take control. You will miss the AT if you are ever stuck in traffic or on days when you just want to enjoy a comfortable leisure drive.

Here's what BHPian Aviator_guy had to say on the matter:

Manual or AT is your personal preference but from a practical point of view, AT makes more sense with ever increasing traffic and congestion. Unless you are die hard fan of manual and can't live without the stick shift feel, I'd suggest to go for AT anytime. Once you drive AT, the comfort and convenience it provides is unmatched. You can cover more distance /plan more trips without worrying about fatigue and believe me, your body will thank you.

Plus it is future proof as well since you want to keep car for long time.

Here's what BHPan AnjanKatna had to say on the matter:

As you do not have to drive in peak Bangalore traffic on most days, go for manual any day. I am 37, and have no problems with the manual (considering 5 yrs from now you will be 37 ). Me and my wife had similar discussions while purchasing the car (only I drive) wrt length of ownership and usage. I also used only my bike in Bangalore, and we got ours when we recently moved back to Delhi.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The highest fuel efficiency figure I saw was 23 Km/L, while the lowest was 13.5 km/L.

BHPian adigup recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Quick update on the mileage figures of my 1.0 MT mini-Tiguan:

Our Taigun is used by everyone at home - mostly by my mom and then dad and I use it whenever it's parked at home. My parents had gone away for a 12 day holiday, during which I parked the other two cars safely, and went ahead and made the Taigun my daily drive. According to the odometer reset, I drove 708.9 kms in 12 days. Most of the driving was in traffic hours, and little bit of it on empty roads / highways. To give some idea, I live in Gurgaon (~5 kms from Ambience Mall) and go to Delhi almost every day. During the 12 days, I also took the car to Old Delhi, North Campus, and all possible places with traffic of all types (not for fun, but for work).

While I was able to record the highest mileage of 23 kmpl when I went from Gurgaon to CP at 8:30 AM on a Monday (with AC of course, and maintaining a speed of 70-80 kmph on the highway, and then 60 kmph in Delhi roads) Lowest of 13.5 kmpl, when I went from Gurgaon to North campus (during peak Karol Bagh traffic hours in the afternoon) and back (close to 70 kms).

While I didn't keep a track of all the trips,here's a picture of what the car showed after 390 kms of refuelling.

(ignore the red-ish edge, probably something wrong with my camera)

Overall, I think if driven sedately (and of course, once in a while, let the turbo do it's job when redlining the engine) this car is very efficient. I wasn't expecting figures above 15 kmpl in any case, but this is past my expectations.

With everyone driving it on regular days, it returns 12-14 kmpl, which is fair enough.

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