I am in the market to replace my ageing WagonR and the new car will be used in the city primarily.

BHPian ashish_sax recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

In the market to replace our aging WagonR, the new car will primarily be used in the city (20kms daily) with occasional (prob twice in a year) long highway runs (1500km round trip) with some shorter runs thrown in (300km round) randomly [Max 3000kms Highway in a year].

The other car in the garage is 2016 Xcent SX (1.1 CRDi) which again is mainly used in the city (60-80kms daily running) and has been fulfilling our highway requirements for now.

We're looking to get a CrossOver/C-SUV (with decent GC) which is easy to drive and park in the city with good highway characteristics and offers good safety which will be kept for long, We usually keep our cars for 10 or more years unless its necessary to upgrade.

S-Cross pretty much fits the bill here.

Pros:

• Proven Safety (Structure)
• Good Mileage
•  Maruti Reliability & ASS

Cons:

• Stale Design / No serious updates as of late
• Lacks some of the bells and whistle like TPMS, ESP etc
• Maruti ?, Not sure if it'll hold long term (Rattles, Fit & Finish)

In order of priority my requirements would be the following

• Should be safe
• Should not a sub 4m car (as we already have one)
• Decent GC (Loved the City but concerned about GC)
• No connected car tech
• Rear Camera and Decent Infotainment, ESP and TPMS
• Under / Around 15L

My shortlist had the usual C-SUV contenders, Korean twins were dropped due to safety debacle, and huge waiting drove me away further.

Nissan Kicks - Good Turbo Engine, but going through thread doesn't inspire confidence.

European Twins - Seems like the only decent option, Skeptical on the safety front along with reliability because of 2.0 project cost cutting.
MG - ASS / Long Term uncertainty

I'm looking at Kushaq / Slavia 1.0 Ambition, as I currently need to keep it around 15L OTR. But I am unable to justify the 3-5L (from Alpha / Zeta) with what it has to offer especially after the premium factor has taken a hit in new 2.0 project.

Not looking for used cars primarily because we like to keep the cars for long so maintenance and reliability might be a hassle.

Looking forward to your inputs.

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

That's the catch, the VFM factor for the S-Cross is quite an argument if you don't despise the looks or the lack of modern day features. But there's a new S-Cross too which should assuage them to a great extent but no ETA so not an option.

Present day, between the VAG twins and the S-Cross its a personal choice.

But if you can wait for the Brezza update with better interiors and AT, which should follow after the Ertiga update, that should make for a good competition.

With those requirements and assuming that you want petrol and MT :

• Kushaq/Taigun
• Slavia/Virtus : since you liked the city but not the GC, check if this GC works for you in real life.
• S-Cross : seems apt apart from the issues mentioned already

The XUV300 would've been another good option in MT but the bootspace might be a deal breaker for your highway runs.

No idea on the S-Cross update/change, one of MSIL's mysteries

Here's what BHPian Akshay6988 had to say on the matter:

Slavia / Kushaq are relatively new products with their fair share of niggles. Maruti is refreshing their entire line up so it makes no sense to go for current S Cross no matter how good the car is ! Plus the supply chain issues have plagued the market. My suggestion is wait for a year, lot's of EV's and plugin hybrids are on the cards. Go for updated S cross / Brezza if you don't want to venture out of Maruti stable.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I want to keep my house to a single car household. So consider this car for all type of use.

BHPian kmadhok recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Background:

I currently own a pre-owned VW Vento 2011 Highline AT. This was our first AT car purchase (and our first pre-owned), and was when I was in Mumbai travelling from Chandivali to Malad each day for work. I had had enough of using the clutch on the Alto and wanted to move over to AT. Influence from my brother-in-law and team-bhp I started scouting for a pre-owned car. Finally settled on, VW Vento 2011 AT, which we bought from a Toyota U-Trust dealer. The car was 1 year old when we bought it in end 2012, had already done 24K Kms and the first owner was VW Company. I was told was used by executives, though lately I have been wondering if it were a test-drive vehicle. Anyhoo, it served and continues to serve me well. I have since moved to Bangalore, and paid the road tax here as well, not re-registered it though. Haven't done loooong road trips on it, but have used it for trips upto which are 600kms one way. For longer trips (or trips where we have a full load 3 adults and 2 children) I prefer to have a more spacious car for which I rent from Revv/ Zoom. Gives me an opportunity to try out other cars as well.

Last Christmas, a last minute train cancellation meant we had to do a Bangalore - Chennai trip using the VW (no rentals available) with full load. As a driver the drive was enjoyable, cant speak for the passengers. I am most comfortable with the car and my driving style.

Experience with the VW:

The car just crossed the 66,666 Kms mark. So have done approximately, 42000kms in the 9 years I have owned it. Significantly dropped since I moved to Bangalore because, when I moved I had an option to choose where I stayed, and in Bangalore you stay close to work. I proudly cycle into office. The car has given me no trouble whatsoever. Only once, did the ignition coil need to be replaced. When that happened I took it to the VW service center, where they desired to change the entire internals of the car, which I politely refused. My FNG, Automechs Koramangala, picked from team-bhp directory has been my go to point. He simply said if you feel it drives well and nothing feels wrong then nothing is wrong. He was right. I used him for my regular oil changes etc. (which also I do probably once in a couple of years) and before I use the car for a long trip.

The car feels butter smooth (knock on wood!!). Just love to get it into 6th and then with a light foot keep it there. The car feels well built, and the car's boot is spacious.

Desire to change:

• I have had the 'urge' and desire to change for a while now. I have probably posted in the forum earlier to seek advice, but did not action on it. Till now it has been a want to change rather than a need.
• Couple of reasons for the urge getting stronger:
• Father is getting older, and getting in and out of the sedan seems to be getting more troublesome. This is the strongest reason. Others are additional excuses.
• Kids are getting older, though still 8 years from becoming adults legally. As a driver this doesnt bother me, but I imagine as passengers folks would like if the car is more spacious.
• I am getting older.
• VW Vento is getting older - the last I check I was offered 1.5Lakhs in Bangalore in 2019 (it is still MH registered). No major niggles. But may have to invest about 1L to get some bodywork sorted out.
• Fully loaded, with passengers, the car needs to be handled with utmost care. Else the bottom of the car scrapes the speed breakers and some time even when getting on or off a slightly steep incline.

Driving behavior:

I am a sedate driver. Not an enthusiast. I love to not use the brake. Prefer to lift the foot off the accelerator pedal and use engine braking to slow down well ahead. I rarely go beyond 100 kmph on highways even if the car can. I feel, anything faster does not give me enough time to react. This is not a take on the capability of the car, but my own capability. And I truly don't think we save as much time going any faster. I do not care about 0-100, gear shift ratios. I use the car as a tool to get from point A to point B. Don't remember when was the last time I went out just for a drive to enjoy the car itself. Having said that, when I am getting from point A to point B I would love getting there in comfort.

Needs are simple:

• Easy to get in and get out for old folks. Essentially high seating. - Will help my father get in and out without much effort.
• Automatic: In the rare occasions I do take out the car, I am sure the rest of the city will want to take theirs out on the same day. I prefer to exercise my knees by cycling rather than using the clutch.
• Rear AC vent: This one comes from my wife. Our VW comes with it and now we cannot live without it.
• No longer than 2 months waiting period. I have been considering an upgrade for a while, and now it has got serious. So serious that its playing on my mind. I am ok with suggestions for therapies to get my focus of it.

So I am thinking SUV, or MUV.

Want:

• Equally good boot space as the VW Vento.
• If pre-owned not more than 2 years old.
• Preferably TATA / Mahindra - Will make me feel patriotic, and I believe they made proper SUVs.

While money is not a concern (thank you god! and knock on wood!) I cannot digest an expense of upward of 20L on a car. Especially when cheaper options are around. Though I am trying to come to terms with the fact I may have to.

I want to keep my house to a single car household. So consider this car for all type of use. Given our usage pattern, we do not warrant 2 cars. We are also dead against 2-wheelers for safety reasons. So this car will need to do all duties. The VW may not go out immediately, however its usage will reduce and not make sense to keep long. Will also let me psychologically offset the price of the new car. (Blatant advertising: Anyone from Bangalore moving to Mumbai and looking for pre-owned car can reach out to me).

The car will primarily driven by me, occasionally by father and wife, and eventually by son and daughter.

Options considered:

Truly speaking, nothing is off the table. Well not nothing. But from an S-Presso to a new Innova Crysta everything has crossed my mind. I will talk about what we have seriously considered and/or test driven.

CSUV: The entire segment, have test driven the Venue, Magnite, Brezza but dont think they offer adequate space. Considering we plan to keep this car for 10 years (unless something changes drastically), kids will be proper adults then, and we will need more space. And I think cars in this segment offer lesser space than the VW Vento.

Duster CVT: We test drove it a couple of years back when it was still available. Reading reviews here it seemed a good car, and spacious as well. But was rejected for not having a rear A/C vent. I even have used Duster CVTs shortlisted on Cars24, but keep scrolling past them.

Renault Triber CVT: Visited the showroom when it was launched. Felt like a downgrade from the VW Vento.

Tata Hexa XTA: Again based of the enthusiasts feedback on the forum considered this. Test drove one, no complaints (I am a man of limited needs), however some body work etc indicated that was not the right piece to buy. Now there are a few available, but difficult to get one with the extended warranty on it.

Creta/Seltos: Test drove it a couple of years back. Wife feels back is not as spacious as the VW Vento. Right now, the popularity of the cars just puts me off the looks. The value proposition of these cars is difficult to digest. Hyundia's in my opinion are more gimmicky than other cars and charge a premium for it.

Taigun/Kushaq: I would consider them part of the C-SUV segment. However, I have looked at them not test driven. My reasoning, the seat height does not seem to be much different from a sedan. I feel they are not as much a VFM proposition as some others in the list. Note I am looking only at ATs.

Carens: Booked a diesel AT on the 16th February, simply to avoid the DCT. Expected delivery in May. Overall happy with the car, but with the recent price increase I am all but certain to cancel. I would either plonk another couple of lakhs and get a Innova Crysta or save money and get an Ertiga/XL6.

Ertiga/XL6: We would have bought either of these a couple of years back. The only reason I held back was the 4 speed AT. After coming from a VW 6 speed AT I could not imagine going to a 4 speed one. I have a booking on the XL6 as well with an understanding that it will be for the upgraded model. Now, we dont need a 6/7 seater, but when we weigh the value proposition with something like a Creta/Seltos this seems more VFM. The updated XL6 is currently a strong contender. The only thing going against it is build quality compared to VW.

Innova Crysta G petrol AT: Dad said he had wanted to have a car like the Innova, but mom (she is no longer with us). Potentially an unfulfilled wish of his. Have considered a pre-owned 2018 7-str, older than our preferred range. While overall the car was ok, I felt there was a constant sound from the silencer coming into the cabin. I was seated in the middle row at the time. There is no Petrol AT available for test drive, so dont know if the sound is acceptable. I would prefer a 8-str. We are 5 on majority of drives. With 7-str one will always be seated in the last seat. Good for long road trips where one can sleep at the back seat should the need be. We found this very useful when we rented an Innova for our trip to Kerala which had a 8hr and 12hr drive as a stretch.

Almost booked a new petrol AT, but wife does not seem so keen as she feels it is a large car. Have to be really sure of it before we book one, because the booking amount of Rs 50K is non refundable. The price is the biggest factor holding us back here.

Tata Harrier XZA+: From the used car market. Found a couple. One of them in mfg 2020 but registered Jan 2022, and already done about 30K kms. Though looks well maintained save the front tyres. Did a quick check on Vahan cursory checks on mfg date and registration date look ok. Is a single owner. Felt odd the car is registered in 2022, and so quickly done 30K kms. If anyone has suggestions on additional checks I can do I am all ears.

The second is mfg and registered in 2020 done 23Kms, but looks more dusty , less shiny and the interiors also have some dirt marks, which can be as a result of kids using the sunroof or playing around. Will need a thorough detailing. This is slightly costlier. No online checks done.

I test drove both. The first thought when I got into the Harrier was it is huge, but once I started driving it felt very easy and nimble. Brake pedal felt soft, had to really press it hard to get the car to stop. Overall eventually I liked it.

Compared to the XL6 it will be easier to get into this.

Newer car, and top end variant feature are tilting the scale towards the Harrier compared to the Innova, which is the base variant. Most significant differences:

• Harrier 6 air bags vs 2 in Innova Crysta.
• 2 years old vs 4 years old.
• Auto climate control missing in Crysta with my VW Vento has.

Wife at this time has given up on choosing the car, since additional constraints are limiting what we can choose. So she hasn't driven either the Innova or the Harrier.

XUV500 - Yes 500 not 700. A pre-owned. Not test driven yet. Wife is not for looks, but we will need to compromise on the looks should need be.

I would think in the above list, the XL6 and the Harrier are top contenders right now, with me tending towards the Harrier out of complete personal preference, listening to the heart.

Not sure if I have a question for the forum, potentially just writing this down helped getting my thoughts organized. However, happy to hear what folks would suggest.

PS: As a side note I think reviewers should be including a ground to seat height measurement when reviewing. Would make my filtering so much easier.

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

Good research and specific needs, this is the way to go.

Now your timing might not be the best since the rumours/news of Harrier/Safari being modified to be GNCAP tested is hot and so is the 6 speed TC for MSIL cars starting with the Brezza which would make its way into the XL6 and the S-Cross.

Anyways I would only say that if getting a TML car like the Harrier, get it new since issues keep getting fixed plus the benefits of warranties. If there is a new model expected, do wait for that, this is a learning from how the Harrier has evolved from its first iteration.

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

You're the perfect candidate for a top end Crysta. All you care about is getting from point A to point B in absolute comfort.

If you can stretch your budget, go and get it. Durability and reliability is a standard feature and you can keep it for years together. Plus you'll get a great resale value because Innovas hardly depreciate.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I thought I could take the wire beneath and behind the glove box but couldn't really find a place to hold the wire.

BHPian asmr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I had ordered the DDPAI Z40 from Amazon on Feb 13th and received it the next day. It took me 2 to 3 days before I could get around to installing it but it was done just a couple of days before my trip to Vellore.

The installation itself was quite simple and straightforward. What was not straight was my body during the process.

Step 1: Found a nice spot right below the Fastag, stuck the static sticker, then exposed the 3M adhesive surface, aligned the camera and voila! It was done.

Step 2: The wiring. The camera package comes with a more than sufficient length of USB cable. Started from the top, used the plastic tool to push the wire underneath the roof lining, all the way to the left side.

 Then, got the wire out towards the door, where I pushed it under the weather stripping all the way down until the glove box:

I thought I could take the wire beneath and behind the glove box but couldn't really find a place to hold the wire. I also lacked the foresight to get a couple of cable ties:

So, I somehow managed to stick the wire on the panel to the left of the center console and did some improvisation to hold the USB end using the power adapter:

I didn't want to hard-wire it, so this arrangement works fine! It doesn't look too out of place and I just need to remember plugging in/out at the beginning/ending of each trip.

One thing I discovered is this power outlet doesn't really cut off when the car is stopped and engine is turned off. It was recording for the entire time the car was parked at my relative's place in Vellore (few hours) and I didn't realize it until I took the SD card out and downloaded the videos.

Here's how it looks from the outside, looking from the side:

Here is the video clip that I uploaded on to YT. This will give you an idea of the clarity of the camera in daylight operation.

It may not be the best installation, but there is a bit of satisfaction in doing it myself! I will see if I record something during low light or night time drives and post the videos in my ownership review thread!

About the dashcam itself, a few thoughts:

What I liked:

• Neat packaging, Quite simple to install.
• At the highest setting, very good clarity in videos.
• Not too conspicuous. Size is pretty compact than what is shown on the product pages in Amazon.
• The camera can be detached from it's holder which is stuck to the windshield.
• Option to mute the microphone. It was quite good and captured really well some of my rants in the initial runs. Hence muted.

What I didn't like:

• Removing the camera from the holder is a breeze. Putting it back in - I am yet to get the knack to do it smoothly.
• For some reason, downloading videos from the camera to my phone app via the inbuilt Wi-Fi doesn't seem to work properly. It downloads the whole 3 min video clip but I can't see it in the local folder section of the app.
• The clips in the SD are saved as 1min long clips. And at the highest resolution, each clip is 140MB in size. Transferring all the clips from the SD card to my laptop took a long time.

Hope this helps new Taigun owners (and others too) who want to get a decent dashcam for their vehicles.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I found the quality of the plastic used in the interior of the SUV to be inferior by VW standards.

BHPian darthvader5000 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Driving is a pleasure. Points I noted:

• FE - 8.5 in AT mode in New Delhi's traffic. Normally on 3rd gear.
• Instrument Cluster lights- They go off in underground parking.
• Body metal is much lighter than erstwhile VW products.
• Interior plastics are of lower quality compared to VW standards.
• Doors somehow need a push to close. No light-handed closing action that I am used to on the Polo TDI.
• The trip meter doesn't seem to reset for each trip. If I don't reset it, it shows cumulative km run on the bottom right-hand since the last time it was reset.
• Each time I touch the brake pedal and push it about 1/2 an inch there is some kind of feedback on the gear knob. It's like a gentle throb inside the knob. One has to be holding the knob to sense this.
• Throaty sound of the engine is quite 'nawice'! and it doesn't feel like a three-cylinder (I dislike using the word pot for a cylinder in an engine. Find it kind of disrespectful).
• The sliding forward function in the front armrest is a nice touch.
• The car has a tendency to drive in D2 when a third gear can easily do the job, so the paddle-shift at such times is handy to slide her into M3. Downshifting wise, she doesn't have a problem. Eager to please.
• Used the cruise control function at 50 when I got a reasonable stretch, just to test it within the city. Full maza.
• I hope all the alloy rim model owners of the Taigun are aware of the lock placed on the rim nuts and how to unlock/remove the former.
• I'm using standard petrol (not speed). Will speed wala fuel help?
• The steering wheel is too smooth to hold. Hands tend to slip. Some amount of rough finish would have been better.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The knobs, plastics, dashboard, body build is not what their initial offerings were.

BHPian darthvader5000 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Here are the pictures taken in the showroom. Volkswagen Noida. Superb experience. The Polo was bought from them too, so after all research and TDs I called up the GM. I was in Mumbai and he driving to Chandigarh. He offered me a deal ' I couldn't refuse' and everything happened from two different cities since then. A breeze of an experience. I am not putting the delivery ceremony pics since they kinda are overdone, but there I could not complain. Very personalized. Almost booked the Polo again too, till I got a nudge from the wife !!

Initial experience: The knobs, plastics, dashboard, body build is not what their initial offerings were. Even the rotation of the headlight control knob is so not VW as isn't the adjustable side view mirror knob or the window up/down buttons. Even, the folding key weighs half of what the Polo key does. So they have seriously scaled their own on quality to cut costs. But, still superior to all except the MG Astor about which I had written earlier in Nov during the test drive spree.

An observation, just sometime before dusk, whilst it's bright enough outside the instrument cluster being shaded is dark, so one has to strain to see the readouts barring the speedo and rpm needle (AT, Highline). NOW, unlike all cars, here, switching on your parking lights won't light up the instrument cluster. One has to switch on the headlights when they aren't actually needed for the cluster to be lit up. I thought I had missed something, so-called up the GM. He said that it's a design thing since he drives the same model. This is something that got my goat and I intend to write to VW about making a software tweak to remove this.

The 80 kmph chime! Pain. The dealership says they can't (?) do it, but if done as an outside fix, the warranty won't be affected. Advice please for NCR region.

The voice command in the car once paired with Apple Carplay, Google maps doesn't understand most of the places. And no, it's not an accent issue. Does anyone else face the same thing?

Drive wise. No NVH issues. Messed around with the D/S and manual modes, super thrilled. Big smile on my face and the wife. The daughter loves the looks and gizmos. I am happy.

Thanks, folks for the advice. Will keep this updated as and when something comes up.

PS: For enthusiasts, the GT badge for the Taigun is available for 1.5-2K and i saw a couple of customer cars who had it fixed. Looks nice, but I like things subtle.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Quick shifting, barely noticeable gears. Manual mode using paddle shifts adds an altogether different dimension to the drive.

BHPian dailydriver recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Test drove the 1.5 TSI GT on behalf of a friend today. Below are my observations:

What I like:

• Drives really well - difficult to wipe the grin off the face once you get hang of the automatic.
• Quick shifting, barely noticeable gears. Manual mode using paddle shifts adds an altogether different dimension to the drive. Sport mode is the icing on the cake (revving the engine in lower gears does give rise to a harsh note though).
• Brakes are good. Sudden stops as well as gradual deceleration gave no cause for worry.
• Ride is compliant and the handling competent. Potholes are dismissed with disdain although one does feel the road surface a bit.
• Front seats are supportive; sufficient width and depth on the seating surface and enough bolstering on the back rest. But I am a 5.5 ft, lean built gent and therefore my perception could be subjective.
• Rear seats are spacious and can seat three average built men without much trouble. But the middle seat is, as usual, a bit uncomfortable; the width of the transmission tunnel providing the guidelines for placing the two legs of the occupant.
• Legroom is generous.
• MID & ICE look nice.

What irks me:

• Quality of the seat cover, headliner, dashboard, certain switches and door pad plastics remind me of much much cheaper cars. The roof feels hollow - as found using the tap test.
• Boot space could have been more. High loading lip makes placing luggage difficult.
• Priced at around 20 big ones, the car does feel a bit overpriced by at least 2-3 lakhs. But so do many others in the segment. Hence, can't do much here.

Misc:

• Looks are subjective; I certainly didn't like it. It lacks a distinct identity and character.
• Couldn't explore the ICE, MID and sunroof in detail. I missed noticing the FE display too.
• The SA insisted that the DSG is an improved, India ready variant and therefore chances of failure are minimal. In the same breath, he also suggested we go for maximum warranty - just for peace of mind.

As the friend isn't keen on spending 20 lakhs on a new car and since he can manage easily without the automatic, we are looking to test drive the 1.0 manual. The SA was full of praise for this engine-gearbox combination and promised to get it next week.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

As a driver though, I haven't found a perfect driving position. That is something that bothers me on long drives.

BHPian throttleflick recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I've recently completed 1000kms on the odo. My Dominar is called Vladimir while I decided on Akula for the Taigun. Both these names are spoken in my mind, my mother makes fun of me when I address these vehicles by their given names. She completely relates to the "My mom asked me to carry a potted plant with me at all times to compensate for the amount of oxygen I waste" meme and keeps poking fun at me for naming my vehicles.

Swagat service experience:

I completed a month of ownership on the 9th of Feb and the service center folks at VW Nerul wanted me to drop by for the Swagat Service.

The ODO was around 864km when I went in. I reached the service center around 10:30 in the morning and the car was taken in 15 mins later. Service advisor asked me to get the car disinfected before taking the car in.

He also told me that they'd be disinfecting the car before delivery. I thought this might be in line with the COVID protocols VW might have setup for the service centers and asked him if this was a part of the free service itself. To which, the SA told me I'd be charged 1.4k for this. I tried to bail out of this but he insisted that this was mandatory.

My sales advisor was on leave but was kind enough to pick up my call and tend to the enquiry about the mandatory disinfection. He said it's a month old car and I don't really require the disinfection. A quick call to BHPian thisissoumya also cleared my doubts about the disinfection. I told the SA that I won't be paying for the disinfection and they better not do it. He obliged to the request.

The SA took no initiative to explain what would be checked during this free service. Upon asking, he told me that they'd check the fluid levels, connect the VCDS to check for errors if any, clean the car and deliver it to me. All of this would take about 2-3 hours. A copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban kept me occupied while the service folks did (or didn't do) their job.

Oh I informed the SA that I was facing door squeaks when the car was in motion, particularly over speed breakers. This was resolved by the service folks by applying some silicon lubricant.

The service center was facing some glitches in their billing software and network so I was given the receipt over email, while a handwritten receipt was given as a gate pass for the security to let me take the car.

I've always had a bad experience with servicing my vehicles. Bajaj ruined it for me with their Lower Parel, Thane and their long shut Borivali A.S.S. I didn't have high hopes with the VW service to begin with and, I wasn't proven wrong.

I was handed the keys to a washed car with water marks on the windshield, windows and ORVMs around 3:15, asked them to clean it properly. Wheels weren't as clean but they did end up polishing the tyres. The SA wasn't aware about the Swagat kit, his superior asked me to give the same. This kit contains a shampoo and windshield washer fluid.

I waited in the customer lounge for about 4 hours to get these checks done.

The buying experience was exceptional for me, but the service experience was sub-par. Can't thank BHPian thisissoumya enough for recommending the VW Autobahn dealership in Nerul.

Blacked out roof:

I always had plans to get the roof wrapped in black. This was my plan with the Polo and I thought that the Taigun would look cool as well with a black roof. Currently, only the GT variants get the roof (painted?) in Carbon Grey. SA had arranged this for me on the swagat service day itself and, I took the car to the dealership and got the roof wrap done by them. Took around an hour and I'm happy with the way it looks.

Owning the Taigun 1.0 AT:

After spending more than a month with the Taigun and completing 1k, I finally was able to enjoy the 1.0 TSI. Floor the pedal and the car just pulls like it's trying to escape dementors.

Audible scraping noise after slowly going over a potholed road:

One incidence managed to scare me a little on my drive to Sula vineyards where, after negotiating a potholed road just outside Sula, there was an audible sound of something scraping coming from the front wheel. I parked the car, turned the steering to left and right and checked if I'd hit something. There wasn't anything fishy although, I was quite concerned about the sound popping up again on my return journey to Thane. It put a dampener to the Sula experience and I was eager to get back to the car and check if it made the sound. I was thoroughly relieved to hear nothing but my water bottle rubbing against the bottle holder.

Engine cranks but won't turn:

I've faced an issue for a total of three times till now where, after pressing the start button and brake pedal, the car keeps cranking for a while. I then have to press the start button again with the brake pedal and then the engine turns on. These three instances happened during cold starts.

Fuel and fuel efficiency:

I've been driving the car in and around Thane. The ODO reported fuel consumption on one instance was 15.6km/l but I'm sure I've been getting around 12-13km/l for a mixed of highway and city driving. Upon delivery, I'd topped off the tank with XTRA Premium but switched to XP95 for subsequent tank fills. I'm happy with the way the car drives on XP95. The accelerator input feels so good that I have to exercise control over the foot to not rev harder. You can see BHPian thisissoumya's Lapiz Blue Polo HL MT in the below picture:

Drive comfort:

It is okayish I think. As a driver though, I haven't found a perfect driving position. That is something that bothers me on long drives. And these 250 km round way drives aren't exactly long either, so it makes me question how comfortable will I be on 500km + drives. My lower back starts hurting after a while, I constantly end up adjusting my posture while driving and my bottom aches as well. All that, and it kinda bothers me that my left leg is left with nothing to do than just hang around and chill. Nevertheless, I'm glad I added a car and not a cruiser to my garage.

Creature comforts:

Air con somehow is a bone of contention for most of potential buyers and I've found myself sufficiently pampered in the car with the AC set to auto and the temperature set between 20 and 24. I love the ventilated seats. I absolutely love them. My mother who is the primary passenger loves this feature as well.

The hand rest extends towards the dashboard and provides ample surface to rest my elbow. The space underneath the hand rest could have been better though. I find the inclusion of two USB C ports useful for charging up my phone. I also keep using the wireless charger quite a lot. It's not the fastest wireless charger but I'm happy with it regardless.

Apple Carplay is another great feature inclusion. It does disconnect after a while, although I suspect this only happens when I'm traversing through one specific location in Thane. Not sure if this is network related or software. Haven't installed the inbuilt apps as Apple Carplay has everything I need from the ICE system. My audio expectations are also catered to properly with the speakers blasting decent sound if I have to mute my mother rant about me and let Kishore Kumar or Agnes Obel take over.

The My VW Connect app is crap. No point wasting words talking about it.

Oh the ORVMs. They are a tad disappointing with the amount of area they cover. I asked my sales advisor if they could upsize it to the ones which come standard on the Tiguan and I kinda knew he'd say no. Using them while making a u-turn induces fear inside me and I have to crane my neck to double check for bikes. There have been incidences where a biker has apparated next to me and I've had no clue about them being next to my car. Right hand rear view is still fine, the left side is the most concerning. If the front seat is occupied, it becomes a bit difficult to check on the oncoming traffic while making u-turns at traffic signals.

Reversing camera is sub par. But I'm kinda glad it is there as a standard fitment. I've had no reversing camera on our 2007 Toyota Innova and thus, I rarely glance over the ones on the Taigun while backing up in my parking slot.

I kept checking the owners manual to finally conclude that there is no trip meter on the digital cockpit. The digital cockpit feels incomplete. They've wasted so much space at the either side of the display. All the service and car status icons could have taken up that space elegantly and left the display with some space to add a trip counter which is far more intuitive than the way they've chosen to display that bit of info. I don't want to shift focus on the ICE and check the vehicle status.

For the way I've been built, with short arms and all, I find navigating the ICE to be a task. Same for the horn pad. I'm used to not taking off my fingers from the horn pad on the Innova and I crave for that experience here as well. The buttons to navigate the digital cockpit are also bleh. Purely in terms of how they're arranged and the functions they cater to, the implementation could have been better. I wish they had a call accept/reject button on the steering wheel.

The cruise control placement however, I love it. Again, operating it isn't as intuitive to me, but I like the controls placed on the steering wheel rather than on the headlight stalk. The auto dimming rear view mirror is such a nice feature to use.

I don't think I'll ever be able to figure out how to use the TPMS. Let's just leave it at that.

Touchpoints:

In car: For the amount of money they've charged, I wish they gave good arm rest padding on the door. The mirror adjustment controls feel flimsy. I couldn't figure out how to fold the ORVMs when I'm at a traffic signal and want to let a biker pass. I was convinced that this doesn't work on my car and it is broken, although again, after a quick chat with BHPian thisissoumya, I discovered that I had to twist the knob 180degs to fold them. I feel I'll break the knob sooner than it's supposed to give up.

The one touch driver window down operation feels faulty to me. I touch the button to roll the driver window and intervene when it's rolled to the desired state, and when I want to roll it up, it keeps rolling down till the system realizes that I've been wanting to roll it up.

I've rarely noticed the blanks flanking on either side of the hazard indicator switch. I frequently use the ventilated seats yet somehow, I haven't found the blanks to be an eyesore.

The touch controls are very sensitive to touch and prone to reacting to accidental inputs. And it is such a chore and a hazard to operate them cuz I have to keep taking my eyes off the road to adjust the air flow.

On the roof liner, they could have just gone ahead and added a sunglass holder. Not that I notice it during the drive, but it kinda bothers me before and after the drive while operating the sunroof. The buttons to illuminate the cabin were pathetic and this was something I made peace with when I decided that I would ditch my Polo booking in favour of the Taigun.

Outside car:

I've no clue why they've given a boot release button on the key fob. When the car is locked and it senses my presence, pressing on the boot release on the door opens the boot while the car is still locked. I thought this must be a fault so I shut the boot, kept the key fob outside of the cars range and then tried to open the boot. To my relief, it remained locked. Ever since, I think of this as a feature than a fault.

The request sensors on both sides of the front doors are a nice touch. For the first time, my hands have been full with objects that aren't my car keys and yet, I've been able to enter the car.

Expectations:

I'd want to get rid of the 80 km warning chime. I would also love to increase the count of touch turn signals from 3 to 5. I wish there was a way to reprogram that blank button on the driver to do something. And I wish that button could be programmed to horn or bring back Severus Snape, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.

From the time I thought I should get a car, to the time I went ahead and booked one, I always knew it had to be a VW Polo. I never checked any other car on the market. Cars owned by my friends from the Hyundai stable didn't inspire me as much. So I've cocooned myself from the features that are standard equipment on the cars that are from this segment. I'm happy with the equipment that came with this car. Heck, I was happy with what VW is offering on the HL+ AT as well.

A safe drive with comfortable journeys was something I wanted for my mom and me and the Taigun has kept us happy on that front. It obviously doesn't have the thrill a cruiser ride would have, but given my moms age and my tolerance for a heavy bike plus a pillion rider and a tank bag, and the way our roads are, I'm glad I added a car to the garage.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I picked up barely used VW Taigun's 16 inch Belmont alloy wheels for the 'to be delivered next year' Astor style. Got them for 25k.

BHPian ahutoshb recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I picked up barely used VW Taigun's 16" Belmont alloy wheels for the 'to be delivered next year' Astor style. Got them for 25k. I know there is ample time, but I like VW / Skoda wheel designs and did not want to miss the deal.

Their 6J width is slightly less than the stock 6.5J alloy wheels, but should be fine.

Never wanted to upgrade to 17", because ride comfort is more important than looks, in this case.

Also did a photoshop job to see, how will they look. The Astor's Aurora Silver is more like a darkish grey, so hopefully, the contrast will look good.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

As we wanted the car to have higher ground clearance than our old Manza and a big boot, we started looking at the crossover market.

BHPian cvkone1 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello BHPians,

First things first, this is my first write up on Team BHP and I would like to receive constructive criticism and feedback on my write up.

First photo I took of the car after bringing it home:

Likes:

• Engaging driving experience.
• Punchy engine.
• Fast responsive 6-speed torque converter transmission.
• Paddle shifters which allow to make instantaneous gear shifts without moving the lever over to Manual (M).
• Clean and friendly UI on infotainment display.
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and Wireless charger.
• Ample leg and knee room in the second row.
• Massive door storage compartments.
• Four USB C fast charging ports.
• Functional roof rails (not decorative plastic rails).

Dislikes:

• Mileage plummets if you get a bit throttle happy.
• Hard suspension can seem harsh on broken patches of road at low speeds.
• Some plastics inside the cabin feel cheap.
• Black body cladding (this is absent from the T-Cross sold elsewhere).
• Limited rear visibility through IRVM.
• Marginally smaller boot compared to rivals.
• Reversing camera quality could have been better.
• Tiny cupholders in the center console.
• Bump in the middle rear seat makes the ride comfortable for two but the middle passenger has to sit higher and doesn’t get enough shoulder and head room.

My old ride:

Previously owned a Tata Indigo Manza Aura (Diesel) which was in our family for 12 years. It was not the best driver’s car by a long shot but had a massive boot, ample leg room for everyone and a comfortable ride even though the diesel’s drone was definitely audible inside the cabin. Even though it was an old Tata, ours was a gem and in its long lifespan we hardly faced any quality control issues, just small niggles here and there. In recent years though, it had started showing its age as the door hinges had started going loose, the dash rattled while idling etc. The mechanicals of the car were still sound.

Old ride standing alongside the new ride:

Usage:

Primarily highway usage with occasional city use. Needs to fit three full size suitcases so the boot needs to be big. Wanted a bit more ground clearance as the Manza used to scrape its bottom on the occasional village road rides. We live in Nagpur with our hometown just across the border in Madhya Pradesh near Gondia. The car would mostly travel between these two places with city driving sprinkled in between. There would also be some ambitious 1000km+ journeys here and there.

Decision making process:

As we wanted the car to have higher ground clearance than our old Manza and a big boot, we started looking at the crossover market. We were looking at the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, VW Taigun and the Mahindra XUV700.

First test drive: As the Taigun had just launched when we started looking and I was really doubtful and intrigued about a 1 liter 3-cylinder engine in a crossover, I requested a test drive for the same. 3-4 days later the sales rep brought a 1.0 AT car to our house which is in a gated community with closed roads. This gave us an opportunity to drive the car at its limit through the narrow roads and twisty turns of our society. The car handled beautifully with very little body roll and the steering also felt lively and gave good feedback. Also, to my utmost surprise I couldn’t believe the car had a 1.0L 3-cylinder engine as it was so peppy and responsive. Safe to say the dynamics of the Taigun left a lasting memory in our minds. The positives of the dynamics outweighed the negatives like the cheap plastics inside the cabin etc.

Second step: We went to the Kia showroom to have a look at the Seltos. We drove the 1.4L NA with the CVT. Coming fresh from the Taigun the Seltos didn’t feel as engaging to drive. The car in no way felt dreary but you could definitely feel the car's height and weight when compared to the VW. Also, to my surprise the middle of the road HTK+ variant which we were looking at came with lesser functional equipment like wireless charger, wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and type-C fast chargers.

Third step: We went to the Mahindra showroom to have a look at the XUV700 AX5. In our minds we had almost finalized on the XUV700 looking at the brochures online and the glowing YouTube reviews of the car but our experience in the showroom was abysmal to say the least. The sales rep transferred us over to a trainee sales rep who showed us around the AX7L variant and refused to answer any questions regarding the differences between the variants. After his rote learnt tour of the car was over, he locked the car and walked away. We stood in the showroom for around 10 minutes and then decided to leave. After coming home on closer inspection, we learnt that the AX5 misses out on basic features like a reverse camera, cruise control, automatic AC to name a few. As we couldn’t extend our budget to the AX7 variants we moved on.

Fourth step: We visited the Hyundai dealership to have a look at the Creta. To our surprise the dealership didn’t have any Creta units for us to test drive neither to have a look at. The sales rep directed our attention to the Alcazar as according to him its marginally expensive and offers a bigger boot (he himself admitted the third row isn’t for adults but at least you get a bigger boot). But they didn’t have an automatic Alcazar for test drive too and we just got a tour of a customer car which had come for its regular service. This definitely didn’t help in our buying decision and it also showed us how Hyundai is struggling due to the chip shortage and high demand for their cars.

Fifth step: We finally went to the Skoda dealership and were reminded of the utter driving joy the Taigun gave us in the Kushaq. Here we also got a chance to drive the 1.5L TSI engine which although is plenty noticeable when compared to the 1.0L, the price gap didn’t feel that justified for us with the added cost of the DCT which comes mated to the 1.5L.

After the bad experience at Mahindra and long waiting periods of the Korean siblings, the VAG cars stood out for us in our price range. We were either looking at Kushaq Ambition AT or the Taigun Highline AT. The key difference in features between them was that the VW offered wireless charging whereas the Kushaq offered LED headlights. The Skoda also had some ‘Simply Clever’ features like phone pockets, sunglass holders, parking ticket holders etc. which the Taigun missed out on but the Taigun guaranteed to come with many known Skoda problems (EPC issue, headliner and loose air vents) fixed. At the end having a transferable job to any remote part of India made us choose the Taigun owing to VW’s larger dealer and service networks. After almost a month of research we brought home this golden-yellow bundle of joyful driving on the 10th of December 2021.

Our Taigun's epic 2314 km maiden voyage:

After a last-minute change in plans me and my family of four had to travel to Delhi from Nagpur. The flight prices had sky rocketed and trains didn’t seem like a viable option due to the high number of corona cases. So, on the dawn of 27th of January 2022 we started our journey to New Delhi with the car having done a puny 844 city kms before this journey.

Here are some photos from our road trip:

On our first day we traveled from Nagpur to Delhi covering 1050 kms with a travel time of 14 hours. The car was a joy to drive and all the passengers were comfortable as well. The majority of our journey was on well maintained four lane highways where the cruise control came in clutch. The car felt very stable and planted at 110kmph on the Yamuna expressway and was happy to navigate gradual turns on highways comfortably at triple digit speeds.

The second leg of our journey was traveling from New Delhi to Jaipur to a relative’s house. The highway connecting to Jaipur was filled with heavy trucks trying to overtake each other on a four-lane meaning the car didn’t get to stretch its legs on this part of our journey.

After a wonderful stay with our family, we headed back home from Jaipur to Nagpur covering 936 kms with an average of 68 kmph. The lower average can be attributed to the road works going on in patches after Bhopal. The road was fantastic though and the car handled beautifully in the ghats.

After this epic journey our car desperately needed a wash as the windshield and headlights were riddled with squashed bugs and the 16” rims covered in brake dust.

We were able to achieve a mileage of 14 kmpl which isn’t great but also isn’t terrible considering we were four adults with three full size suitcases in the boot carrying a pretty high average speed. The engine seemed really smooth and powerful throughout the journey. The transmission was quick in shifting gears and the paddle shifters really helped get an overtake done quickly by just shifting down and then the gearbox taking care of the upshift. All four of us were very comfortable in the car and had no complaints regarding comfort. The suspension did feel harsh on bad roads but the slight imperfections in the road on high speed are absorbed nicely. The car also didn't have it's door seals replaced so the doors did rattle but something I noticed was that this problem is more pronounced on lower speeds than highway speeds. Since then I've had them replaced and the problem has gone away. I'll be sharing updates regarding this in a future post in this thread.

This has been my initial experience with the car and I wish to keep updating you guys. I will be coming up with the exterior, interior, technical review and my service experience shortly.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Taigun feels impressive with the 1.5 DSG just powering through on demand with smooth handling.

BHPian PRS7 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

My new VW Taigun:

Dear all,

Here's my review first post on this esteemed forum.

This is a summary on my buying and short term ownership experience of the new VW Taigun GT Plus DSG.

Car selection and finalization:

I had been on the look out for a new car since March 2020 to replace my first car and trusted steed, a 2008 WagonR Lxi petrol in Silky Silver, which is still going strong and now chillaxing at my hometown in Thrissur, Kerala, after 13 plus years of trustworthy service (no breakdowns in her lifetime yet).

I wanted to go for a performance compact SUV (my passion) with an automatic transmission (mandate from dear wifey) keeping in mind the highway runs from Hyderabad to Thrissur on vacations and also future tour programs pan India.

Had finalized the 2020 Jeep Compass Longitude diesel AT and made the booking too. Sadly this was later called off due to Covid induced financial surprises.

Come 2021, we still tried to go for the JC (facelift). This time the Limited diesel AT. Once again it was put off due to various reasons of which the primary one being the price touching 33 lakhs OTR. With a heavy heart decided to put a step back and go for the crowd favorite. The Creta diesel SX (O). Made the booking in Oct 2021. Time passed and lead time predictions extending every other week, started to get on our (Me and wifey) nerves. Also the thought of spending 21 big ones on a common car with undesirable safety credentials was lingering in the back of my head. Did not consider the Kushaq due to the problems reported at that time and also did not personally like the looks of it.

Made enquiries for T-Roc in November, however I was late since the car went out of stock forever.

Tealer then suggested me to have a look at the new Taigun.

VW Taigun:

Went for a test drive of the GT Plus 1.5 DSG.

Absolutely loved the ride, handling and power on command of this beast, although some omissions like no ventilated seats, no electronic handbrake, were sore points, which I chose to ignore in a trade off for having a better engineered product at this price point, with some amount of ownership exclusivity.

Went ahead and booked the Curcuma Yellow color as this was the most liked one by me and wifey. Although we liked the red too, but were put off by the red gloss dashboard in that variant.

We got delivery of the car in 2 days (yes you heard it right).

The car just rolled out of the factory and came straight to us at the VW Hitech showroom at Hyderabad as understood from the VIN.

The customary puja was done and we brought the beast home.

Initial ownership observations:

The Taigun feels impressive with the 1.5 DSG just powering through on demand with smooth handling. Suspension is stiff on bad patches. Cabin insulation is quite good.

Audio setup leaves a lot to be desired if you are into refined music experience. For me it is good enough.

Infotainment system meets expectation with Apple Carplay working without fuss each time I turn on the ignition.

Coming to the most important question "kitna deti hai".  The Taigun returns an impressive 12 to 13 kmpl in Hyderabad city runs on average speeds at 25 to 30 kmph. The ACT is seldom called in to action due to constant braking needed due to DJs (diagonal jackass - one who cuts diagonally across from one side of the road to the other in front of you without warning).

I have not been able to stretch its legs on a highway run yet, so cannot comment on the mileage returned at higher speeds. However, I feel it will be significantly higher due to ACT combined with cruise control. I will surely update on that through my upcoming travelogues with this yellow beauty.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.