Volkswagen Taigun

The Volkswagen Taigun is a subcompact crossover SUV (B-segment) manufactured by the German automaker Volkswagen since 2021. Manufactured in India and destined for the Indian and Mexican markets, the Taigun is based on the Volkswagen T-Cross.

The "Taigun" nameplate can be traced to 2012 when Volkswagen unveiled an unrelated smaller crossover SUV concept car with the same name. It was based on the Up city car and was planned to be mass-produced in 2016 for Europe, Brazil and India. However, the Up-based Taigun project was ultimately cancelled.

Overview
The prototype version of the T-Cross-based Taigun was showcased in Auto Expo in February 2020 and is planned on sale by mid-2021. The Taigun is based on the long-wheelbase version of the T-Cross, with several differences. For example, the Taigun shares a similar front-end with the Chinese-market T-Cross, and the C-pillar is also slightly reworked. Volkswagen stated the vehicle is built on the Volkswagen Group MQB A0 IN platform dedicated to the Indian market. The platform is also shared with the Škoda Kushaq which debuted in March 2021.

The production version of the Taigun was revealed on 31 March 2021. Under the VW Group's India 2.0 plan, the Taigun is made mainly for the Indian market up to 95 per cent of parts localization. The only visible changes made to the car compared to the 2020 prototype are the downsizing of the wheels for 19 inches to 17 inches. It is available with two petrol engine options, including a 1.0-litre three-cylinder TSI engine producing 115 PS and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder TSI unit with 150 PS. The 1.0-litre engine is available with 6-speed manual and 6-speed torque converter automatic, while the 1.5-litre TSI unit is available with a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch. It went on sale on 23 September 2021.

The GT Edge Trail special edition was announced in November 2023 in India, featuring some "adventurous" styling changes.

Markets
The Taigun is being exported from India to Indonesia as the T-Cross. It went on sale in Indonesia in February 2022 and is distributed by VW's local Indonesian importer/distributor, PT Garuda Mataram Motor. Additionally, beginning in 2022, the model is being exported from India to Mexico as the Taigun.

Safety
The Volkswagen Taigun is sold in India with a standard safety specification of two frontal airbags, i-Size approved ISOFIX anchorages, Electronic Stability Control, three-point seatbelts in all seats and post-collision braking. Higher trim levels are additionally equipped with side torso airbags and head-protecting curtains, and a tyre pressure monitor. Left-hand-drive versions of the Taigun (exported to Mexico as the T-Cross) are equipped with safety assist technologies like Autonomous Emergency Braking, which are not available in India, and they have side airbags available as standard instead of as an option.

In October 2022 the Taigun was independently crash-tested by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP, based on Latin NCAP 2016) at Volkswagen's expense and scored five stars for adult and child occupant protection, the first car to do so under the organisation's new assessment protocols. In the frontal offset test, protection of all body regions was good or acceptable, except for the driver's left tibia. In the side, mobile barrier and pole tests, protection of the driver's chest was rated marginal, and protection of the driver's abdomen was rated acceptable in the side pole test. The Taigun could pass minimum European regulatory requirements for electronic stability control and pedestrian protection.

Concept version
Unrelated to the 2021 Taigun, the Volkswagen Taigun nameplate debuted as a near-production concept subcompact crossover SUV. Targeting Europe, Brazil and India as its main markets, it had the potential of replacing the hatchback CrossFox, and slotting below the Tiguan compact crossover SUV, competing against mini crossover SUVs alongside the Nissan Juke, the Mini Countryman and the Suzuki SX4.

The prototype was unveiled at the 2012 São Paulo International Motor Show. The Taigun was planned to be unveiled by the Volkswagen Group for the model year of 2016, however the plan was scrapped. The car was deemed too small, contrary with the market trend and was instead replaced by the Volkswagen T-Cross which went on sale in 2018.