Volkswagen Taigo Owner's Manual

About The Taigo

The VW Taigo was first released back in 2020 in Brazil as the VW Nivus, and then later arrived in Europe in the summer of 2021. The Taigo is a subcompact crossover SUV, but features a more coupe-like sloping roofline to add a sense of sportiness and dynamism to the overall design.

The Taigo features 2 powertrains, namely the 1.0L inline-3 engine or a 1.5L inline-4. These are paired either with a 5- or 6-speed manual transmission, a 6-speed automatic or a 7-speed VW direct shift gearbox (DSG) unit. The DSG combines elements of manual and automatic and is held up as the transmission that narrows the performance gap between manual and automatic.

On the inside, the Taigo offers clean lines, a digital instrument cluster, a crisp and user-friendly 8-inch standard infotainment system (can upgrade to 10.3 inches on higher trims) and a generally comfortable experience on the road. It’s even fairly comfortable if you opt for the larger 17-inch wheels. There’s lumbar support, too, which is nice for longer drives, but even on the higher trim levels you can’t get adjustable lumbar support as an option.

Driving visibility is good thanks to slim front pillars and a commanding seating position for both the driver and the front passenger. The rear windows are larger than you might expect, too, offering great visibility all around.

The Taigo is larger than the Polo or Golf but offers similar drive dynamics, especially when you opt for the DSG transmission. It’s quicker off the mark even than some more luxury VW-owned models like the Audi Q2. Any lag that you might experience on an automatic when wanting a burst of power you can mitigate with the paddle shifters, quickly downshifting to get the extra torque.

In all, the Taigo promises a dynamic crossover driving experience with plenty of utility thrown in as well. It’s not necessarily the exterior design everyone likes in a smaller SUV, and the interior isn’t exactly “luxury” but it does what it says on the tin and then some.