Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Volkswagen Taigo SUV - Engines, drive & performance

The Taigo is decent to drive and is quicker than some rivals

Carbuyer Rating

4.0 out of 5

Owners Rating

5.0 out of 5

Read owner reviews
Engines, drive & performance Rating

4.0 out of 5

The Volkswagen Taigo sits on the same ‘MQB A0’ platform as the T-Roc and T-Cross, so the parts and engines are shared between the three cars. If you’ve driven either of those two cars and were happy with them, it’s likely that you’ll find the Taigo acceptable too.

The car’s light weight not only helps with fuel efficiency but with agility too. Turn the wheel and the Taigo is quick to change direction, so it’s quite fun to drive on a twisty back road. Don’t think the Taigo is any kind of sports car, however, because its lofty ride height means it leans quite a bit through bends. Regardless, the Taigo’s steering feels suitably weighted at higher speeds, yet remains light enough to make town driving easy.

Advertisement - Article continues below

We found the Taigo comfortable around town and at motorway speeds, although it can get upset by less-than-perfect road surfaces, feeling fidgety and unsettled.

Volkwagen Taigo petrol engines

Three petrol engines are available to Taigo buyers. The range starts with the same 94bhp 1.0-litre engine shared with the base versions of the VW Polo and T-Cross, and is only offered on the cheapest trim level. Mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, this engine is likely to feel a little slow, taking around 11 seconds to accelerate from 0-62mph. However, it should be perfectly adequate if you tend to spend most of your time around town or aren’t bothered about outright performance.

The 1.0-litre engine is also available with 108bhp. This more powerful version offers slightly quicker acceleration, taking 10.4 seconds, and the inclusion of a six-speed manual gearbox makes it more refined at motorway speeds than the 94bhp version. Alternatively, you can pick a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox with this engine - although this costs around £2,000 more to buy than the manual.

Topping the range is a 1.5-litre engine, exclusively paired with the automatic gearbox. With 148bhp, it’s noticeably quicker; 0-62mph takes 8.3 seconds. The power comes in smoothly but the gearbox could be slicker. At times it’s slow to change down when you ask for more acceleration, while the 1.5-litre engine can sound harsh at high revs.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Charlie writes and edits news, review and advice articles for Carbuyer, as well as publishing content to its social media platforms. He has also been a regular contributor to its sister titles Auto Express, DrivingElectric and evo. As well as being consumed by everything automotive, Charlie is a speaker of five languages and once lived in Chile, Siberia and the Czech Republic, returning to the UK to write about his life-long passion: cars.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Volkswagen Taigo review – a cheap and economical coupe-SUV
Volkswagen Taigo front quarter dynamic
In-depth reviews
5 Feb 2024

Volkswagen Taigo review – a cheap and economical coupe-SUV

Most Popular

Car tax: VED rates and increases explained 2024/25
Car tax
Tips and advice
4 Nov 2024

Car tax: VED rates and increases explained 2024/25

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s best PCP finance offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
22 Nov 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s best PCP finance offers

Ford EcoBoost engines: reliability, problems and should you buy one?
Ford Puma EcoBoost front
Tips and advice
5 Nov 2024

Ford EcoBoost engines: reliability, problems and should you buy one?

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
21 Oct 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
Charging station
Tips and advice
23 Jul 2024

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
Best electric cars
Best cars
16 May 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024