shifter notches nicely so you
know you’ve properly selected
park, reverse or drive, and it
looks attractively retro.
Best of all are the Taigo’s
infotainment and comfort
controls. It has a separate panel
for climate control, so when you
are behind a van throwing out
noxious exhaust fumes you can
actually find the air recirculation
button in time to shut them out.
This is how it should be. After
all, you probably haven’t
replaced the light switches and
cooker controls in your house
with an iPad.
In its latest models, including
the electric ID series, VW has
taken its obsession for doing
away with physical switchgear
to Apple extremes. The Golf 8
dashboard may be beautifully
minimalist but scrolling
through submenus just to
adjust the temperature and fan
can be as distracting as looking
at a mobile phone.
Which is an interesting
comparison, because the more
I drove the Taigo, the more
I realised that what I was
actually driving was a previous-
generation Golf. It’s so
uncannily similar that it’s like
transporting back a decade to
the Golf Mk 6. The Taigo is like
the DeLorean time machine
from Back to the Future, only
made by Volkswagen.
Consider for a moment the
Taigo’s dimensions. At the risk
of lapsing into too much detail,
it’s worth mentioning the
similarities to the Golf
precisely because VW doesn’t.
The Taigo is 4,266mm long,
1,518mm tall and 1,757mm wide.
The Golf 8, which costs £2,200
more, is 4,284mm long,
1,491mm tall and 1,789mm wide.
Almost identical.
The similarities don’t end
there. From behind the wheel
the Taigo feels remarkably
like ... a Golf. Remember that
sense of just being able to get in
and drive, like the Wash & Go
shampoo advert but with four
wheels and an engine? That’s
how the Taigo feels: simple, with
plenty of pizzazz.
There are two different petrol
engines with three power
outputs ranging from 94bhp to
148bhp and a choice of manual
or seven-speed DSG automatic
gearbox. The one I tested was
the 1.0-litre with three cylinders
steering lightness. The
differences were small, if
noticeable, and in the end I
left it in “Comfort”, which is
probably what most drivers
will do, even if they’ve paid for
the choice.
Up front there’s a roomy feel,
with plenty of separation
between driver and passenger,
and ample storage space. The
Taigo’s door bins can swallow a
flask or a large bottle of water
and there’s a deep cubby in the
central armrest. In the centre is
a pad for your phone with
wireless charging on each of the
three trim levels. All versions
allow better than average front
seat and steering wheel
adjustment, as well as DAB
radio and Apple CarPlay/
Android Auto smartphone
mirroring. The R-Line and Style
versions also come with built-in
sat-nav, though many people
will use Apple or Google maps,
which you can call up on the
screen via your phone.
The Taigo’s boot will swallow
six cabin cases or, with seats
folded, a load of flat-pack
furniture or tall plants from the
nursery. On paper it’s 440 litres
— more generous than rivals
such as the Skoda Kamiq, Seat
Arona, Toyota Yaris Cross and,
indeed, the Golf (380 litres).
Which brings us to the most
important question, should you
choose the cheaper Taigo over
the VW’s flagship model? The
Golf comes with a wider choice
of engines, including diesel and
hybrid. VW has already ruled
out a GTI or R version of the
Taigo, so if it’s out-and-out
performance you’re after then
the Taigo is a nonstarter. But if
you yearn for the old-style Golf
with all the benefits of proper
switchgear plus a zesty, cleaner,
post-Dieselgate engine, take the
Taigo for a tango and see what
you think. The Golf ’s South
American cousin has arrived
with its Nokia brick phone. It’ll
be interesting to see whether, in
releasing it in Europe, VW has
made a shrewd marketing
decision or created the best
reason yet not to buy a Golf nEngine
999ccPower
108bhp @ 5000rpmTorque
147 lb ft @ 2000rpmAcceleration
0-62mph: 10.9secTop speed
119mphFuel / CO 2
47.8mpg / 134g/kmWeight
1,260kgPrice
£29,155Release date
On sale nowNick’s ratingThe Ruffometer
VW Taigo 1.0 TSI DSG R-Line
1,518 mm4,266mm 1,757mmand 108bhp. And I liked it a lot.
I was surprised that on a
300-mile round trip to
Somerset it delivered 50mpg. It
was civilised on the motorway
and lively on winding country
lanes. If you want a sudden turn
of speed, the DSG will quickly
drop down a cog or two, or you
can override it with gearshift
paddles behind the wheel.
It’s not exactly sporty but it’s
an agile car that will zip down
side streets and take around-
town manoeuvres in its stride.PricePower0-62mphTop speedHead
to head
Volkswagen Taigo 1.0
TSI Life v Volkswagen
Golf 8 1.0 TSI Life£23,15594bhp11.1sec114mph£25,340108bhp10.2sec126mphIt’s like the DeLorean time
machine from Back to the Future,
only made by Volkswagen
The suspension is firmish but it
copes well with speed humps
and potholes, though I didn’t
test it near Rod Stewart’s house.
There are three different trim
levels: Life, Style and R-Line.
My R-Line came with a driving
profile selection switch (optional
on the £900 cheaper Style) that
toggled between four modes:
Eco, Comfort, Sport and
Individual. They supposedly
alter throttle response, how
long the auto-box holds in low
gear during acceleration, andThe Sunday Times Magazine • 51