What do you get if you cross a Volkswagen T-Cross with the recent VW Scirocco?
The answer to that question is the Taigo, a new compact crossover SUV coupe that’s set to arrive in the UK later this year.
There’s no shortage of SUVs in the VW range, from the Polo-based T-Cross to the powerful, range-topping Touareg.
But the firm - like many others - is a fan of SUVs with more rakish lines, and the new Taigo arrives as VW also prepares to unleash a ‘Tiguan X’ SUV coupe.
The Taigo, though, will be much more affordable than the sleeker Tiguan, and should fight for the same market territory as the brilliant Ford Puma.
So what’s on the cards for lease customers?
VW says the Taigo, which goes into production imminently, boasts a ‘charismatic design, modern operating concept and a multitude of assistance systems’, as well as ‘state-of-the-art connectivity’.
The German manufacturer also describes the Taigo as a ‘CUV’ - or ‘Crossover Utility Vehicle’ - that combines an elevated seating position with a sporty coupé silhouette.
You can expect LED headlights as standard and a fully digital cockpit and if the interior is anything like the T-Cross, you can expect a smart, classy, unshowy cabin with a good range of options for personal customisation.
What’s perhaps surprising is that the Taigo won’t be available as a hybrid - at least for now, anyway.
Instead VW says it’ll be powered by economical petrol TSI engine, likes the ones currently found in the T-Cross. That means a 1.0 litre unit with up to 110 PS and which will return close to 50 miles to the gallon.
Or you should be able to opt for the 1.5 litre ‘EVO’ TSI, which has a respectable 150 PS, will sprint from 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds and will still return upwards of 46mpg.
If the choice was ours, we’d certainly plump for the larger engine, especially when you consider that CO2 emissions are virtually identical, too.
And it’s also worth remembering that the Ford Puma does come with 48V mild-hybrid technology - in the form of a 125 PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost Hybrid and a 155 PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost Hybrid - to boost responsiveness and reduce emissions.
The Taigo will make its debut this summer and will be launched on the market at the end of 2021.
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