Before we get into the driving experience, we must praise the TSI’s smoothness, which is so outstanding that the traditional three-cylinder engine thrum is hardly heard unless the engine is accelerated aggressively. However, this engine isn’t as quiet as a four-cylinder, and you can notice sensations on the seats when the engine flutters on its frames.
The 999cc turbo-petrol engine in the Taigun gains 5hp and 3Nm of torque over the Polo, bringing the outputs to 115hp and 178Nm. The engine profile of the Taigun feels comparable to that of the Polo TSI. The engine must be maintained hot and driven past 1,800rpm, and it isn’t as quick or lag-free as the 1.5 TSI available in the Taigun GT model. But, once on boost, power flows smoothly and continuously, and this small motor keeps pulling to the red line.
It’s worth noting that, despite sharing parts, ancillaries, and gear ratios with the Kushaq, the Taigun 1.0 TSI is half a second faster to 100kph than the Skoda, with the margin increasing to 2.7sec by the moment the cars reach 160kph. Surprisingly, the Taigun’s 0-160kph time of 30.42sec is the same as the lightweight Polo’s 30.36sec.
The Taigun is a second faster in a rolling race from 20-80kph in third gear and 1.5sec faster in a rolling race from 40-100kph in fourth gear than both the Kushaq and Polo, which have identical in-gear acceleration rates. However, Volkswagen’s 6-speed manual transmission isn’t buttery smooth, and the clutch is springy, so the driving isn’t as easy as the naturally aspirated rivals with whom the Taigun competes.
Taigun’s highway stability is outstanding, and it continues to do so in its 1.0 TSI version. It drives with the maturity and assurance we’ve come to expect from European vehicles, although it feels a bit stiff-kneed at lower speeds and tosses you around a bit when coping with some harsher potholes. Nevertheless, with a chassis (MQB A0 IN) that is 30% sturdier than Polo’s, hustling midsize SUV through curves is pretty satisfying. In addition, it has steering that feels suitably weighted as you accelerate.
The Taigun’s popularity stems from its robust construction and fun-to-drive attitude. The 1.0 TSI Topline model, priced at Rs 14.57 lakh, has luxury features such as auto LED headlights, auto wipers, heated front seats, sunroof, digital instrument cluster, and six airbags, others. These features are absent from the 1.5 TSI GT manual, which is offered for Rs 43,000. In reality, the 1.0-litre is so efficient that it is smooth and rapid and likely to meet the performance demands of most purchasers.
In a nutshell, except for a few passionate driving lovers, the majority of customers are likely to question the necessity to pay extra for the 1.5 TSI. Due to its advantages, the Taigun 1.0 TSI manual appears to be the most practical choice from the lineup.
