Volkswagen Taigun 1.5L TSI to take on Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos

- Will get the VW T-Roc sourced 1.5-litre TSI EVO petrol engine

- Develops 148bhp and 250Nm, mated to a seven-speed DSG

Under its ‘India 2.0’ project, Volkswagen will launch a number of new vehicles, starting with the Taigun mid-size SUV. Now, we already know that the 1.0-litre TSI petrol motor will be the mainstay for all Volkswagen cars based on the MQB A0-IN platform in India. That said, we have confirmation from Volkswagen that it will also introduce a more powerful 1.5-litre TSI EVO engine in the Taigun.

Steffen Knapp, Director – Marketing, Volkswagen India, revealed to CarWale, “The Taigun will also be equipped with the 1.5 TSI engine, but this will be the second step. The core volume will be on the 1.0 TSI.” The Taigun 1.5 TSI will help Volkswagen to take on established rivals like the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos, both of which come equipped with a 1.4-litre turbo GDI engine. While the Korean rivals make 138bhp and 242Nm from their 1.4-litre mill, the 1.5-litre TSI EVO motor makes 148bhp and 250Nm of peak torque. It will be coupled to a seven-speed DSG.

The 1.5 TSI motor comes with cylinder deactivation technology, which allows the motor to deactivate up to two cylinders by sensing the load on the engine, thereby improving fuel economy. Unlike the fully-localised 1.0-litre TSI, the 1.5-litre TSI and the seven-speed DSG will be imported in India. So, expect it to be priced at a premium over the regular model.

The Volkswagen Taigun will be launched in India in mid-2021. It will be followed by the next-generation Volkswagen Vento towards the end of next year. There's also a sub-four-meter compact SUV under the pipeline that will be launched in 2022.