Hello, Excellent genuine review. Unlike other Motor Journalists, you have given really truthful information about the vehicle. I am planning to purchase an SUV in near future and your guidance is absolutely useful. Best wishes.
@@dreamtrip641 Hi Vivek, Honestly, I haven't driven the Astor so I'm not the best person to comment:) However, from what I have read and watched, the Taigun is more driver oriented while the Astor is more feature and comfort oriented. Also, for 15 lacs on road, you'll get the Astor 1.5 NA engine. Between this and the Taigun, the 1.0 TSI is definitely the better motor. Still, I'd recommend to wait for someone to do a back to back review. My guess is Autocar will do it soon as I could see the Taigun in their Astor review.
I guess i will wait for Skoda Slavia and VW virtus. Those cars will be atleast 100-150 kgs lighter and provide excellent driving dynamics. It will be priced less too! Now imagine what a 1.5 Tsi with the slavia will do :). I’m sure it will be no less than deadly
Definitely! The other reason is that these might be last powerful manual sedans to be sold in our country. Everything above these and the city are Automatics. I am also watching them very closely:)
A balanced and good review. Especially agree with you on the rear suspension setup - the car tends to lose a bit of handling stability while taking mid-corner bumps/undulations at higher speeds. A Panhard rod/anti-roll bar at the back, or a stiffer rear suspension set up as you have suggested, might solve this problem.
Finally someone spilled the beans about the compact SUV, you speak my mind friend 👍 Not sure why people are crazy to spend 14 - 15L for compact SUV for fancy features rather than proper SUV base model for same price.
Compact SUVs (front wheel driven) are popular because of their high ground clearance (considering how pot holes laden Indian roads are). At the same time parking space and road congestion are also big challenges in Indian cities. A sub 4m compact SUV makes perfect sense lest you want to haul a big family every time. I feel spending 14 lakhs on top variant of Ecosport is far better than spending the same amount on a base variant or Creta or Seltos etc.
Hi, had a question. I took a TD of the Taigun, last month. I was shocked to hear the amount of rattling around the doors and the beadings. Is your car having that issue amor have they installed additional beadings to prevent this. Regards.
Hi Aayush, I have also heard a lot about the rattling issues in the Taigun and the Kushaq. I didn't have any rattles in this car as this was just 1 day old:) However, I have also read that the rattle is due to: 1. Door Beadings: Which Skoda is replacing for the Kushaq. 2. A loose clip for holding wires in the front right A-pillar. A lot of people have found the fix for this. 3. Other rattles from dashboard and AC vents are still unresolved for a lot of customers. Unfortunately, this is the truth of this industry. My 3 year old EcoSport and 6 year old Polo rattles more than my 11 year old Fiat Linea. Quality in this segment isn't what it used to be.
@@road_not_taken My 27 lac rupee Crysta also rattles a lot, I am disappointed in Toyota, the quality of plastics and materials used in fortuner and Crysta don't make them worth that price. I had a altis as well which was 11 years old, not an ounce of rattle was ever heard in it. I recently purchased a polo TSI Highline automatic, I had some rattle from the door beads, best option to that is to use silicone spray. I am very angry at Toyota for compromising interior build quality of Crysta. My Ownership of the crysta is not a happy one. The seats also make a racket when they don't have anyone sitting in them.
@@aayushbhingare2279 True, quality has taken a dive in the recent years. I'm surprised even Innova Crysta has similar issues. BTW, Toyota's seat channel rattles are perennial, it has always been their shortcoming.
Interesting question! Long term reliability of both Tata and Mahindra is questionable in my opinion. The newer Tatas are better but they age very rapidly. Same for Mahindra, I have heard a lot of users complain about rust issues after a few years. I think the Creta/Taigun will age better (VW DSG issues aside). However for long trips, the additional space and a large unstressed engine makes a huge difference. And the Harrier and XUV would definitely be better in that case. Here is how I'd decide: 1. If you plan to travel with 3 or less folks, choose the Creta/Taigun. They will be super comfortable and more reliable in the long run. 2. If you travel with 4 or more folks frequently, the XUV/Harrier will be better. The additional space will make a huge difference.
@@road_not_taken it would be max my spouse and kid. For the longest time I used to detest this Creta/Taigun/Seltos segment with Harrier in picture. But now there is a shift in mindset to have car for long-term, i am having doubts for Harrier XUV. On the other hand the ride quality of these bigger cars compared to pseudo SUVs is just too lucrative and easily confuses the mind :)
I get your point of view. When I drove the Harrier, the difference in ride quality and more importantly how unaffected the Harrier is by potholes blew me away! The same isn't true for the Seltos. However, the Taigun comes very close to the Harrier. It isn't as tough as the Harrier but it rides even better at slow speeds. My suggestion would be to try both of them out and then decide. Given you are a family of 3, both of these would be equally comfortable:)
Compact SUVs (front wheel driven) are popular because of their high ground clearance (considering how pot holes laden Indian roads are). At the same time parking space and road congestion are also big challenges in Indian cities. A sub 4m compact SUV makes perfect sense lest you want to haul a big family every time. I feel spending 14 lakhs on top variant of Ecosport is far better than spending the same amount on a base variant or Creta or Seltos etc.
Thanks for the video. Really a genuine review. I am looking forward to buying my first car. Confused between Seltos GT vs Taigun GT. Please do reply. I know you are the right person to explain because you have been driving taigun for two years. Your opinion matters
Hi bro. Do you think this car's front co passenger seat's height is very low ? I wanted to buy it but I found this a big issue as compared to other mid suv's. What could be it's solution bro ?
Interesting! I was driving 90% of the time and tried the rear seats in the remaining 10%, so I can't add much. But I faced the same issue in the Fortuner. I'll try it out the next time I'm in a Taigun. It's a hard fix to be honest but someone in the seat business can help perhaps. Other simpler solution could be to send the taller person back and ask the shorter person to take the front seats:)
I haven't driven the Kushaq but I haven't seen as many reporter issues in the Taigun. Also, I personally prefer the looks of the Taigun more because of the rear 🙂
@@road_not_taken yeah i too like the rear of taigun.. as you mentioned in the video, i have worries about the DSG gearbox becoming sloppy in the later stages.. i own an ameo which is 30k km done.. I fell the DSG starting to become sloppy.. so kushaq has the manual top end model which has all the features.. taigun does not have that.. this is the reason for me to think about kushaq.
@@road_not_taken am in the market to buy a car in 20-21 lakhs price range Which one would you recommend? My primary choices where the VW/skoda cross overs, but I was not really satisfied with the cabin experience and quality. The Koreans safety is still a question. Now my plans are to go for Slavia. But still its not justifying d asking price of 21 lakhs on road (tentative price). My primary use would be in Bangalore city with frequent highway trips to Kerala. Which one would you go for if you where in my shoes?
Hi@@dronacharyar , Interesting situation. These are the new cars I'd consider in this segment: 1. Kia Carens: If your highway trip involves more than 4 passengers, the Kia is the better package. However, the diesel will be slow for overtakes on Kerala's roads. 2. XUV700: A great car if your current cars are Mahindras/Tatas. Upgrading from Japanese/Koreans to Mahindra won't give you that peace of mind experience. 3. VW Virtus: This is a car I'd look very closely at. The quality levels of Virtus should be better than the Slavia, so I have high hopes, but not sure how it turns out. However, personally, I'd lean towards used cars more because of the amazing cars listed below: 1. Endeavour 3.2: I absolutely love the package that the Endeavour offers. It'll be a joy to drive and much superior than every car in this segment. 2. Fortuner: Another competent machine that is a great buy. It is a bit expensive but it'll retain its value. 3. Toyota Camry: I didn't consider the Camry till I drove it for 1000kms. They depreciate fast so you can get a very good example for 15-16 lacs. Overall, if I were to choose one, I'd choose a new XUV700 or a used Ford Endeavour, leaning towards the Endeavour more:) I hope this helps.
@@road_not_taken thank you for the extensive analysis and response ! I am currently using a ford ecosport diesel. I am actually looking for a 4/5seater car as most of my travels are solo trips or with one other person. Also driving a big vehicle in Bangalore traffic and parking it would be quite challenging 😰 . Xuv 700 only have AX5 and not d top end in 5 seater version. And I feel like 5 seater is missing out quite some gadgets. Anyway, Thanks again for ur feedback 😊
@@dronacharyar I am an EcoSport owner myself :) In that case, don't buy the 1.0 TSI of Taigun/Kushaq/Virtus/Slavia. It won't feel like an upgrade. You need at least 140/150 horses to feel the jump. Let me know what you choose:)
Hi Rohan, The 1.5 TSI is definitely better than the diesel of the Creta and Seltos. Typically what happens is that the torque ratings of the diesel are higher than the petrol. So even with a turbo, the diesel pulls better on hills. However, the torque rating of the diesel Seltos/Creta is the same as Taigun - 250 Nm. And both of them produce it from 1500 rpm. So the Taigun turns out to be better as it has more power (150 PS vs 115 PS) and you can rev the engine more thanks to the higher redline.
Good review. I have e booked both Seltos and Taigun and I am waiting DCT and DSG. Which one should I go for? I am looking for long term ownership. Mostly city and occasional highway. I need a practical car with decent features and reliable engines. Which one do u suggest. Wifey wants to drive as well.
Hi Vinay, Thanks for your kind words. In your situation, there are two things that are common to both cars: 1. Both are great machines and you can't go wrong with either. It's a matter of choosing between two wins. 2. I wouldn't advice you to own either of them long term. My suggestion would be to buy the longest extended warranty and sell the car when warranty ends. You'll get decent resale as well. Dual clutch gearboxes are unreliable for long term ownership. For choosing between them, buy the Seltos if you will drive in the D mode mainly and in the city. I feel Seltos is a bit unsafe for highways given its low NCAP rating. But Seltos does feel more special on the inside. Choose the Taigun if you will change gears using the paddle shifters or use the S mode. The Taigun's trump card is its mechanicals. Both will keep you happy, both are practical and have enough features. I hope this helps:)
@@road_not_taken wet balanced reply thanks. However still thinking that if Seltos’ presence and features matches the Taigun’s mechanics… tough decision though
@@Motoring333 True, it is a tough decision as both cars are great. But look at it this way-your margin or error is so small, you'll be happy either ways:)
@@anubhavsays Amazing! All the best for tomorrow. Please do a Pre delivery inspection before you take the car. Looking forward to hear from you about your experience 🙂
@@jakebond4006 That will be an issue. It's getting better but still not the best. But shouldn't be that much of an issue if you get an extended warranty.
Hi Rishabh, I haven't driven either of these two engines, so I won't be able to add much here. However, I strongly feel that the engines to buy in both cars are not these two:) The Astor turbo petrol and the Taigun 1.5 TSI are the ones to go for. The 1.0 TSI is a good engine, but the 1.5 makes the Taigun feel effortlessly quick. Even my Polo GT TSI (1.2) becomes affected at highway speeds if its loaded. The heavier Taigun will be affected more. However, If you plan to drive in the city mainly, the 1.0 engine should be fine.
Good analysis but few issues I can see 1. When you see safety as an important point, it's very sad to see German or Indian car owners skipping rear seat belts without which there's no point of door thud or safe shell of a car, when passengers will be thrown around in case of an accident. 2. I have noticed a lot of road noise in your video. Have you compared this with other cars? As I feel it's much louder than the Koreans and Astor as well. Don't that take away the premiumness? 3. You should've used paddles in new Seltos then compare the reaction time. The triptronic one is old with older map which is said to be tuned better in new units when paddles are provided in Seltos. Same is the case with ride quality as the new version of Seltos is sorted as well. 4. Don't you feel the steering is lighter than what it should be? I test drove Kushaq and Seltos back to back and felt Seltos has more weight to the steering. The test drive Seltos was newer one with different logo. I really like the points you said about upgrading from sub4m cars and the feel these gives are of premium Mercs, BMs. I also felt that driving X1 is not that different but the closest a car gets is Compass, I would say it's equal to them so above 20lkhs, I say upgrade to Compass.
Hi Suyash, Thanks for taking the effort to put your points down. Here are my thoughts: 1. Agree. Middle seats should definitely get seat belts, and more importantly there should be seat belt reminders for all 5 seats. This is a big miss in all cars. This would be a game changer for safety. 2. I partly agree with this. The noise from the surroundings entering the cabin is very bad. And for some reason, I saw the same in the Seltos, though it was slightly better than Taigun. However, the wind and road noise is very well contained in both these cars. If you are upgrading from a premium hatch, the difference very perceptible. 3. Fair point. I am still reviewing cars by renting them as my channel is small :) Once I start getting cars from manufacturers themselves, it'll be easier to review the latest versions of these cars. 4. I agree with your observation, but I have a different theory on steering weights. I feel that light or heavy, you will get used to it over a few days. Only when you drive cars back to back, will you have issues with lighter steering. However, what you'll always appreciate is the amount of feedback the steering gives you. Neither the Taigun nor the Seltos have great feel from the steering, but the dynamics make up for this gap.
@@road_not_taken Agreed but you have to read my first point again which I was making as you were not belted when sitting at the rear seat. I am sure you know seatbelts are the bare minimum requirement for any safety system to work properly so please keep seatbelt on wherever you sit inside a car 🙃 Thanks.
@@road_not_taken sure and do try to test the new version of Seltos which has paddles and retuned gearbox map and also better suspension. Then give us a brief feedback and comparison with Taigun.
Dear Sir, My brother is looking to buy a compact SUV with usage mainly focussed on highway travels. If given a choice with a budget of 15 lakhs, which car would you prefer in this case - XUV300 W6 Petrol, Taigun/Kushaq or Creta/Seltos? Your opinion would certainly be helpful! 🙂 I personally am leaning towards the XUV 300 as it offers more cabin space for passengers and is the safest car in this segment.
Between these three, I'd prefer the Taigun 1.5 the most. The dynamics of the Taigun are definitely better than the XUV300 and the power difference is very apparent. Also the Taigun is more spacious than the XUV300. The XUV is definitely the safest as its tested. My recommendation will be to test drive all three of them and share your thoughts here. Let's take it further from there:)
Hi Ankit, I haven't driven the 1.0 TSI motor yet so I am not the best person to answer this. But as a package, I'd take the Taigun and its additional space and comfort over the Polo. I think the gains in ride quality and comfort outweigh the losses in handling and higher price. What would you choose?
I was not satisfied with 1l engine for Taigun. Unsure about reliability DSG gear box on 1.5l. Majority of my commute being in city ended up booking polo
Hi Varun, DSG reliability is an issue. It's getting better each year but still a lot of people face issues. The early batches of Hyundais and Kias were also unreliable. I'd suggest that you buy an extended warranty for the maximum duration and sell the car after that. Else liquidate 1-1.5 lacs as a separate investment when you buy the car for future DSG repair costs.
More than the ratios, I'd suggest that we look at the clutch type. Typically, wet clutch DSGs are more reliable, which is why you'd find them used more in cars with higher power outputs. The DQ200 in the Taigun is a dry clutch, which has had more issues in the past. However, VW is improving the reliability with every generation. Note: Seltos/Creta also have a dry clutch DCT.
Subscribed: I think all reviewers are harsh on VW new cars for the high expectations we already have with the brand and VW/Skoda has done decent job of giving them of reasons too. While when Koreans / Japanese cars come lot of things like external noise isn't even talked about .. because that's considered OK from them.
Hi Mayank, That's a fair point, I agree with you. I think people are also unhappy because that's what the brand stands for. Imagine an iPhone that's not simple to use, or a OnePlus that does not deliver performance or a good camera. The Koreans and Japanese would also be called out if they are not reliable, but it's a given that VW/Skodas will not be as reliable:) There were people who supported Skoda in the EPC issue! Imagine if it were a Maruti :) PS: Thanks for subscribing!
@@road_not_taken Agree, but I also think that since Asians make lighter cars with decent engine vs Germans make heavier cars with better engine so performance /rattling and whole experience can't be compared.. apple to apple ever! Let's not compare 240 kg lighter Baleno with Polo .. the wear and tear will be more in Polo the break shoes will give up early and so will be the clutch plate. Imagine comparing Baleno driven with 4 (1+3 assuming average weight 80 kg and hence making up for 240 kgs less weight) people all the time and Polo only having driver.. and then compare how both cars compare over their lifecycle/for reviews. Speed / performance/ wear and tear etc. Anyways nice work 👍🏼
Hello! Thanks for this review with a user's perspective. Really enjoyed it. Discovered your channel recently and have been following your videos since. I have a question: Would buying a used Skoda Octavia petrol make sense today? Used Octavias are available on the 15-20 lakh range and I feel these cars offer much more value in terms of build quality, NVH levels, powerful engines, cabin quality, safety etc. What do you feel? 🙂
Hi Amogh, Thanks for your kind words! Glad to hear it:) Used Octavias are a great deal as they depreciate much faster compared to SUVs. However, I feel, Superbs are even better as the difference between Octavia and Superb in the used car market is ~2 lacs. One thing to consider is that germans don't age reliably. So you might encounter DSG issues, ABS sensor issues and other such issues. My suggestion would be to consider: 1. A new Taigun for the same price 2. Used Camry if you want to buy a sedan. Try them out. I had a negative opinion about them but I loved the Camry. 3. Used Compass also depreciate quickly and age well too. 4. If you want a Skoda sedan, I'd say go for a 2-3 year old Superb and sell it at the 6/7th year.
its a good car but dashboard looks cheap man and not worth for 20-22 Lac car , i am comparing this with Ecosport what Ford used to give under 13L(looks ,mileage, power and handling ) honestly this is a bumper for me .
Hi, I agree with your input that the dashboard looks cheaper than the Creta/Seltos. But trust me, as a fellow EcoSport owner, the 1.5 TSI engine with the maturity of the chassis more than makes up for it. Furthermore, even the dashboard is better than the EcoSport for sure, but not as good as a 22 lac rupee car should have. I hated the interiors of the Taigun too, but this long drive makes it seem irrelevant 🙂
Sorry for the delay, it's premiering at 11am today. There is a short comparison with the 2022 Baleno as well to make up for the delay:) And thanks for pushing me to upload this, good feedback is what makes us grow!
Fair point, I had called this out in the Seltos review that this is the biggest weakness, pun intended, of the Seltos. The reason I didn't bring it up is the Taigun is not tested yet. It should be better but it's best if it gets certified :)
This model is just a cheapest four cylinders vw car with auto shift , everything of hardware and software is so basic in it, nothing more than that!!! So do not expect more than that...
I also like the Harrier/Safari twins a lot! They are super fun to drive and feel indestructible. Unfortunately, Tata's after sales is the only thing that can destroy a Harrier ownership, and it depends on the dealer completely.
Hi Dr. Jahangir, I'd say that the 1.0 VW engine is definitely more fun than the 1.5 NA engines in the Creta and Seltos. In fact, you should consider the diesel instead for the Korean twins. If majority of your driving is in the city, I'd recommend the diesel variants of Creta/Seltos. They have a better cabin experience. However, if you will drive on highways for >30% of your running, the VW twins are more fun and safer as well.
