[andafunda]

Originally Posted by avira_tk

The reason you buy a top end car is for the features, calling bling is just sour grapes, there's not a single car maker that doesn't charge for features, in fact luxury means a good number of features, not 4 chairs and an engine. The 20% usually static in any market, the ones who burn their fingers swallowing marketing drivel usually bail at the first opportunity.

VW doesn't have the confidence to offer a real top end version, removing ventilated seats and giving fabric upholstery isn't some kind of engineering prowess, it's plain penny pinching. Their cars got safety features as they got long in the tooth and there was no way to get costumers to spend money on their ancient models.

Like I said, each person prioritizes what he or she wants from his or her vehicle.

Let me talk from the perspective of the 20% "static":

Do I want all creature comforts along with safety? Ofcourse, I do. But, at the given price point at the moment, it is not an AND choice but an OR choice.

Do I go with an ancient platform that has proven to be safe in the past with less creature comforts, or do I go with a modern platform that provides all creature comforts but compromises on safety (less safe than an Ertiga)?

Safety is the one issue where I push the brakes hard on (and for a change, they work). I'd rather drive a 5* hatchback than a 2* crossover. But, that's just me and my family.

We've only bought 4*/5* cars since the turn of the last decade.

[prajwalmr62]

Originally Posted by andafunda

There are two sets of buyers in the market in this segment.

(1) People who prioritize safety and driving dynamics over "features"
(2) People who desire all sorts of creature comforts

I've been seeing this kinda post on Team-BHP a lot lately. What is wrong with expecting features for a car you are paying 20 lakhs and more? For most of us, the guy who's driving is not the only one who sits in the car. We have family and kids who want charging ports for their phones, rear AC vents, wider rear seats, and what not.

Most of the people who buy cars, are and will be unaware of safety aspects and that is how it will be. Same can be considered with phones and internet too. How many people in this forum knows BSNL's script injections, Airtel's Wacky privacy policy, phone manufacturer's data policy etc (yes, including Samsung)? Aren't we expecting 4 rear cameras in phone as norm now, when we are paying 20k for the phone?

Collectively, we should force manufacturers to do a better job and build better cars. But saying features are bad is just lame.

[EmpyreanKnight]

Originally Posted by TkyoPandaMan

Personally, I think that the Seltos and Creta have really spoiled the people in this price bracket. The feature list, comfort level, good drivability, ASS, etc. and overall practicality is (so far) unmatched.

I am sure that the VW Taigun is great to drive and exudes the VW quality as per all the online reviews but having said that, once you compare it to its Korean cousins, well, you really can't.

Well, I agree with you on features front and Koreans are at the forefront of creature comforts, followed by MG I suppose. Interiors of Creta can put to shame vehicles from class above (e.g Tucson) but there are few reason that have kept me away from considering the Korean siblings.

1. The GNCAP ratings
2. I can spot three Seltos / Creta in every 10 mins while sitting in McDonald's along the highway, missing exclusivity.

I somehow feel MG hector is quite value for money as well, in 20 Lacs I am getting Top end hybrid petrol and when compared to Seltos / Creta it is quite spacious and the road presence is just Wow! but then it lacks the driving fun.

back to the topic, excellent review CD and Gannu, its a treat to read Team-BHP reviews and this one was no different.

I will go and see Taigun personally and then comment on my preference between Kushaq and Taigun.

But to be honest, under 20 lacks there is no perfect option, every car has things that are missing & you need to make sacrifices even if your ready to spend 2 million.

[avira_tk]

Originally Posted by andafunda

Like I said, each person prioritizes what he or she wants from his or her vehicle.

Let me talk from the perspective of the 20% "static":

Do I want all creature comforts along with safety? Ofcourse, I do. But, at the given price point at the moment, it is not an AND choice but an OR choice.

Do I go with an ancient platform that has proven to be safe in the past with less creature comforts, or do I go with a modern platform that provides all creature comforts but compromises on safety (less safe than an Ertiga)?

Safety is the one issue where I push the brakes hard on (and for a change, they work). I'd rather drive a 5* hatchback than a 2* crossover. But, that's just me and my family.

We've only bought 4*/5* cars since the turn of the last decade.

The ancient platform will not be great, if 4 star rating is the criteria, that would be for the highest trim, the one with the bling. The fact is that the whole bling argument is relevant here as instead of a low rent top end, something only VW could manage, you can stretch for a T roc. You get a car that is not compromised in any department, the Taigun top end is a bad choice, if you're buying a VW because it's German, get the car they sell in Germany.

A low slung hatch is bad news on the highway, a crossover gives you the visibility that allows you to be prepared and see further ahead, instead of seeing the buffalo in your lane, you can see it before it jumps the barricade, my personal experience driving a punto and an ecosport respectively.

[Floyd de Souza]

To me, the Taigun and Kushaq appear to be compromised cars. Probably compromised to make money for VAG in India and to suit the market.
I had a Vento from 2010 till 2017 and that was top notch build and trouble free. Sadly, the same cannot be said of the later Polos and Ventos.
For that matter, even the T Roc appears compromised and if you look closely and do a comparison between it and the Taigun/Kushaq, there isn't much difference in terms of build.
I now own an Ecosport and have the upgrade itch. Though logically, the Taigun/Kushaq would qualify as an upgrade, at least in terms of space, the Kushaq that I drove didn't seem to hold a candle to the ES in terms of build.
The Compass, though less VFM, seems like the best upgrade from an ES. It does not appear to be compromised in any way.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by prajwalmr62

I've been seeing this kinda post on Team-BHP a lot lately. What is wrong with expecting features for a car you are paying 20 lakhs and more?

There is nothing wrong in expecting features.

And the end of the day, every buyer would look for what 'value' he/she is getting out of his purchase.

For some buyers, the value could mean creature comforts (e.g. Hyundai/Kia).
For some others, the value could mean heavier/safer build (e.g. Tata, VAG, Ford).
For some others, the value could mean extreme reliability (e.g. Toyota).

It all depends on the priorities of the Individual buyer, and what his interpretation of 'value' is.

[abhishek_hch]

Originally Posted by avira_tk

VW doesn't have the confidence to offer a real top end version, removing ventilated seats and giving fabric upholstery isn't some kind of engineering prowess, it's plain penny pinching. Their cars got safety features as they got long in the tooth and there was no way to get costumers to spend money on their ancient models. The current platform is a cut price localisation program,the cars will reflect that down the line.

I don't think it's about the confidence to offer a package. It's just that at this price point (10-18 lacs) it is not possible to offer a car loaded with all safety features as well as all the bling. The Hyundai group is keeping it within this cost by compromising the shell strength, the VW group is doing so by offering lesser blings/features. One can take his/her pick as pointed out by many. IMHO VW group cars perhaps go through a lot of undeserved bashing.

The value proposition offered by both at this price point is very clear - VW cars: better driving dynamics, better safety but lesser features; Hyundai cars - you get all creature comforts, driving dynamics a notch below & safety significantly below. If one wants all, he/she will have to shell out a few extra lacs.

[Carz77]

Originally Posted by Hells_Fury

He said the event will mostly be on the 21st and 22nd of August. Apparently the dealers also do not know much about the 1.0 variants and VW are being quite tight lipped about it. He was asking me to pre-book the vehicle but I declined.

I also received a call from VW and the SA was confirming that they have roadshow in Bangalore on 21/Aug. Also, the price for all variants will be revealed the same day as per him. Lets hope that happens. Based on our forum review, I believe that interiors in Taigun look & feel better than Kushaq. I hope we can checkout in person during 1st/2nd week of Sep.

[dh.harshal]

Originally Posted by andafunda

There are two sets of buyers in the market in this segment.

(1) People who prioritize safety and driving dynamics over "features" - 20% of the market but growing. This group is ok to skip out on bling features - 360 camera, secondary displays (do you really need another display to tell you the speed?) and the likes. They also desire a more premium in-car experience - good quality sound system (vs brand sticker job), fast and responsive infotainment unit, backlit buttons, etc. But, what this group doesn't like to skip on is the safety of their families and the drive of the car.

(2) People who desire all sorts of creature comforts, aren't as concerned about safety and don't really care about the drive too much. The car is a prized possession to flaunt to relatives and friends. This group mostly doesn't understand one safety feature from the other (three letter acronym overload). This is 80% of the market.

This is simply not done, my friend! Sorry to say, but You seem to have got strong stereotypes.
To Say "aren't concerned about safety and don't really care about driving", is absolutely disrespectful towards a group based on their car ownership.
No one is born an automobile scholar, but today's world provides enough resources to get educated. And the TeamBHP community is one of them and should provide unbiased opinions based on the facts.

Coming to the features - How on earth 360 camera is a bling feature, how are front parking sensors not usable, how is TPMS not important and how come a sub-woofer will not provide better audio experience.

Coming to the safety - Please name only those safety features that Taigun has and so called sub-par cars do not have. All of them have EBD, ABS, Hill assist, airbags, ISOFIX, etc. For a matter of fact, others have Hill Descent control, Electronic parking Brake and full TPMS; over Taigun. About NCAP rating, Taigun is not even tested yet. This is the India specific platform with heavily localized materials. Seltos global also scored 5 stars, but Indian Seltos got barely 3. So, hold your horses until we hear about NCAP rating for Taigun.

The point, we all will agree upon (based on Facts) is driving dynamics. Here, definitely Taigun is great with TSI-DSG combination and better handling/ steering response.

If Volkswagen (Or Skoda) wanted to prove that their cars are safe & premium - why couldn't they send cars for NCAP testing before launch, provide all the premium features and then command a price premium (like an iPhone does). They are simply caught in between, trying to balance safety/features/material quality/price.
Again, this is just my opinion. There are many people who decide on their only car in lifetime with their hard earned money, based on TeamBHP forum and we should stick to the facts without stereotyping (like the brilliant fact based reviews by the moderators on the Forum).

[prajwalmr62]

Originally Posted by abhishek_hch

I don't think it's about the confidence to offer a package. It's just that at this price point (10-18 lacs) it is not possible to offer a car loaded with all safety features as well as all the bling.

We have Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV300 which provide a lot of "bling feature" along with assured safety. If these companies can do it, then how come companies with larger resources and IP cannot do it?

We should call out profiteering (or penny pinching) when it is being done, even if it is our favorite brands.

[purb_du]

Great Review as always ! No doubt its a serious attempt by Skoda VW India to improve their bottom end through a mass market compact SUV. While I assume its the more affordable 1L engine option that will reflect most of the sales, it all boils down to pricing finally considering its a petrol only model and fuel prices at all time high. There are established players like Hyundai and Kia in the 1L turbo petrol segment but we also got a niche Skoda VW fan following, me included. But times are changing fast and guess a diesel engine would have been a real game changer for the group.

[abhishek46]

Originally Posted by prajwalmr62

We have Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV300 which provide a lot of "bling feature" along with assured safety. If these companies can do it, then how come companies with larger resources and IP cannot do it?

We should call out profiteering (or penny pinching) when it is being done, even if it is our favorite brands.

Just look at the prices of XUV300/Nexon.

The XUV300 W8(O) diesel costs almost as much as a Seltos HTK+ diesel (which is 30cms longer and falls in higher excise bracket).

This makes the Seltos/Creta appear value for money to the layman, even though they aren't.

My opinion is that, top class safety and bling features combined, will drive up prices, and we see that, to some extent on the Nexon/XUV300.

[Venkatesh]

Volkswagen Taigun GT manual to get aggressive pricing.

A Volkswagen spokesperson indicated that the company aims to make the GT manual “a lot more accessible”. So, the company will offer this variant with fewer features in order to keep its price a lot more aggressive in comparison to the automatic version which will feature all the bells and whistles. He further went on to state that customers looking for an automatic usually don’t mind spending more for the sake of features and convenience.

Source

[pannags]

Completed my pre-booking and received a voucher for 5k that can be redeemed upon delivery. This is apparently offered to all Taigun squad members who pre-book the CSUV!



Of course, I will decide whether to take the plunge only after the "real" launch.

[rAijin_]

Originally Posted by avira_tk

The reason you buy a top end car is for the features, calling bling is just sour grapes, there's not a single car maker that doesn't charge for features, in fact luxury means a good number of features, not 4 chairs and an engine.

VW doesn't have the confidence to offer a real top end version, removing ventilated seats and giving fabric upholstery isn't some kind of engineering prowess, it's plain penny pinching.

I will not get into this argument of features list vs enthusiast driving with less features. But having owned VW Polo, Hyundai Creta ( 1st Gen, Family Car ), Maruti Swift and Honda City, just sharing my ( personal ) experience on both fronts.

• VW Polo : I really hated those few days / weeks in an year where I had to deal with VW ASS. But for the remaining days of the year, I just loved it. Whenever I drove Polo, it just brought a smile ( rather a grin ) on my face. Feature wise it didn't even come with USB connection for audio. I had to keep a stock of rewritable CDs. My friends with i20 even had a mini fridge. But after I drove their i20 once, I decided to never drive it again.
• Hyundai Creta ( 1st Gen, Family Car ) : I was frankly not in favor after my experience with i20. However, Creta drove better than i20, come with good features and my family loved it. But, I would still prefer driving my Polo rather than Creta. I never got that smile driving a Creta.
• Honda City : Upgrading from Polo, I choose Honda City over Vento or Rapid due to VW ASS and better features. And frankly I really like Honda City. But, I still miss my Polo a lot . It is a lot better than Creta but still I miss that driving dynamics of Polo.

And that's why I'm looking forward to Taigun / Kushaq. Hoping to get that smile back.

Originally Posted by prajwalmr62

I've been seeing this kinda post on Team-BHP a lot lately. What is wrong with expecting features for a car you are paying 20 lakhs and more? For most of us, the guy who's driving is not the only one who sits in the car. We have family and kids who want charging ports for their phones, rear AC vents, wider rear seats, and what not.

Collectively, we should force manufacturers to do a better job and build better cars. But saying features are bad is just lame.

The 20% of us are not against features. What we want to say is that we are ready to sacrifice those features for the driving pleasure and safety that VAG provides. We are even ready to those few days / weeks where we have to deal with VAG ASS.
We would really love it if VAG can provide all these features ( of both Korean Siblings combined ) with the VAG driving dynamics ( + Safety ) and in the same price range. Even if there is a slight premium of 1 - 1.5 lac, we ( I atleast ) would love for VAG to do that. But not stretch it to Jeep Compass level. However, given the current scenario, I would still prefer VAG over Korean siblings.
And please I don't undermine the Korean Siblings. 80% love them and the Koreans provide what 80% love. Nothings wrong in that.