Volkswagen Taigun GT 1.5 vs Taigun 1.0 TSI: Should you spend the extra money?

The India 2.0 strategy has worked well for Volkswagen. The Taigun and the Virtus have been doing decent numbers despite being in stiff competition and an almost dead segment respectively. The SUVs are the ones that are quite popular in the Indian market right now. Volkswagen is selling the Taigun with two engine options - 1.0 TSI and 1.5 EVO. So, people might get confused between the two engines.

For context, the 1.0-litre TSI produces 113 bhp of max power at 5,000-5,500 rpm and a peak torque output of 178 Nm at 1,750-4,500 rpm. It is offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.

Then there is the 1.5-litre EVO engine that puts out 148 bhp of max power at 5,000-6,000 rpm and a peak torque output of 250 Nm at 1,600-3,500 rpm. It comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission.

The 1.0 TSI should be enough for most people. It packs in enough punch for daily commutes and can also stay on triple-digit speeds quite easily. The 6-speed torque converter is smooth but it is eager to drop a gear in order to keep the engine in the correct rev range.

Being a three-cylinder unit, there is that traditional thrum but it is not audible inside the cabin. Having said that, there is a hint of vibration on the seat and steering wheel. Now talking about the power delivery, it comes in a linear fashion and there is no evident turbo surge.

Then there is the 1.5-litre EVO engine, if you consider yourself then you should just opt for the 1.5 EVO, no questions asked. It is a four-cylinder unit so it is immediately more refined and more importantly, it is effortless when compared to the 1.0 TSI.

There is always ample torque available in reserve, most of the time, the gearbox does not even downshift while overtaking. Just push the throttle gently and the speedometer starts climbing and if you bury the throttle that is when the 1.5 EVO becomes a beast, it drops a few gears, it lurches forward and in no time you will be doing illegal speeds. It pulls so furiously that if the occupants are not ready, then they will probably get scared.

The cherry on top is the fact that the 1.5 EVO can be quite fuel-efficient as well. In fact, in our fuel efficiency tests revealed that it is easier to extract better fuel efficiency from the 1.5 EVO than it is from the 1.0 TSI. There are a few reasons behind it. The first one is that because it has more torque, the gearbox does not need to downshift and increase the revs to make a quick overtake. Then there is the idle engine start/stop system which shuts off the engine when the engine is idling. It also restarts the engine automatically when the driver takes his foot off the brake. However, it can be a bit aggressive at times. Finally, there is the ACT or Active Cylinder Technology. It shuts off two cylinders of the engine under less load and while coasting. This helps in increasing the fuel efficiency significantly.

So, we would suggest that if you can stretch your budget for the 1.5 EVO engine then you should probably do it. Not only you get a significantly more powerful engine but it will also deliver equal if not better fuel economy than the 1.0 TSI engine. Moreover, you will be able to enjoy driving the Taigun even more with the 1.5 EVO engine.