Volkswagen Taigun Scores 5-star Safety Rating in Latin NCAP Test

Volkswagen’s compact SUV, the Taigun has just scored full 5-star at the Latin NCAP crash tests. The model on test was a made-in-India unit that is exported for sale in Latin American markets. Previously, the Taigun had already scored a 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP, but Latin NCAP tests have a few differences with the former. We take a closer look.

Volkswagen Taigun Latin NCAP: Adult Occupant Safety Rating

The Taigun scored 36.99 points or 92.47% for adult occupant safety in the Latin American NCAP crash test. The compact SUV was tested for side pole impact, side crash protection, frontal crash protection and whiplash protection under rear impact. Interestingly, the last test is not a part of the test conducted by Global NCAP currently. Latin NCAP also noted that the Taigun offered good protection in its additional whiplash protection test and it also met the rear impact structural requirements.

Even though most of the test results are similar between Global and Latin NCAP, there are certain differences. The former rated driver’s chest protection as ‘adequate protection’ compared to a ‘marginal’ rating by the latter. The Taigun also scored a better rating in the Latin NCAP’s side pole impact test, offering adequate protection around the abdomen region. This may be because it was tested with six airbags instead of just two airbags offered on the base variant of the Indian model.

Volkswagen Taigun Latin NCAP: Child Occupant Safety

In the child occupant safety tests, the Taigun scored 45 points, 91.84% of the total. Like the adult safety tests, the results were more or less in sync with the Global NCAP ratings. The Taigun was also rated to offer full protection to both 18-month old and 3-year old children strapped in rearward facing child seats that are secured using ISOFIX anchor points.

However, while the India-spec Taigun’s passenger-side airbag cannot be deactivated in case a child seat is installed on the front-passenger seat, but the Latin America-spec Taigun gets a switch to manually deactivate the passenger side airbag.

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Volkswagen Taigun Latin NCAP: Safety Assist System

Latin NCAP tests a few additional safety assist systems that Global NCAP does not. These include tests for seat belt reminders of all 5-seats instead of only the front two seats at Global NCAP. The Taigun also went through a moose test at a max speed of 85 kmph. The Latin America-spec model gets autonomous emergency braking as an option, which scored 7.81 points at the tests. ESC (electronic stability control) is a required standard safety feature for both Latin American and Global NCAP. The Taigun scored 35.81 or 83.28 % in the safety assist systems tests.

Volkswagen Taigun: Pricing

In India, prices for the Volkswagen Taigun range from Rs 11.62 lakh (ex-showroom) - Rs 19.46 lakh (ex-showroom).

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