The Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq SUVs were launched in India last year and are the first two Made-in-India SUVs from Skoda Auto Volkswagen India. Both of these SUVs are manufactured from the joint facility near Pune, Maharashtra.
The Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq are the first set of SUVs to be tested under the updated testing protocol and have received a 5-star rating, scoring 29.64 points in the adult occupant protection test out of a maximum of 34 points. Interestingly, the SUVs also scored very well in the child occupant protection test, scoring 42 points.
The new protocol include frontal and side impact protection assessment, ESC and pedestrian protection standards. Both SUVs that were tested had Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard feature.
For the front offset barrier test, Global NCAP tests the car at a 64 kmph speed limit, while the side barrier test is conducted at 50 kmph. The pole side impact test is done at 29 kmph, whereas the pedestrian child headform to bonnet test is assessed at 40 kmph.
Talking about the VW Taigun and Skoda Kushaq, it should be noted that both of these SUVs share the same MQB-A0-IN platform and are also the first cars under Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited’s (SAVWIPL) India 2.0 strategy.
Not only do Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq share the same MQB AO IN platform, but they also share the same TSI petrol engine. Both the cars share the same engines, which is an option of two petrol engines – a 1.5-litre TSI unit and a 1.0-litre TSI turbo petrol engine. The 1.0-litre TSI engine produces 115 bhp of power and 178 Nm of torque, whereas the 1.5-litre TSI engine produces 147 bhp of power and 250 Nm of torque.
Both SUVs comes equipped with safety features such as three-point seat belts with adjustable headrest for all passengers, Seat-belt Reminder for the front seats, up to six airbags, Roll-over Protection, ISOFIX for child protection, Hill Hold Control, Electronic Stability Control with ABS and Electronic Brake-force Distribution as standard, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Differential Lock System, Multi Collision Braking, Brake Disc Wiping and Rear Parking Sensor with camera and impact absorbing body components and Side Impact Protection Beam in the doors.
Previously, Tata Nexon and Mahindra XUV 300 were the safest mass-market vehicles in India but with better scores in child occupant protection test, scoring 42 points out of 49 the Taigun and Kushaq are now India’s safest family cars tested by Global NCAP.
Piyush Arora, Managing Director and CEO of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India states that safety has been central to the Volkswagen Group’s R&D process and the company is focused on providing the highest level of safety across its model range. This ethos continues with the cars based on the made-in-India MQB-A0-IN platform.
It is an important milestone and an accomplishment for the company, as both the INDIA 2.0 SUV models achieved a five-star rating on global safety standards. Both Kushaq and the Taigun have established a strong market presence and contributed significantly to the success of the Group in India. This recognition will help continue the brands’ growth momentum, Arora added.
