Volkswagen introduced the Nivus in South America last year and confirmed it would be headed to Europe this summer as the Taigo. With a debut right around the corner, Volkswagen has been testing undisguised prototypes. Spy photographers snapped a green prototype last month and now they’ve caught a red variant undergoing testing in mountainous terrain.
Of course, there isn’t much to see as the Euro-spec model appears identical to its South American counterpart. As a result, the Taigo has a wide mesh grille which sits between standard LED headlights. They’re joined by plastic body cladding and a gently sloping roof. Other highlights include an angular rear window, full-width taillights and a relatively plain rear bumper.
While the model resembles a crossover-ifed hatchback, Volkswagen is billing the Taigo as a sporty crossover coupe with a “charismatic design.” We’ll let you be the judge about that, but Volkswagen has previously said the model will have a “multitude of assistance systems and state-of-the-art connectivity.” Highlights are set to include a digital instrument cluster, a “modern operating concept” and a range of economical TSI engines.
The latter are the biggest mystery, but the South American Nivus has a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder that produces 114 hp when running on petrol. It’s connected to a six-speed automatic transmission, which sends power exclusively to the front wheels. The Taigo will be built in Pamplona, Spain and is set to be launched late this year.
