MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline - Which One To Buy?

Note 1: In this MG Astor vs Volkswagen Taigun comparison (Shine and Comfortline variants), each of the two cars will follow a red (MG Astor) and blue (VW Taigun) colour scheme. In some cases, having a lower cost is better (e.g. fuel cost), while in other cases, having a higher cost is favourable (e.g. feature differences). Wherever the red car is at an advantage, the difference in the monetary value will be mentioned in red. When the blue car has the upper hand, in that particular cell, the difference will have a blue shade. Thus, the final result is easy for you to crosscheck by simply adding up the red and blue values to find out which one is a better option.

Note 2: This article is divided into 2 main sections — cost of ownership and upfront value. Within the total cost of ownership, we’ll compare:

• Upfront on-road price differences
• 5-year/50,000km maintenance cost
• 5-year/50,000km fuel cost

In the upfront value section, we’ll cover:

• Dimensions
• Engine and performance specifications
• Feature differences

The final verdict section will merge the values from each of the 2 main sections and present the recommendation.

Let’s start with the ownership cost section.

Total Cost Of Ownership (TCO)

The first step towards comparing the MG Astor Shine and Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline’s total ownership costs is to start with their upfront cost.

MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline — Price Comparison

The MG Astor Shine costs Rs. 1,900 less than the Taigun Comfortline petrol-manual. Once you factor in the on-road price, the price gap increases to Rs. 2,208 but still remains in the Rs. 2,000 range, which is pretty insignificant for you as a buyer. Let’s see how this gap widens as we progress.

MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline — 5-year Maintenance Cost Comparison

According to the respective manufacturer’s periodic maintenance cost calculator, the Astor will cost about Rs. 23,000 to maintain for 5 years or 50,000km. For a similar usage, the Taigun will cost about Rs. 34,500 to maintain. Thus, the Astor gets an advantage of about Rs. 12,000 over the Taigun.

MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline — 5-year Fuel Cost Comparison

Driving each of these cars for about 50,000km with an assumption of Rs. 100 per litre fuel cost will save you ~Rs. 72,000 if you buy the Taigun. Of course, the real-world figures may be lower, but to keep things even, we’ve only used the ARAI mileage figures to arrive at these estimates.

Here, the Taigun Comfortline punches the Astor Shine hard on its face with its significantly more efficient engine.

MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline — TCO Comparison Summary

In the TCO (total cost of ownership) comparison, we found that the Astor Shine has a nominal advantage over the Taigun Comfortline in terms of upfront cost. In the periodic maintenance, the gap is slightly bigger. But the Taigun’s fuel efficient engines take this section with a net savings of about Rs. 58,000 compared to the Astor Shine.

Upfront Value For Money

To estimate the upfront value for money of the MG Astor Shine and Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline, we’ll first compare the dimensions and engine specs to find out which car offers better value for money.

Then, before we compare the features of the Astor Shine and Taigun Comfortline, we’ll first get the common features out of the way. Then, we’ll focus on the exclusive and unique features each of the cars offers to find out which one offers a better value for money.

MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline — Dimension Comparison

The Astor is larger than the Taigun and you don’t need a measuring tape of a brochure to compare the specs. The gap is so big that it’s visually apparent.

Still, the net value advantage in Astor’s favour isn’t significant as we place a relatively higher value on the wheelbase as it results in more usability by improving rear seat leg room. Despite a noticeably shorter length, width and height, the Taigun offers a longer wheelbase, which helps it fight back and limit the Astor’s value advantage to just Rs. 30,000.

MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline — Engine Specs Comparison

In terms of performance too, the Taigun comes across as the underdog as it only has a 1.0L petrol engine. But the addition of a turbocharger significantly improves its torque output. Here too, we place a higher emphasis on torque as it’s responsible for improving the everyday drivability by offering a better torque output and torque spread.

Thus, the Taigun Comfortline manages to beat the Astor Shine in this round by offering Rs. 37,000 worth of additional value.

MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline — Feature Comparison

Let’s now compare the Taigun Comfortline’s features with Astor Shine’s to first see what’s common for these two cars and then find out what unique features they each bring to the table.

MG Astor Shine & Volkswagen Taigun — Common Features

The MG Astor Shine and the Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline offer the following notable common features:

MG ASTOR SHINE  AND VOLKSWAGEN TAIGUN COMFORTLINE COMMON FEATURES
Safety	Infotainment	Style
Std safety features	Touchscreen	Body-coloured bumpers, mirrors
Day/night inside mirror	Apple CarPlay	Fabric upholstery
Electronic stability control	Android Auto	Turn indicator on outside mirrors
Traction control	4x speakers	Roof Rails
Auto door lock/unlock	Bluetooth, USB	Skid Plates
Impact-sensing auto door unlock	Steering-mounted controls	LED tail lamps
ISOFIX	MID	LED DRLs

The following table lists out the common functional features of the Taigun Comfortline and MG Astor Shine:

MG ASTOR SHINE AND VOLKSWAGEN TAIGUN COMFORTLINE COMMON FEATURES
Functional
All power windows	Height-adjustable driver seat
4x adjustable headrests	Front armrest w/ storage
4x door pockets	Tilt steering
Power mirrors	Remote central locking
Cabin light	Boot lamp
Rear AC vents	Front USB charger
Front 12V power outlet

MG Astor Shine — Unique Features

The following list presents the MG Astor Shine’s unique features, which are not available in the Taigun Comfortline:

Volkswagen Taigun — Unique Features

Likewise, the Taigun Comfortline also has the following features, which aren’t available in the MG Astor Shine:

MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline — VFM Comparison Summary

Because of a shorter list of unique features, the MG Astor Shine takes the crown and beats the Taigun Comfortline with a net perceived value advantage of Rs. 1.25 lakh.

Now, let’s sum up the two main comparison headings and see which one offers better value and to what degree.

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MG Astor Shine Vs Volkswagen Taigun Comfortline — Verdict

In the total cost of ownership (TCO) section, the Taigun Comfortline takes the lead with a cost savings of almost Rs. 60,000. But, the Astor Shine fights back with a significantly better upfront value proposition, which not only offsets that gap, but also gains a net lead of about Rs. 67,000.

Hence, the final winner in this comparison is MG Astor Shine.

If you manage to get a discount on one of these vehicles, then you can use this net value in your calculations. This will help you find out whether the MG Astor Shine or the VW Taigun Comfortline is offering a better value proposition after factoring in the prevailing discounts.

To learn how you can get discounts when buying a new car, you can refer to the following article and use them to sharpen your bargaining skills:

How To Get The Best Discount On Buying New Car (11 Tips)

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