Volkswagen Taro Overview: Generations, Specs and Which Version to Buy
The Volkswagen Taro is a double cab pickup built from 1989 to 1997 with engines from 79 to 114 hp. This overview covers its single generation and the most sensible versions to buy.
The Volkswagen Taro is a double cab pickup produced from 1989 to 1997, with power outputs ranging from 79 to 114 hp. All versions came with a manual gearbox and either rear-wheel drive or 4x4, which makes it a straightforward choice for buyers who want a simple workhorse truck rather than a comfort-oriented vehicle.
Volkswagen Taro generations
1 generation (1989–1997)
The first and only generation of the Volkswagen Taro was built from 1989 to 1997 exclusively as a pickup double cab. The lineup spans 7 modifications with outputs from 79 to 114 hp, all fitted with a manual transmission and offered with either RWD or 4x4. The range runs from modest petrol units like the 1.8 MT with 83 hp and an 1800 cc engine to the top 2.4 MT, which pairs a 2366 cc engine producing 114 hp with 4x4 drive. There is also a diesel option: the 2.5 MT with a 2446 cc engine rated at 83 hp, driving the rear wheels.
Which Volkswagen Taro to buy
- 1.8 MT (1 generation): the mass-market version with 83 hp from an 1800 cc engine, manual gearbox and RWD — the most common configuration of the 1989–1997 run.
- 2.4 MT (1 generation): the most powerful Taro at 114 hp from a 2366 cc engine, and the one to pick if you need 4x4 drive.
- 2.5 MT (83 hp) (1 generation): the diesel choice, with a 2446 cc engine producing 83 hp, manual gearbox and RWD.
Every Volkswagen Taro on the used market is now decades old, since production ended in 1997. The model's simplicity works in a buyer's favor: with only one generation, 7 modifications and manual gearboxes across the board, comparing candidate trucks comes down to engine choice and drive type rather than untangling trim-level differences.
How the versions compare
The spread between the base and top of the range is 79 to 114 hp, a difference of 35 hp within a single body style. The two 83 hp versions take different routes to the same output: the 1.8 MT uses a smaller 1800 cc petrol engine, while the 2.5 MT achieves it with a larger 2446 cc diesel. The 2.4 MT stands apart as the only notable version combining the highest output, 114 hp, with 4x4 drive, making the choice between versions largely a question of fuel type and traction needs rather than performance tiers.