Volkswagen has launched a new compact crossover to sit between its existing T-Cross and T-Roc models that will go on sale later this year.

The Taigo is based on the same platform as the Polo and has similar dimensions to the Nissan Juke.

It has been on sale in South America, badged as the Nivus, for the last year.

The rear of the car slopes backwards in the style of a coupé, unlike VW’s other SUVs, giving a “powerful, sporty appearance”.

It offers a similar amount of boot space to the T-Cross, with 438 litres of luggage capacity.

Two petrol engines are expected to be offered when the car goes on sale in the UK: a 1.0-litre TSI with 95 or 110PS and a 1.5-litre TSI with 150PS.

The Taigo’s interior is closely related to that of the recently facelifted Polo and comes with VW’s latest infotainment system and a digital instrument cluster.

Pricing and specifications are yet to be confirmed.