Volkswagen Tayron: the new family SUV reaches the market

Pre-orders have been open since the start of the year, and the first examples of the Volkswagen Tayron are now arriving on the market.

Volkswagen’s latest, more family-focused SUV stands apart from the Tiguan, with which it shares its platform, by offering greater interior room and the option of up to seven seats - although this is not available across every version.

Intended as a worthy replacement for the Tiguan Allspace, the new Tayron is positioned closer to the European market. Unlike its predecessor, which was built in Mexico, the Volkswagen Tayron is manufactured at the German brand’s main Wolfsburg plant.

The entry-level model uses a 1.5 eTSI petrol engine producing 150 PS, paired with a DSG automatic gearbox and front-wheel drive. The remaining versions are shown in the following table:

Class 1 or Class 2?

According to Volkswagen, the new Volkswagen Tayron is more than simply an extended Tiguan. In terms of size, the Tayron is 25 cm longer than its more compact sibling, with 11 cm of that increase found in the wheelbase. Differences in width and height, meanwhile, are minimal.

Visually, the distinctions are also slight. They are limited to the bumper design, alloy wheels and bonnet. In the latter case, the difference is small but significant: the Tiguan’s bonnet sits lower, placing it one centimetre below the threshold separating Class 1 from Class 2 tolls.

The Tayron’s bonnet, however, is one centimetre above that threshold, resulting in Class 2 classification; choosing Via Verde, though, means it is treated as Class 1.

Volkswagen Tayron: seven seats, but not in every version

One of the Volkswagen Tayron’s major advantages over the Tiguan is that its cabin can accommodate up to seven occupants. This layout is not, however, offered on all variants.

Tayron models with a plug-in hybrid system cannot have a third row because the system’s batteries are mounted beneath the boot floor. Their maximum capacity is therefore always five seats, as in the Tiguan, although they provide considerably more room for both occupants and luggage.

Depending on the seating configuration, the Tayron’s boot capacity ranges from 345 litres to 1915 litres. Folding the second row and the front passenger seat backrest also creates space for carrying items around three metres long.

Engines for (almost) every requirement

The Volkswagen Tayron engine range includes petrol and Diesel choices. These can be combined with plug-in hybrid systems or with a simpler 48 V mild-hybrid setup. There is no fully electric version, nor is one expected.

Outputs range from 150 PS, available with the 1.5 eTSI and 2.0 TDI, to 272 PS for the range’s most powerful plug-in hybrid system. The other plug-in hybrid variant develops 204 PS. Both use a 25.7 kWh battery, enabling up to 120 km of electric range or nearly 850 km of combined range.