We like
Vastly improved cabin, value for money, keen handling, loping highway ride, punchy turbo engines, polished HMI, PHEVs en route, packaging of third row and large boot, availability of a hugely roomy two-row version

Room for improvement
Fickle country road ride, somewhat elevated suspension and cabin noise, third row lacks USB ports and air vents, no independent online connection or full companion app, urban fuel economy

Overview

 

VOLKSWAGEN Group Australia (VGA) is upping the ante on its plan to rebuild sales momentum in Australia. An onslaught of new metal has arrived locally in recent months across VGA’s brands, with the eponymous marque finally adding ID.4 and ID.5 battery EVs, as well as a crucial new-gen’ Tiguan.

 

However, the new Tayron large SUV—a direct replacement for the Tiguan Allspace, now differentiated into its own model line—is an essential component of VGA’s renewal.

 

With Volkswagen’s local sales result of 36,480 deliveries in 2024 only reaching about 60 percent of the brand’s record result of a decade ago, there is considerable work to be done in bringing buyers back to showrooms.

 

That helps to explain why the Tayron has such an assertive value proposition. Key variants see prices move only marginally upward compared to the Tiguan Allspace but the SUV gains voluminous new equipment as well as 64mm of additional length.

 

Commonalities with the related third-generation Tiguan are clear when the SUVs are side-by-side, but Volkswagen designers have subtly differentiated the lengthened Tayron with distinct front/rear sheetmetal and squared-off, rather than rounded, wheelarches.

 

Pricing commences with the sole front-wheel drive variant—the 110TSI Life ($48,290 + on-road costs), which has hardy cloth/leatherette seating but packages automatic LED headlights, full keyless entry, a power tailgate, 360-degree camera, dual wireless chargers, and three-zone climate control.

 

Even the entry-grade Tayron enjoys a 12.9-inch touchscreen (with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto), customisable digital cockpit, leather steering wheel, 10-colour interior ambient lighting, and 18-inch alloys.

 

From there, the Tayron range pivots to a country-spec, five-seat 150TSI Life ($53,990 + ORCs), which retains 18-inch wheels but adds a more powerful 2.0T/AWD driveline while picking up 15-stage adaptive dampers and a roomier boot.

 

The 150TSI Elegance costs $59,490 + ORCs and gains significant equipment: 19-inch wheels, leather seats (12-way, with heated/cooled/massaging in the front, heated in the second row), heated steering wheel, chrome exterior trim and 30-colour ambient lighting.

 

Many Elegance buyers will tick a $4200 Sound & Vision Package box that adds a larger 15-inch Discover Pro Max touchscreen, 16-speaker Harman-Kardon stereo, sequential indicators and head-up display.

 

Top-spec for now is the Tayron 195TSI R-Line ($73,490 + ORCs) which has 30 per cent more power, distinctive sports styling, and standard inclusion of the Sound & Vision Package. A Black Style Package is exclusively offered to R-Line customers for $1500.

 

Standalone options include metallic paint ($800, or $1100 for Ultraviolet purple) and an opening glass panoramic sunroof ($2100).

 

The three powertrains vary by a smaller than expected degree in claimed fuel consumption, which is rated at 7.6L/100km (110TSI), 7.7L/100km (150TSI), and 8.6L/100km (195TSI).

 

All three of the Tayron’s powertrains demand 95-octane premium petrol at a minimum. Five-year prepaid servicing plans effectively make the first annual/15,000km stop gratis and are priced at $2910 (110TSI) or $3550 (150TSI/195TSI); warranty is five years/unlimited kilometres.

 

Driving impressions

 

Volkswagen showrooms still lack a true full-size SUV to compete with the likes of the Mazda CX-90 and Hyundai Palisade, with the premium two-row V6 diesel Touareg something of a niche option.

 

Instead, the Tayron contests the more compact three-row space where it will battle well-received recent releases like the Hyundai Santa Fe and venerable Kia Sorento, plus the Mazda CX-80—with its increasingly unusual six-cylinder engine offering.

 

Compared to those Asian rivals, the German-made Tayron is more affordable—and a little smaller. However, superb packaging largely makes up for the latter issue, and the sensible dimensions are almost certainly a factor in the Tayron’s surprise X-factor: it is great to drive.

 

Beneath the skin there are commonalities with the Tiguan Allspace, though the underlying transverse MQB platform has been overhauled with extensive upgrades to the electrical architecture while ‘MQB Evo’ also bundles more granular ride/handling technology.

 

In contrast to the youthful rejuvenation of the Tayron’s platform is the mixed age of its three available four-cylinder turbo engines. While Audi, Cupra and even Skoda look to adopt mild hybrid (MHEV) tech, Volkswagen has stuck to tried-and-tested non-hybrid units—for now.

 

Oldest and simplest is a 1.4-litre front-wheel drive entry engine (110kW/250Nm). As has been the case for about 15 years, the 110TSI punches above its weight and is certainly an acceptable base powertrain, though it is strained by a heavy load aboard.

 

More suitable are the pair of larger 2.0-litre EA888/AWD engines. The 150TSI (150kW/320Nm) is sufficient, while the top-tier 195TSI (195kW/400Nm) is rapid (6.1sec 0-100km/h), with more power than any engine fitted to the old Tiguan Allspace that topped out at 162kW.

 

All three launch powertrains use Volkswagen’s heavier-duty and typically more reliable wet-type DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission design. Shift quality was slick and, in relaxed driving, quite imperceptible.

 

Next year, two plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) will join the Tayron and Tiguan lineups. Based around a 1.5-litre turbo ‘four with either 110kW or 130kW, each PHEV couples to an 85kW electric motor and 19.7kWh (usable) battery for 150kW or 200kW combined power and 100km+ electric range.

 

For now, the 150TSI engine is the sweet spot—and particularly in Elegance trim, as that car’s combination of 19-inch wheels, mid-profile tyres and adaptive dampers appears to have been the tuning benchmark, surprisingly riding more naturally than the 150TSI Life (18s/adaptive).

 

It was a matter of degree, however, and a common attribute shared by all Tayrons is a surprising, and much-appreciated, dynamic zeal. While some larger SUVs are competent on country roads, very few can be genuinely said to be fun. This new Volkswagen joins that short list.

 

It’s in the dependable chassis, predictable handling and even chatty steering that family car drivers unready to give up a lust for life can find some perverse enjoyment in the Tayron. It is capable of devouring broken-up Australian country roads at a rapid clip.

 

You hear the Tayron’s suspension working away in this environment (more than in the smaller Tiguan, perhaps due to extra resonance from the spacious cabin) and bumpy roads drew out some faint cabin rattles, but we were too busy remarking on how amusing to drive this SUV is.

 

Naturally this is an edge case for buyers in this segment; the good news is that the Tayron is just as competent (if not more so) for highway driving and urban commuting, where DCC Pro-equipped 150TSI and 195TSI settle into a loping, quiet, relaxed ride with dampers set to ultra-comfort.

 

These environs are where Tayron buyers can soak up quite considerable improvements to the cabin. Compared to the Tiguan Allspace, which was well-made but spartan in materials, the richly trimmed Tayron interior marks the return of Volkswagen’s ‘premium for the people’ mantra.

 

Base Life grades have cloth seating but the Elegance and R-Line benefit from quality black Varenna leather with 12-way power-adjustable, heated, cooled and massaging front seats providing great comfort and support. Textural, open-pore wood is a classy touch for the Elegance.

 

Also impressive is the snappier cabin tech, centred on a 12.9-inch slate (15-inch in 195TSI, or 150TSI with Sound & Vision Pack) which proffers wireless CarPlay/Android Auto above dual, cooled wireless chargers. The digital instrument cluster is extensively customisable.

 

Notably, a convenience creeping into this segment—being online connectivity with a fully-fledged companion smartphone app—is not available due to ongoing technical issues for Volkswagen in Australia. Hopefully this is solved by the time the PHEVs arrive.

 

Still, key Volkswagen strengths like good ergonomics (with a neatly adjustable centre armrest), plus flock-lined door bins and nicely damped interior controls (including a physical volume dial) remain.

 

The back seat is roomy with excellent headroom/legroom in the outboard positions and slide/recline functions though the middle perch is compromised by narrow width and a pronounced floor hump. Elegance and above include built-in sunshades while row-two USB-C ports and air vents said to be powerful enough to reach the third row are standard.

 

Once ensconced in the third row, we were surprised to find it acceptable for six-footers for short journeys—longer trips for kids should be fine. Access to the third row is a touch tight, though, and would be easier for children to operate by fitment of a Hyundai-style spring-loaded release.

 

More impressive is Volkswagen’s expert-tier packaging of the third row behind a power tailgate and within the Tayron’s efficient 4792mm length.

 

In seven-seat mode there are 345 litres of boot space expanding to 855 litres with five seats up; the two-row 150TSI Life has a vast 890 litre boot. A space-saver spare wheel and tyre package is standard.

 

Volkswagen expects a five-star ANCAP safety rating for the Tayron and this SUV’s IQ.Assist adaptive safety technology suite is polished, with smooth Travel Assist (strong adaptive cruise/lane centring) easing fatigue for highway driving.

 

Lane-keep assist can be a touch strong on narrower B-roads but this feature can be switched off with two touchscreen taps. It reverts to ‘on’ though in a credit to Volkswagen Australia, audible speed warnings can be silenced permanently. The resolution of the 360-degree camera is, however, mediocre.

 

Most of our testing was conducted in the 150TSI Elegance model, which is expected to be the volume-selling grade. Against its claim of 7.7L/100km fuel consumption, we managed 6.9L/100km (highway) and 9.2L/100km across a loop that included suburban and country road driving.

 

While the Tayron continues the legacy of the Tiguan Allspace as a lengthened adaptation of its smaller brother, the recipe is one that can work well for buyers unfazed by the marginally more compact dimensions when compared to rivals.