Volkswagen Tayron review

We get behind the wheel of VW’s latest SUV – the seven-seater Volkswagen Tayron family car…

Effectively replacing the Tiguan Allspace, the Tayron (pronounced tie-ron) is a mid-sized SUV, slotting in between the five-seat Tiguan and the range-topping Touareg.

Available with five or seven seats, it’s built on the same MQB Evo platform as the Tiguan, Skoda Kodiaq and Cupra Terramar and is priced from £40,130.

Of course, the Tayron’s USP is its extra space, and though the luggage capacity varies depending on whether you opt for the five or seven-seat versions (or the plug-in hybrid), it’s very practical.

With the third row folded down, my seven-seater test car had a massive 850-litre luggage capacity (or 345 litres with all the rows in use). Alternatively, flip down all the rear seats and it can swallow 1,905 litres.

There’s loads of head and leg room in the middle row, which is adjustable, thanks to the sliding bench.

It’s possible for adults to sit in the third row, but you have to slide the seats in front forward for legroom, and clambering in is a performance, so they’re best left for children or small people.

Looking much like a stretched Tiguan, the Tayron has an elegantly sleek design, with full-width light bars, slim lights front and rear, a large front grille and illuminated VW logos.

My Tayron 1.5 eTSI (with 48-volt mild hybrid petrol technology) is just one of many powertrain options (all fitted with a DSG automatic gearbox).

Buyers can also choose from 2.0-litre petrol and diesels, plus a plug-in hybrid (badged ‘eHybrid’) which pairs a 1.5 TSI engine with a 19.7kWh battery, giving an EV range of more than 70 miles.

Developing 148bhp, my 1.5 eTSI has an official fuel consumption of 44.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 146g/km. Maximum speed is 127mph, while the 0-62mph spring takes 9.4 seconds.

With four adults and luggage on board, it felt quicker than the official sprint time, and I managed more than 50mpg on longer motorway runs.

The engine is refined for the most part, only becoming vocal during aggressive acceleration.

It also has a tendency to hold a lower gear on steeper hills, but thankfully you can manually change up via the small paddles behind the steering wheel.

Clearly it’s a substantial car, but you’re only aware of its bulk when manoeuvring.

In fact, the Tayron is much easier to drive around town than you might expect, thanks to its impressive all-round visibility, sensors, light steering, big mirrors and rear-view camera.

It’s a comfortable car to drive, soaking up speed bumps and large potholes well. However, it does have a tendency to wallow around a bit, and it’s unlikely to put a smile on your face.

So, even though Sport mode dials up the throttle response, there are more engaging SUVs to drive.

That said, body control in more challenging corners is surprisingly good, though less spongey brakes would inspire more confidence.

Inside, the Tayron has a classy look and feel, and it’s well put together.

There’s a 10.25-inch driver’s display, plus a 12.9-inch infotainment screen as standard (it can be upgraded to 15 inches), with crisp and clear graphics.

Swiping and prodding for central touchscreen for so many essentials, such as climate control, isn’t ideal on the move, but at least VW has replaced the much-criticised haptic touchpad on the steering wheel with physical buttons.

A special mention for the innovative Central Driving Experience Control (a dial down in the centre console), which allows you to adjust audio volume, as well as select drive modes, ambient lighting and all-wheel drive (if fitted).

It’s also worth mentioning that the Tayron is capable of towing between 1,800-2,400kg (engine dependent), the 2.0-litre petrols are available with ‘4Motion’ all-wheel drive, and the car was awarded a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Verdict: If you’re looking for a classy seven-seater SUV that’s practical, refined and  surprisingly economical, the Volkswagen Tayron should definitely be on your shortlist. Not unusually within the VW Group, it’s biggest competitor is arguably its cousin, the Skoda Koadiq.

Volkswagen UK