Overview
VOLKSWAGEN Group Australia (VGA) is upping the ante on its plan to rebuild gross sales momentum in Australia. An onslaught of recent steel has arrived regionally in latest months throughout VGA’s manufacturers, with the eponymous marque lastly including ID.4 and ID.5 battery EVs, in addition to an important new-gen’ Tiguan.
Nevertheless, the brand new Tayron giant SUV—a direct substitute for the Tiguan Allspace, now differentiated into its personal mannequin line—is an integral part of VGA’s renewal.
With Volkswagen’s native gross sales results of 36,480 deliveries in 2024 solely reaching about 60 p.c of the model’s document results of a decade in the past, there’s appreciable work to be carried out in bringing patrons again to showrooms.
That helps to elucidate why the Tayron has such an assertive worth proposition. Key variants see costs transfer solely marginally upward in comparison with the Tiguan Allspace however the SUV good points voluminous new gear in addition to 64mm of further size.
Commonalities with the associated third-generation Tiguan are clear when the SUVs are side-by-side, however Volkswagen designers have subtly differentiated the lengthened Tayron with distinct entrance/rear sheetmetal and squared-off, moderately than rounded, wheelarches.
Pricing commences with the only real front-wheel drive variant—the 110TSI Life ($48,290 + on-road prices), which has hardy fabric/leatherette seating however packages automated LED headlights, full keyless entry, an influence tailgate, 360-degree digicam, twin wi-fi chargers, and three-zone local weather management.
Even the entry-grade Tayron enjoys a 12.9-inch touchscreen (with wi-fi Apple CarPlay/Android Auto), customisable digital cockpit, leather-based steering wheel, 10-colour inside ambient lighting, and 18-inch alloys.
From there, the Tayron vary pivots to a country-spec, five-seat 150TSI Life ($53,990 + ORCs), which retains 18-inch wheels however provides a extra highly effective 2.0T/AWD driveline whereas choosing up 15-stage adaptive dampers and a roomier boot.
The 150TSI Class prices $59,490 + ORCs and good points important gear: 19-inch wheels, leather-based seats (12-way, with heated/cooled/massaging within the entrance, heated within the second row), heated steering wheel, chrome exterior trim and 30-colour ambient lighting.
Many Class patrons will tick a $4200 Sound & Imaginative and prescient Bundle field that provides a bigger 15-inch Uncover Professional Max touchscreen, 16-speaker Harman-Kardon stereo, sequential indicators and head-up show.
Prime-spec for now could be the Tayron 195TSI R-Line ($73,490 + ORCs) which has 30 per cent extra energy, distinctive sports activities styling, and commonplace inclusion of the Sound & Imaginative and prescient Bundle. A Black Model Bundle is solely supplied to R-Line prospects for $1500.
Standalone choices embody metallic paint ($800, or $1100 for Ultraviolet purple) and a gap glass panoramic sunroof ($2100).
The three powertrains fluctuate by a smaller than anticipated diploma in claimed gasoline consumption, which is rated at 7.6L/100km (110TSI), 7.7L/100km (150TSI), and eight.6L/100km (195TSI).
All three of the Tayron’s powertrains demand 95-octane premium petrol at a minimal. 5-year pay as you go servicing plans successfully make the primary annual/15,000km cease free of charge and are priced at $2910 (110TSI) or $3550 (150TSI/195TSI); guarantee is 5 years/limitless kilometres.
Driving impressions
Volkswagen showrooms nonetheless lack a real full-size SUV to compete with the likes of the Mazda CX-90 and Hyundai Palisade, with the premium two-row V6 diesel Touareg one thing of a distinct segment choice.
As an alternative, the Tayron contests the extra compact three-row house the place it’s going to battle well-received latest releases just like the Hyundai Santa Fe and venerable Kia Sorento, plus the Mazda CX-80—with its more and more uncommon six-cylinder engine providing.
In comparison with these Asian rivals, the German-made Tayron is extra inexpensive—and slightly smaller. Nevertheless, excellent packaging largely makes up for the latter concern, and the wise dimensions are virtually actually an element within the Tayron’s shock X-factor: it’s nice to drive.
Beneath the pores and skin there are commonalities with the Tiguan Allspace, although the underlying transverse MQB platform has been overhauled with in depth upgrades to {the electrical} structure whereas ‘MQB Evo’ additionally bundles extra granular experience/dealing with know-how.
In distinction to the youthful rejuvenation of the Tayron’s platform is the combined age of its three out there four-cylinder turbo engines. Whereas Audi, Cupra and even Skoda look to undertake gentle hybrid (MHEV) tech, Volkswagen has caught to tried-and-tested non-hybrid items—for now.
Oldest and easiest 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 actually an appropriate base powertrain, although it’s strained by a heavy load aboard.
Extra appropriate are the pair of bigger 2.0-litre EA888/AWD engines. The 150TSI (150kW/320Nm) is adequate, whereas the top-tier 195TSI (195kW/400Nm) is fast (6.1sec 0-100km/h), with extra energy than any engine fitted to the outdated Tiguan Allspace that topped out at 162kW.
All three launch powertrains use Volkswagen’s heavier-duty and sometimes extra dependable wet-type DSG dual-clutch automated transmission design. Shift high quality was slick and, in relaxed driving, fairly imperceptible.
Subsequent yr, two plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) will be part of the Tayron and Tiguan lineups. Primarily based round a 1.5-litre turbo ‘4 with both 110kW or 130kW, every PHEV {couples} to an 85kW electrical motor and 19.7kWh (usable) battery for 150kW or 200kW mixed energy and 100km+ electrical vary.
For now, the 150TSI engine is the candy spot—and notably in Class trim, as that automotive’s mixture of 19-inch wheels, mid-profile tyres and adaptive dampers seems to have been the tuning benchmark, surprisingly driving extra naturally than the 150TSI Life (18s/adaptive).
It was a matter of diploma, nonetheless, and a typical attribute shared by all Tayrons is a shocking, and much-appreciated, dynamic zeal. Whereas some bigger SUVs are competent on nation roads, only a few will be genuinely stated to be enjoyable. This new Volkswagen joins that quick listing.
It’s within the reliable chassis, predictable dealing with and even chatty steering that household automotive drivers unready to surrender a lust for all times can discover some perverse enjoyment within the Tayron. It’s able to devouring broken-up Australian nation roads at a fast clip.
You hear the Tayron’s suspension working away on this atmosphere (greater than within the smaller Tiguan, maybe on account of additional resonance from the spacious cabin) and bumpy roads drew out some faint cabin rattles, however we had been too busy remarking on how amusing to drive this SUV is.
Naturally that is an edge case for patrons on this section; the excellent news is that the Tayron is simply as competent (if no more so) for freeway driving and concrete commuting, the place DCC Professional-equipped 150TSI and 195TSI settle right into a loping, quiet, relaxed experience with dampers set to ultra-comfort.
These environs are the place Tayron patrons can take in fairly appreciable enhancements to the cabin. In comparison with the Tiguan Allspace, which was well-made however spartan in supplies, the richly trimmed Tayron inside marks the return of Volkswagen’s ‘premium for the folks’ mantra.
Base Life grades have fabric seating however the Class and R-Line profit from high quality black Varenna leather-based with 12-way power-adjustable, heated, cooled and massaging entrance seats offering nice consolation and help. Textural, open-pore wooden is a cultured contact for the Class.
Additionally spectacular is the snappier cabin tech, centred on a 12.9-inch slate (15-inch in 195TSI, or 150TSI with Sound & Imaginative and prescient Pack) which proffers wi-fi CarPlay/Android Auto above twin, cooled wi-fi chargers. The digital instrument cluster is extensively customisable.
Notably, a comfort creeping into this section—being on-line connectivity with a fully-fledged companion smartphone app—will not be out there on account of ongoing technical points for Volkswagen in Australia. Hopefully that is solved by the point the PHEVs arrive.
Nonetheless, key Volkswagen strengths like good ergonomics (with a neatly adjustable centre armrest), plus flock-lined door bins and properly damped inside controls (together with a bodily quantity dial) stay.
The again seat is roomy with glorious headroom/legroom within the outboard positions and slide/recline capabilities although the center perch is compromised by slim width and a pronounced flooring hump. Class and above embody built-in sunshades whereas row-two USB-C ports and air vents stated to be highly effective sufficient to succeed in the third row are commonplace.
As soon as ensconced within the third row, we had been stunned to seek out it acceptable for six-footers for brief journeys—longer journeys for teenagers must be high-quality. Entry to the third row is a contact tight, although, and could be simpler for youngsters to function by fitment of a Hyundai-style spring-loaded launch.
Extra spectacular is Volkswagen’s expert-tier packaging of the third row behind an influence tailgate and inside the Tayron’s environment friendly 4792mm size.
In seven-seat mode there are 345 litres of boot house increasing to 855 litres with 5 seats up; the two-row 150TSI Life has an unlimited 890 litre boot. An area-saver spare wheel and tyre bundle is commonplace.
Volkswagen expects a five-star ANCAP security score for the Tayron and this SUV’s IQ.Help adaptive security know-how suite is polished, with clean Journey Help (sturdy adaptive cruise/lane centring) easing fatigue for freeway driving.
Lane-keep help is usually a contact sturdy on narrower B-roads however this characteristic will be switched off with two touchscreen faucets. It reverts to ‘on’ although in a credit score to Volkswagen Australia, audible velocity warnings will be silenced completely. The decision of the 360-degree digicam is, nonetheless, mediocre.
Most of our testing was carried out within the 150TSI Class mannequin, which is predicted to be the volume-selling grade. Towards its declare of seven.7L/100km gasoline consumption, we managed 6.9L/100km (freeway) and 9.2L/100km throughout a loop that included suburban and nation highway driving.
Whereas the Tayron continues the legacy of the Tiguan Allspace as a lengthened adaptation of its smaller brother, the recipe is one that may work properly for patrons unfazed by the marginally extra compact dimensions when in comparison with rivals.
