Latest news with #Tayron
Times
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Times
VW Tayron review: seven seats and 600 miles on a single tank
Volkswagen's latest sports utility vehicle has lots of good points — spacious, practical and less ugly than its rivals — but no one is talking about it, possibly because it has the least memorable name in motoring history. The Tayron follows the Taigun, Taos, Tiguan, T-Roc, T-Cross and Touareg — all two-syllable names beginning with T and all easily confused. The industry joke is that VW's next two models will the Taser and the Toenail. What's behind this naming strategy no one at the company's group HQ seems able to say, but the Tayron deserves better because it's a seven-seater SUV that can go for up to 600 miles between fill-ups on just a 55-litre tank, an impressive rate of up to 50mpg. Automotive technology has progressed in leaps and bounds, and no more so than in cutting fuel consumption of bigger cars. And the Tayron is big — a veritable warehouse on wheels. If you've ever faced the problem that the stuff you stow in your boot to take on holiday mysteriously swells in volume and won't fit when it's time to return, the Tayron may be the answer. Collapsing the second and third rows of seats gives you nearly two cubic metres of storage — enough for a couple of washing machines or a decent-sized wardrobe. Even with all the seats in place there's as much luggage room as in a Mercedes A-class. Short of buying a van, it's hard to think of a vehicle that offers more boot for your buck. For its size it's reasonably inexpensive too, starting at £40,130 for the 'Life' trim. But there's a catch: £40,000 is the threshold for the government's 'expensive car supplement', or luxury car tax, which means it will cost you an extra £425 a year in vehicle excise duty for five years. Yet the Tayron is hardly the epitome of mink-lined opulence. It's actually a rather practical and down-to-earth family bus that's cheaper than the £45,218 average price of a new petrol car. The eTSI version is powered by an ingenious combination of 1.5-litre combustion engine and an electric motor that gives extra oomph when you're accelerating, then, when you're slowing down, it charges the car's battery. The energy recovery system is linked to the car's electronic brain and knows when you're approaching a junction or entering a lower speed limit. As you lift your foot off the accelerator it reduces your speed at a controlled rate, turning the car's momentum into electricity. It's an odd sensation at first, as though there are phantom feet on the pedals, but you can override it at any time by putting your foot back on the throttle. • Ford Puma Gen E review — Britain's bestselling car goes electric And here's the rub. Pressured by governments into lowering fuel consumption, carmakers have been inventive in coming up with new hybrid engine designs such as this to eke out the miles. In doing so they've become victims of their own success. More miles per gallon equals less fuel duty for Treasury coffers. So governments are imposing new taxes such as the luxury car tax to plug the gap. For a jumbo SUV, the Tayron is remarkably easy to drive around town, relentlessly cushioning speed bumps and potholes. It's also good on motorways, where at cruising speed it's silent, boring even, thanks to acoustic insulation and double-glazed glass. The only time it gets noisy is when you mash your foot into the floor mat getting up to speed on a motorway slip road. Then the 1.5-litre engine struggles even with electrical assistance. The Tayron's bad points are mainly to do with the shonky infotainment system. VW has been criticised by its own customers for a 'driver interface' that is distracting when you're trying to adjust settings on the move. The company says it's taken the complaints on board but it's still a faff to perform basic tasks such as turning on air recirculation when you get stuck behind a lorry belching fumes. To make things worse, the touch controls on the display try to anticipate your command, so you go to jab the screen and it's changed before your finger has made contact. The international safety organisation NCAP is pressuring manufacturers to bring back buttons and switches to encourage drivers to keep their eyes on the road. • Porsche Cayenne review — a family hybrid with oomph Another annoyance is the cheesily named 'mood' settings that turn up the ambient lighting and music volume. You can toggle through Lounge, Joy and Me. VW's target customers — parents with big families — are likely to wonder who exactly these were designed for. A mood called Stressed might be more appropriate. Then there's the Tayron name. A few times while I was testing the car people wandered over at petrol stations to ask what I was driving. After chatting a while, they'd try to recall the name and never could. 'It's the T'ai chi? Tie pin?' So, the Tayron. A good car, solidly put together and a faithful load-lugger. If you're no fan of big SUVs you won't like it. If you're an exhausted parent you may find it just the job. Don't worry if you can't recall the name — no one else can.
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
More powerful VW Amarok and Golf GTI to make SA debut soon
Volkswagen has confirmed it will use the coming Festival of Motoring at Kyalami on August 29-31 to announce a new engine derivative for its Amarok double cab bakkie range and one other new model. The hotter Amarok, powered by a 2.3 l turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine, was announced in 2022 when the rest of the range debuted in this market. The new motor is a more performance-orientated unit developing 222kW, a higher output than the 184kW produced by the now range-topping 3.0 V6 turbodiesel powering the Amarok Panamericana and Aventura models. VWSA says its local launch is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025, but the company could not be drawn on pricing and other details, saying more details will be shared closer to the launch. The new Amarok will not be the only topic at VW's stand, though. With the launch of the new Tayron SUV imminent, the replacement of the seven-seat Tiguan Allspace will be available for viewing, including the new Crafter commercial range to be launched in September. VWSA says visitors to its stand will also be treated to the reveal of another exciting new model, the facelifted Mk8 Golf GTI, colloquially known as the 8.5. The updated 195kW GTI we drove in Wolfsburg, Germany, a few months ago was not part of the market introduction of the new enhancements earlier in the year, with only the 1.4 TSI models going on sale. Any hopes that locals would see the new Tengo compact crossover, which is to be built at VW's plant in Kariega, at the show were dashed. The company says it'll show up next year, despite upgrades to prepare for its assembly in Gqeberha having been completed.
Telegraph
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Volkswagen Tayron review: Easy to drive but hard to love
Does seven divide into 4.8? Volkswagen seems so with this: the Tayron, a seven-seat, 4.8-metre family SUV/crossover. Can you honestly get seven people into a sub-five-metre vehicle, or are the rearmost two seats strictly for children? Sceptics might suggest not, since this is one of those fill-in models for those who find VW's five-seat Tiguan slightly too small and the larger seven-seat Touareg slightly too sizeable. In fact, the Tayron name first appeared in 2018 as a joint project from FAW-VW in China. For last year's introduction of the second-generation model, the Tayron became a world car (on sale in all, or at least most, markets), built at VW's HQ in Wolfsburg to replace the Tiguan Allspace – although it's based on the Tiguan running gear. To add to the confusion, the Tayron is known as the Tiguan in the US, where supplies come from Mexico, and the Tayron L in China where it's built in Changchun. Domestic range The UK gets a choice of two plug-in hybrids (PHEV), with either 201bhp or 268bhp. With a 70-mile electric-only range, the PHEV versions have a 19.7kWh battery, but fitting it means sacrificing the two rearmost seats, which loses some of the point of the vehicle. More conventional drivetrains include a 148bhp, 1.5-litre mild hybrid tested here. There's also a brace of 2.0-litre engines delivering 201bhp or 261bhp to all four wheels (the only 4x4 versions) and a 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel, which is officially capable of 50.9mpg. There are five trim levels and prices run from £40,130, so you are into the luxury car tax bracket from the off, meaning an extra £425 in VED from years two to six. It's 4,792mm long, 1,853mm wide without the mirrors and 1,668mm high. In the UK's most popular 1.5-litre form tested here, the boot swallows an impressive 850 litres with the rear seats folded and 345 litres with them up, while folding the second and third rows liberates 1,905 litres. It weighs 1,723kg and will tow up to 1.8 tons (but some models will tow up to 2.5 tons). Inside job Step inside and you're likely to be impressed, mainly by the tight surface changes and ostensibly high-quality materials. There's also plenty of storage space in the doors and the centre console. Closer inspection, however, reveals that some of those plastics and fabrics don't have quite the warp and weft of upmarket rivals. The seats are comfortable and there's plenty of space in the first two rows. The rearmost two seats are no different from most; cramped, tricky to access and lacking amenities such as USB ports and air-conditioning outlets. Children might like them, but a strapping teenager or full-size adult will be complaining of discomfort before long. Rivals with larger, more easily accessed rear seats include the Peugeot 5008 and Hyundai Santa Fe. The instrument binnacle and touchscreen are clear and precise; a genuine improvement over the disaster area that has become known as 'Golf 8' when the initial version of VW's latest software was introduced in the Mk8 Golf. The 'slider' controls are now illuminated, while a programmable centre windlass control is easy to use. Not quite so great is the huge stretch required to reach the farthest tiles on the optional 15in (£1,130) centre touchscreen. For those who like to stay in their seat, there's VW's AI voice assistant Ida, which continually interrupts conversation (and, given half a chance, tries to join in with the radio). Under the skin The 148bhp/184lb ft 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine has a 48-volt mild hybrid system consisting of a beefed-up starter generator pack, driving the front wheels via a six-speed twin-clutch gearbox. There's no manual option. The suspension is independent all round with front MacPherson struts and multi links at the rear. Fuel consumption is 42.9mpg in the official Combined cycle (I managed to achieve 37.2mpg on the winding A-roads of Worcestershire). The CO2 emissions are 150g/km, which means a first-year VED of £540, with £620 a year (including the £425 'luxury car tax' surcharge) for the following five years. The top speed is 127mph and 0-62mph is dispatched in 9.4sec. On the road The heavily-boosted engine has just about adequate performance provided you keep it in the middle of the rev range and don't fill all the seats. It struggles, however, if you allow it to drop below the turbo boost level, requiring a couple of gear changes to keep it on the boil. The twin-clutch gearbox is smooth and fast to mask the engine's lack of urge, but the whole caboodle gets quite noisy and frantic if you are going for a fast overtake, for example. During sedate cruising, the Tayron, with its acoustic windows and close attention to sound deadening, is pleasingly quiet and make sure you aren't struggling against the clock and other traffic. The same applies to the handling where the suspension settings, which rightly tend towards the soft, allow a fair bit of body movement. So the Tayron isn't the last word in steering precision, but still gives a decent account of itself, inspiring confidence provided you don't push too hard. The lighter drivetrain (a 216kg saving over the PHEV) of the 1.5-litre makes the nose slightly more eager to change direction and takes some weight off the suspension over potholes and bumps. Inevitably, there's a compromise between allowing a vehicle to corner on its door handles or putting so much roll resistance in the chassis that it waggles your head around like a pig's bladder on a stick. VW treads a confident path with the Tayron, although the £470 optional 20in wheels put vanity before ride quality – try to avoid them. There's also an option of DCC adaptive dampers, although experience shows that few buyers opt for these useful but expensive items. As far as the urban jungle is concerned, it's an easy car to manoeuvre, with good visibility and sightlines, as well as large mirrors. The Telegraph verdict Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, says he wants VWs to look like VWs again and, in that respect, this large crossover/SUV delivers, although whether that makes it a handsome car, I will leave up to you. As for the comfort and dynamics, the Tayron doesn't quite deliver as rival models also based on VW's ubiquitous MQB platform, lacking the fluid feel of the mechanically similar Skoda Kodiaq, for instance. Although it feels as sporting as spotted dick and custard, the Tayron is none the worse for it. For the job it has to do hauling families around the suburbs or long-distance motorway journeys to holidays and far-flung relatives, this 1.5-litre version is perfectly adequate. The 4x4 2.0-litre cars might make better (if more expensive) sense, perhaps even the diesel. As for the five-seat-only PHEV versions, while tax-friendly, the limited seating versatility might drive buyers into the arms of full seven-seat rivals such as the Hyundai Santa Fe, despite its lower EV range. In short, the Tayron is an easy car to drive but a hard car to love. The facts Body style: five-door family SUV On sale: now How much? from £41,655, as tested £53,650 How fast? 127mph, 0-62mph in 9.4sec How economical? 42.9mpg (WLTP Combined), 37.2mpg on test Engine & gearbox: 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol with 48v mild hybrid system, seven-speed twin clutch automatic gearbox, front-wheel drive Maximum power/torque: 148bhp at 5,000rpm/184lb ft at 1,500rpm CO2 emissions: 150g/km (WLTP Combined) VED: £540 first year, £620 next five years, then £195 Warranty: three years/60,000 miles The rivals Mercedes-Benz GLB Sport Executive GLB200 Seven-seat, from £40,190 Good news, it's a Merc SUV. Bad news, the mild hybrid 1.33-litre engine might produce 163PS but it's a bit asthmatic. Then again, most folk end up with a sportier-looking AMG Line version which can extend the price up to £50,000. Skoda Kodiaq SE Seven-seat, from £39,000 With largely the same VW Group 1.5-litre drivetrain, the Kodiaq is a cheaper and nicely executed alternative, if not quite as refined. Crucially, however, it limbo dances under the £40,000 luxury car tax (VED) threshold.
Man of Many
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Man of Many
‘Mini Touareg': 2026 Volkswagen Tayron 7-Seater Revealed for Australia
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 8 June 2025 |Last Updated: 5 June 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. New 7-seater Tayron slots below the Touareg and above the Tiguan Available with three engine options and three trim levels Range-topping 195TSI R-Line develops 195kW of power Volkswagen finally has a car to compete with the segment-leading Hyundai Santa Fe. Meet the new Tayron 7-seater SUV, which is essentially a Tiguan with a stretched wheelbase designed to replace the previous generation Tiguan Allspace. However, compared to the Allspace, there is crucially a lot more space in the Tayron and a plethora of new technology aside from some pretty aggressive styling on the exterior as well. Billed as the 'Mini Touareg', the Tayron will come with a 5-seater 110TSI Life entry-level variant with a 110kW/250Nm turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine along with a FWD configuration. Meanwhile, up the range are the 150TSI Life, Elegance and the 195TSI R-Line trims, which come with a punchier 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 150kW for the Elegance trim and 195kW/400Nm for the flagship R-Line. Importantly, every model in the line-up comes with the Volkswagen staple 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, helping the R-Line iteration of the Tayron accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 6.1 seconds. We want to note that the Tayron is longer than the Allspace by about 58 mm, with an overall length of 4792 mm, putting it right up there next to the Touareg (4,902 mm) in terms of length. With the 3rd row folded, luggage space has also increased by 150 litres to 850 litres. Meanwhile, compared to the Tiguan, the Tayron is longer by 250 mm and has a stretched wheelbase by 110 mm. 2026 Volkswagen Tayron | Image: VW Looking at the different variants of the Tayron, we'll start with the 110TSI Life trim that has the smallest powertrain with 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque in a front-wheel drive configuration. However, standard equipment does include 18-inch 'Bologna' alloy wheels, keyless access with alarm, power tailgate, Area View 360-degree camera, Digital Cockpit Pro (widescreen driver display), 12.9-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, wireless App-Connect, wireless smartphone charging and DAB+ digital radio. Safety-wise, you get Travel Assist (with adaptive cruise control and Lane Assist for semi-autonomous and stop-and-go driving), Front Assist with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring and Side Assist with rear traffic alert are also standard along with side exit warning, front cross-traffic assist, oncoming vehicle braking when turning with swerve support, Park Assist Plus (with semi-autonomous steering and throttle/braking to park), 9 airbags (including centre) and Dynamic Road Sign Assist. Step up to the 150TSI Life and you gain a more powerful 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine is also available with the Life trim, with 885 litres of luggage capacity thanks to a 5-seater layout. Towing performance is rated at 2,500kg braked. 2026 Volkswagen Tayron | Image: VW If you want a 7-seater layout, you'll want to check out the 150TSI Elegance, which adds in features like 19-inch 'Catania' alloy wheels, leather-appointed seat upholstery, front 'ergoActive' seats with power adjustment, heating, ventilation, memory, and massage, heated outer second row seats, heated steering wheel, LED Plus headlights with illuminated grille strip, LED tail-lights with illuminated centre strip, chrome roof rails and trim, and rear privacy glass. Options for the Elegance trim include the Sound & Vision package, where you get a head-up display, Harman Kardon premium audio, 15-inch Discover Pro Max navigation, HD Matrix LED headlights, Dynamic Light Assist and dynamic indicators at the rear. 2026 Volkswagen Tayron | Image: VW Last but not least, the sportier R-Line trim has the most power and visually too gets a more purposeful look courtesy 20-inch 'Leeds' alloy wheels, R-Line interior and exterior styling, progressive steering, 15.0-inch Discover Pro Max navigation, head-up display, Harman Kardon premium audio, HD Matrix LED headlights, Dynamic Light Assist, and dynamic indicators at the rear. Options for the R-Line include a Black Style package, which adds 20-inch 'York' alloy wheels, gloss black exterior mirrors, roof rails, roof design strip and R-Line front bumper, and interior design elements with a black/dark anodised finish. Both the 150TSI Elegance and 195TSI R-Line can also be specced with a panoramic sunroof. To be launched in September, the Tayron would be available in six colours: Pure White, Oyster Silver Metallic, Dolphin Grey Metallic, Night Shade Blue Metallic, Grenadilla Black Metallic, and Ultra Violet Premium Metallic. Pricing for the Tayron will be revealed closer to launch, but expect it to sit above the Tiguan, which starts from $44,990 plus on-road costs, and below the Touareg, which starts from $86,790 plus on-roads for the base 170TDI model.
7NEWS
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
2025 Volkswagen Tayron large SUV range detailed for Australia
The Volkswagen Tayron is arriving in Australia in September as a replacement for the Tiguan Allspace, and it'll be offered with a choice of three trim levels, three powertrains, and two seating layouts. Volkswagen Australia has released some specification details for the new SUV, though it will release pricing closer to the new model's local launch. It sits above the Tiguan but below the range-topping Touareg in the automaker's local SUV lineup. The new Tayron will be offered in both five- and seven-seat versions, with the entry-level Life model grade the only one to feature five seats. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The all-petrol powertrain lineup is as follows: 110TSI Life: 110kW/250Nm turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder, front-wheel drive 150TSI Life, 150TSI Elegance: 150kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, all-wheel drive 195TSI R-Line: 195kW/400Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, all-wheel drive All models will come standard with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Tayron uses the MQB Evo platform and measures 4792mm – 58mm longer than the Tiguan Allspace it replaces – with luggage space expanding by 115L to 345L (measured to the top of the rear backrests). This expands to 850L in seven-seat versions with the rear seat folded and an even larger 885L in the five-seat 150TSI Life. The Tayron has a wheelbase 110mm longer than the new third-generation Tiguan to enable its third-row seating. The base Tayron 110TSI Life is front-wheel drive and has five seats, 18-inch 'Bologna' alloy wheels, keyless entry, power tailgate, 360-degree camera and a digital instrument cluster. A 12.9-inch centre touchscreen is standard, with satellite navigation, wireless smartphone charging and DAB+ digital radio. Standard active safety and driver assist technology includes 'Travel Assist', which combines adaptive cruise control with stop/go and lane-keep assist, as well as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection. The Life is also available with the more powerful engine in the 150TSI, which has the same standard equipment but adds 4Motion all-wheel drive, DCC Pro (Dynamic Chassis Control Pro) and a higher 2500kg braked towing rating. It also sees the boot area expanded to 885L with the second-row seats folded. Volkswagen claims the Tayron 150TSI Life offers 'the cavernous boot space of a wagon, with the practicality and user comfort of an SUV body style'. The seven-seat Tayron range kicks off with the 150TSI Elegance model grade, which also gets 19-inch 'Catania' alloy wheels, LED Plus headlights with an illuminated grille strip, LED tail lights and illuminated centre strip. It also has chrome roof rails and privacy glass on the rear windows. Inside, there's leather upholstery and power-adjustable, heated front seats with memory and massage function as standard, plus heated second row seats and heated steering wheel. The flagship 195TSI R-Line boasts 'echoes of Golf GTI performance and handling' according to Volkswagen, with R-Line sports styling inside and out. This includes 'Leeds' 20-inch alloy wheels and high-density matrix LED headlights and dynamic rear indicators. The R-Line interior also gets the 15.0-inch Discover Pro Max infotainment system, head-up display, progressive steering as well as a Harman Kardon premium sound system. With 195kW of power and 400Nm of torque from its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four, the Tayron R-Line has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds. Six colours will be offered from launch: Pure White, Oyster Silver Metallic, Dolphin Grey Metallic, Night Shade Blue Metallic, Grenadilla Black Metallic, and Ultra Violet Premium are the features Volkswagen Australia has detailed so far for the new Tayron range. The 110TSI Life comes standard with the following equipment: 18-inch alloy wheels Proximity entry Power tailgate Digital Cockpit Pro digital instrument cluster 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system Satellite navigation Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto DAB+ digital radio Wireless phone charger Park Assist Plus semi-autonomous parking Autonomous emergency braking Blind-spot monitoring Traffic sign recognition Front cross-traffic alert Rear cross-traffic alert Safe exit warning Surround-view camera Travel Assist The 150TSI Life adds: 4Motion all-wheel drive Adaptive chassis control (DCC Pro) Chrome roof rails and trim Rear privacy glass LED Plus headlights with illuminated light bar LED tail lights with illuminated light bar The 150TSI Elegance adds: 19-inch alloy wheels Leather-appointed upholstery ergoActive front seats LED Plus headlights with illuminated centre strip LED Plus tail lights with illuminated centre strip 15-inch Discover Pro Max infotainment system The 195TSI R-Line adds: 20-inch alloy wheels R-Line body kit R-Line interior Progressive steering Head-up display Harman/Kardon sound system HD Matrix LED headlights with adaptive high beam LED Plus tail lights with dynamic indicators 15-inch Discover Pro Max infotainment system Optional on the 150TSI Elegance and 150TSI R-Line are: • Panoramic roof Optional on the 150TSI Elegance is: Sound & Vision package Optional on the 195TSI R-Line is: Black Style package
