Volkswagen Tayron

Volkswagen has launched a new ‘flagship’ SUV for India. The new Tayron is a little more than just a ‘stretched Tiguan’. It marks VW’s re-entry into the full-size seven-seater SUV segment, where it first took a crack with the Tiguan AllSpace. If you're interested in bringing home the Tayron, our detailed bookings process story will give you every detail on how to reserve one. 

It arrives with a clear mission: offer German engineering, lots of tech and engaging driving dynamics. Does it deliver? 

The Tayron builds on the Tiguan’s design that looks powerful and commanding. In typical Volkswagen fashion, it’s a classy design that features soft lines and a lot of muscle. You can also opt for the the Tayron in the full-fat ‘R Line’ version, which brings its own sporty design elements inside-out over the standard car.

Viewed from the front, the massive bumper immediately draws attention. The massive air intakes finished in gloss-black take up almost the entire real estate up front. Bear in mind that these gloss black trims are extremely prone to scratches, swirl marks and stone chips. Consider investing in a paint protection film to keep these surfaces looking new for long. 

Large LED projector headlamps have a horizontal lighting signature that flows seamlessly into the slim grille that features a light bar. What’s more, the Volkswagen logo is illuminated too. You also get to choose between three animations for the headlamps when you lock/unlock. 

From the side, the 4792mm length is immediately visible. It’s 253mm longer than the 5-seater version, with 109mm being used to stretch out the wheelbase. It’s also from this angle that you’d notice that the Tayron isn’t a particularly tall SUV — especially if you compare it to body-on-frame SUVs such as the Fortuner. It’s got a ‘fast wagon’ vibe, which looks super cool. Take a detailed look at the Tayron in detailed images here.

My personal favourite element is the 19-inch alloy wheels, finished in a dual-tone, with a turbine-like design. They fill the wheel arches beautifully, which themselves get a slim, gloss-black cladding to highlight it. Subtle elements include a brushed silver trim above the windows and subtle ‘R’ branding under the ORVMs. 

From the back, the Tayron follows the ‘connected’ lighting theme. The pixel-style LED lighting elements in the tail lamps are a highlight. Here too, the Volkswagen logo is animated and you get to select between three animations. Like the front, the rear bumper too gets a heavy dose of gloss-black trim and a faux diffuser that underlines the Tayron’s sporty intentions. 

Volkswagen Tayron colour options include 

• Ultra Violet Metallic

• Grenadilla Black Metallic

• Oryx White Mother of Pearl Effect

• Dolphin Grey Metallic

• Oyster Silver Metallic

• Cipressino Green Metallic

• Nightshade Blue Metallic

The Tayron looks really premium in silver, grey and white, however, if you want a fun shade, consider the purple or the green. You can check out how all the colours look in this article here.

Design and Quality

The interior design feels like a proper luxury car. It’s simple, with a lot of horizontal elements that emphasize the cabin’s width. 

In terms of quality, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The top half of the dashboard and doorpads have padded leatherette which feels rich. Similarly, there’s a lot of soft-touch material used on the door cards and elbow rest. There’s some hard, scratchy plastic used for the lower-half of the dashboard and rear door pads, which dampens the experience.  

Interesting bits include a gloss black panel in front of the co-driver and alcantara inserts with blue piping on the dashboard. There’s subtle R branding on the dash and steering wheel too, to remind you you’re driving the special version. 

Front Seats

You do not need to climb into the cabin of the Tayron, unlike other large SUVs. The doors open wide and you can simply walk in. 

Both front seats get 12-way electric adjustment (with 3 memory settings), and extendable under thigh support. There’s ample range in the seats, and the steering can be adjusted for rake and reach, making it quite easy to get into a comfortable driving position. I like that you can push the seat position quite low, giving you a sedan-like position if needed. 

The front seats are wide, well-padded and supremely comfortable. They have to be my favourite aspect about the Tayron as a whole. These seats also feature heating and ventilation and get massage functionality as well, which makes spending long hours in these seats fatigue-free. 

Second Row Space

With the driver’s seat set to my driving position (I’m 5’11”), space on offer was satisfactory if not exceptional. There’s enough footroom and headroom too. Underthigh support feels less than ideal, however. The second row also slides, allowing you to open up some extra space for the third row occupants. There’s a recline function too if you like lounging while being driven around. 

As a chauffeur driven SUV, the Tayron shouldn’t give you reason to complain. There are plenty of amenities here such as manual sunblinds, a wide front armrest with cupholders and a dedicated climate control zone. 

Third Row Space

Getting in and out of the third row is inconvenient. The second row only reclines and slides ahead, and does not have a one-touch tumble function. There’s limited space to enter and exit the third row, making it cumbersome for adults. 

The space available is best suited for kids and pets. For adults, the lack of headroom and underthigh support will pinch, especially over long journeys. It’s best to treat the Tayron as a 5+2 seater and not a full-fledged seven-seater option. Do note there are no dedicated AC vents for the occupants here. 

Storage and Practicality

The Tayron scores high on practicality. There’s ample storage space in the door pads, and the centre console also has ample storage for your phone, wallet and other knick-knacks. I particularly like the ‘shelf’ under the central AC vents, that lets you keep smaller items. You get a large storage area under the adjustable front armrests, including cupholders. 

Rear seat occupants get twin cupholders, deep seatback pockets and large bottle holders in the doors. Third row occupants have just a couple of cupholders. 

Charging Options

If you’re seated up front, you can choose between two type-C ports and two wireless chargers. There’s a 12V socket located inside the front armrest as well. For the second row passengers, two type-C USB ports have been provided under the AC vents. 

Boot Space

With all seats in place, you have 345-litres of space on offer. This is sufficient to fit in 3-4 cabin-sized trolley bags and a few more small items. Folding the third row gives you access to 850-litres of space, which can gulp luggage for a weeklong roadtrip without blinking an eye. 

However, if you need to haul more, you can fold the second row away entirely (seats fold entirely flat) and have 1950-litres of cargo space to move furniture or large items. 

The Tayron offers all the features you’d want from an SUV in this price bracket. Basics include:

• Keyless Entry

• Automatic Headlamps

• Automatic Wipers

• Auto-Dimming IRVM

• Panoramic Sunroof

• Powered Tailgate (with gesture function)

Here’s a quick runthrough of the highlights: 

10.25-inch Driver’s Display: Crisp resolution, configurable views. Shows all required information. 

15-inch Touchscreen: Looks like a giant TV on the dashboard. Very fluid user interface and can be used to control practically anything on the car. Supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. 

11-speaker Harman/Kardon Audio System: Crisp mids and highs, and deep lows. Delivers an immersive audio experience. 

360° Camera: Useful for navigating tight spots. Camera resolution is below average, feels less than ideal in low light conditions. 

AR Head Up Display: Get vital information including speed and navigation directly in your line of sight.

Safety features on the new Volkswagen Tayron include:

• 9 Airbags

• ABS with EBD

• Electronic Stability Control

• Hill Ascent Control

• Hill Descent Control

• Tyre Pressure Monitoring System

• ISOFIX Child Seat Mounts

Note: The Tayron is also equipped with Level 2 ADAS. I found the calibration of the auto emergency braking to be a little too sensitive, especially for chaotic cities. I suggest you turn this feature off if you’re navigating city roads. On the highway, you can rely on lane assist and adaptive cruise control.

Engine and Performance

Under the bonnet of the Tayron is Volkswagen’s tried-and-test 2.0-litre TSI (EA888 Evo) petrol engine. For the diesel engine fans, sadly, the brand has shown no inclination to introduce that option (at least any time soon). 

Specifications:

• Power: 204 PS

• Torque: 320 Nm

• Transmission: 7-speed DSG (Dual-Clutch)

• Drivetrain: 4MOTION All-Wheel Drive

This engine is known for its versatility. It’s smooth and easy to drive at low speeds, and engaging when you pick up the pace on the highway. Volkswagen claims the Tayron will be able to hit 100kmph from a standstill in just 7.3 seconds, and go all the way up to a claimed top speed of 224kmph. Based on my driving experience, there’s no reason to doubt those numbers. 

The star of the show is the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox that’s borderline telepathic in nature. It picks the right gear and does not hesitate to downshift aggressively when you stomp the accelerator. 

While it’s easy to drive within the city, you quickly get the sense that the Tayron begs to be driven (hard) on open highways. It’s very relaxed cruising at triple digit speeds, and has more than enough torque to overtake on a whim at these speeds too. 

For heavy city users, fuel efficiency is likely to be a concern. Owing to the large turbo engine, fuel efficiency in bumper-to-bumper city traffic is likely to hover between 5-7kmpl. With smooth flowing city traffic, you can expect the Tayron to deliver between 8-10kmpl. Highways is where it’s the most efficient, averaging around 13-14kmpl in our conditions.

I expected Volkswagen to equip the Tayron with Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC). Sadly, that’s not the case. That said, the ride and handling package on offer feels apt both in terms of comfort and driver involvement. 

Ride Quality

Despite riding on large 19-inch wheels with a (relatively) low side profile, the Tayron manages to cushion out the imperfections in the surface easily and quietly. Lateral and vertical movement is well controlled, ensuring you’re comfortable. It’s only over the really bad surfaces that you might encounter some side-to-side movement, which is acceptable for an SUV this size. 

It’s when you push the Tayron hard into corners that you begin to appreciate what it can do. The steering feels precise and sharp enough and the body control is predictable. This is unlike the Kodiaq that feels slightly soft in comparison. 

The 4Motion all-wheel drive system works quietly in the background, transferring power between the wheels to ensure maximum grip. Also, bear in mind that this AWD system is better used for sandy, snowy trails rather than hardcore off-roading.

The Volkswagen Tayron is available in two distinct variants called Life and R-Line.

Volkswagen Tayron Life

• Design elements include connected LED headlamps and taillamps with illuminated logos, 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, silver skid plate and black roof rails.

• Inside, it features a 5-seater layout with black and grey theme with leatherette upholstery, front and rear centre armrests, rear window sunshades, rear AC vents and a heated three-spoke steering wheel.

• Standard features include three-zone climate control, 12-way powered, ventilated and massaging front seats, 8 speakers, 10-colour ambient lighting, dual wireless phone chargers, powered tailgate and a panoramic sunroof.

• Tech package comprises of 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay,

• Safety tech such as 9 airbags, Level 2 ADAS, electronic stability control (ESC), hill hold assist (HHA), rear view camera, rain-sensing wipers, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and front and rear parking sensors.

Volkswagen Tayron R-Line

• Adds a more aggressive body kit with sportier front and rear bumpers, 19-inch alloy wheels, ‘R’ badging, gloss black wheel arch cladding and silver roof rails

• Interior features a 7-seater layout, all-black theme, silver trims and ‘R’ logo on the steering wheel.

• Equipment list enhanced with larger 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system, 30-colour ambient lighting and 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

• Better safety with inclusion of 360-degree camera, pre-crash occupant protection system and active high beam assist.

CarDekho Recommends

• Pick the Tayron Life if you don't need the third row and aggressive styling elements of the R-Line. The features and tech package are enough, and the additions in the R-Line don’t really justify the premium. 

• Stretch for the R-Line for a snazzier styling package, additional row of seating and a bit more equipment for the full experience.

For those who prioritise city fuel efficiency or want a more spacious third row, the Tayron might not be the right fit. However, for all else, it is a near perfect package. If you want a large SUV to do your road trips in comfort and luxury, want the latest features and a drive package that excites, the Tayron is a no-questions-asked option.

Other Cars To Consider

Toyota Fortuner

Reasons to consider

• Gets both diesel and petrol engines

• Better road presence

• Feels indestructible over bad roads

• Much lower entry point for lower variants

Reasons to ignore

• Not nearly as premium and refined

• The ladder frame chassis isn’t as comfortable on tarmac

Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line

Reasons to consider

• Feels sportier inside-out

• Packs level-2 ADAS features

• Ride comfort can be tweaked with Dynamic Chassis Control Pro

• More engaging drive experience

Reasons to ignore

• 5-seater only

• Misses out on ventilated seats

• Isn’t as practical

MG Majestor

Reasons to consider

• Gets a diesel engine with both 4x2 and 4x4

• Gets both 6- and 7-seater layouts

• Looks more butch and rugged

• Gets ADAS features like lane change assist, blind spot detection, and rear cross traffic alert. 

• Usable third row of seats for adults

Reasons to ignore

• Interior isn’t as premium

• No petrol engine

• Drive experience isn’t as refined

Skoda Kodiaq

Reasons To Consider

• Enthusiastic driving feel

• More features on offer

• Subtle and classy styling will age gracefully

Reasons To Ignore

• Cramped third row

• No diesel or manual powertrain options