Milton Keynes – The all-new Volkswagen Tayron goes on sale in the UK on Thursday 9 January. Prices for the sophisticated all-rounder, with five or seven seats and superior levels of comfort, start from £39,850 (on-the-road recommended retail price including VAT) for the Tayron Life 1.5 eTSI. The top-of-the-range R-Line and R-Line Edition variants are available for just over £50,000.
The Tayron sits between the mid-sized Tiguan, Volkswagen’s best-selling model worldwide, and the Touareg, the brand’s flagship large SUV. It is seven centimetres longer (4,792 mm) than its forebear, the Tiguan Allspace, which translates into more space for passengers in the third row of seats (when fitted) and a cavernous 850-litre boot when the third row of seats is folded flat.
Built in Wolfsburg, Germany, the Tayron has family-friendly features such as sun-blinds in the rear doors and an optional electronic child safety lock that’s operated from the driver’s door; it also offers a useful towing capacity of 2,400 kg (braked, 12 per cent). Volkswagen’s Trailer Assist manoeuvring system comes as standard in conjunction with the optional folding towing bracket, helping to make even large horse boxes and trailers easy to handle. But it is perhaps the vehicle’s design, interior quality, comfort levels and equipment that really stand out.
Powerful exterior and a premium cabin
The Tayron is characterised by a clear, striking SUV design. At the front, LED headlights and the standard illuminated Volkswagen badge create an unmistakeable light signature as night falls. The same applies at the rear, with its full-length LED crossbar, 3D tail light clusters and illuminated Volkswagen logo. The Tayron is the first Volkswagen ICE (internal combustion engine) model in the European market with illuminated logos at the front and rear.
Sharply drawn lines emphasise the Tayron’s premium feel and elongated silhouette. This approach is also reflected in the cabin, which is dominated by surfaces with a pleasant feel and, depending on equipment, elegant materials such as ArtVelours Eco (microfibre), authentic open-pore wood and an illuminated decorative trim.
Extensive equipment and assist systems
Five trim levels are available in the UK – Life, Match (eHybrid only), Elegance, R-Line and R-Line Edition (eHybrid only) – all of which come with generous levels of equipment.
LED headlights with automatic main beam control (Light Assist) are included as standard, as are nine airbags and, on eHybrid and TSI variants, Volkswagen’s DCC Pro adaptive chassis control system. All trims also come with three-zone air conditioning, 10-colour background lighting, an infotainment system with 12.9-inch screen, and a multi-function driving experience switch for adjusting driving profiles, audio volume and cabin atmospheres using pre-programmed lighting and audio moods.
Standard assist systems include adaptive cruise control (ACC), the oncoming vehicle braking when turning function, lane change system (Side Assist), lane keeping system (Lane Assist), and an automatic emergency braking system with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring (Front Assist). Park Assist Plus, a rear-view camera, dynamic road sign display and a new exit warning system, which prevents doors being opened if another road user approaches from behind, also come as standard.
Optional highlights include a 15-inch infotainment display, head-up display, IQ.LIGHT HD matrix headlights with interactive lighting functions, and Travel Assist for longitudinal and lateral guidance. Also available are the IDA voice assistant with ChatGPT integration (in conjunction with the optional Discover infotainment package), a tilting and sliding panoramic sunroof, a 700-Watt Harman-Kardon sound system, plus leather upholstery on electrically adjustable seats with massage and ventilation functions.
Take your pick: petrol, diesel, mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid
Six engines will be available for the Tayron in the UK – three from 9 January and the rest from 20 February 2025. Each is paired with a six- or seven-speed automatic direct-shift gearbox (DSG), and 2.0 TSI variants are combined with 4MOTION all-wheel drive:
- 1.5 eTSI 150 PS with seven-speed DSG (seven seats, from 9 January)
- 1.5 TSI eHybrid 204 PS with six-speed DSG (five seats, from 9 January)
- 1.5 TSI eHybrid 272 PS with six-speed DSG (five seats, from 9 January)
- 2.0 TDI 150 PS with seven-speed DSG (seven seats, from 20 February)
- 2.0 TSI 204 PS 4MOTION with seven-speed DSG (seven seats, from 20 February)
- 2.0 TSI 265 PS 4MOTION with seven-speed DSG (seven seats, from 20 February)
The 19.7 kWh (net) battery in eHybrid versions opens the door to electric-only driving for the vast majority of motorists, thanks to a range of up to 75 miles (WLTP combined). It can be charged with up to 11 kW AC and 40 kW DC, the latter of which means the car can be topped up from 10 to 80 per cent in just 26 minutes.
“The Tayron is a bona fide Volkswagen; its quality is reflected in every detail,” said Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, when the model had its world premiere in October 2024. “It is comfortable and practical for everyday life, and it is available with a wide range of drive systems. With this new Volkswagen SUV, we are further expanding our range in a growing segment and closing the gap between our best-seller, the Tiguan, and our luxury SUV, the Touareg. I am convinced the Tayron will make its mark and be well received by customers.”
Rod McLeod, Director of Volkswagen UK, added: “The Tayron is the perfect addition to our range of SUVs, sitting between the top-selling Tiguan and the luxurious Touareg. With up to seven seats and plenty of luggage space, it really is the ideal companion for families and adventurers alike. It is versatile, supremely comfortable, efficient and packed with new technology. In other words, it is a Volkswagen through-and-through.”
