As we explained in our Volkswagen Tayron (say it "Tie-ron") launch story not so long ago, it’s ostensibly the replacement for the Tiguan Allspace 7-seater. Except VW has decided it should now have a look and name all its own, so it has unique styling inside and out. The name's not entirely new, by the way - it's been used on a Chinese-market SUV since 2018.
And for New Zealand, even the entry-level Tayron Elegance featured here has a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, AWD as standard and a trick adaptive suspension system with 15 selectable settings.
So it’s a 7-seat alternative to a Tiguan that looks quite different and has semi-sporting aspirations. Put the VW badge aside for a moment and it's really the successor to the now-defunct Seat Tarraco FR (similar power, also AWD, good to drive). If you’re looking for a replacement for your 7-up Spanish SUV, this might be it.
Tarraco was built in Germany, in fact, and you can keep that cred with Tayron; while the previous Tiguan Allspace came out of Mexico for the Kiwi market, the new Tayron is put together in VW's homeland.
That all brings us to an inconvenient truth for Tayron: it seems awfully expensive. The base price for our Tayron Elegance is a whopping $78,990. The aforementioned Tarraco FR was $65k at launch and VW still has the old Tiguan Allspace Style AWD on runout at $59,990 (but even full price was just $69,990).
Even the entry-level Tayron Elegance featured here has a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, AWD as standard and a trick adaptive suspension system with 15 selectable settings.
In fairness, the Tayron Elegance is a whole lot more car than those 7-seaters-of-old. Aside from the powertrain and trick suspension, you’re getting the full suite of active safety stuff (nothing is lost compared to the even-more-costly $96,990 R-Line), LED lights front and rear with illuminated VW logos at each end (a VW first), the Driving Experience Control dial with integrated touch screen that handles audio volume, drive modes and the “Atmosphere” 30-colour interior lighting, triple-zone climate control, heated/massage seats and remote/power tailgate. The dual wireless phone chargers up front are a nice touch, too.
It might seem odd to choose the least expensive Tayron and then start adding accessories, but our car also had the $6000 Touring package with ergoActive seats featuring part-leather upholstery and power adjustment/ventilation, a Harman Kardon audio system and panoramic slide/tilt roof. Total cost $84,990. Which is lots but still $12k less than the Tayron R-Line.
Inside, Tayron is arguably more traditional-looking than Tiguan, but also arguably a bit more classy. Note the Porsche-like “dished” trim around the dashboard with wood inlay.
Tayron is 253mm longer than a Tiguan, 112mm of that in the wheelbase. And while you’d never say it’s a looker, the negligible increase in height (8mm) gives it a slighty more sleek look than its smaller sibling.
Inside, Tayron is arguably more traditional-looking than Tiguan but also arguably a bit more classy. Note the Porsche-like “dished” trim around the dashboard with wood inlay. The intricate illuminated graphics on the passenger-side dashboard and door trims might not be to all tastes, but you can tone them down a bit with the right choice of Atmosphere colour.
What is notable is that you get pretty good bootspace even with the Tayron in 7-seat configuration. And there’s a neat little knook under the floor to store the tonneau cover out of the way.
The increase in wheelbase gives the Tayron a truly capacious second-row seat. As with so many cars in this segment, the third row is really still for kids, but access is pretty good: click the second-row backrest down completely or just tilt and slide forward.
What is notable is that you get pretty good bootspace even with the Tayron in 7-seat configuration. Oddly, VW doesn’t give a volume figure for that (the similar Skoda Kodiaq offers 340 litres), but with the third row folded down you get 850l and once you drop the second row (which you can also do from a lever in the boot) there’s a massive 1905l. There’s a neat little knook under the floor to store the tonneau cover out of the way.
Refinement is a real strength of the Tayron. In fact, one passenger on a short urban trip mistook it for a plug-in of some kind, because it was so quiet. And the adjustable suspension gives the option of keeping the most compliant ride setting, even if you’re got the drive mode wound up to Sport.
The Elegance is down 45kW on the R-Line and lacks its Progressive Steering and 20-inch wheels on lower-profile tyres, but it’s truly composed in the corners: it turns in well, traction is excellent and it flows along tricky backroads quite nicely.
It feels really polished, although still not an SUV you’d throw around for the sake of it. Taut it may be, but even this entry-level Tayron is a hefty 1896kg on the scales.
Is the Tayron really so costly? Compared to what’s come before, yes. It’s a huge leap. But compared to what you can buy now, perhaps not. It’s a close relative to the Skoda Kodiaq, which you can have with a 142kW turbo-diesel and AWD for $78,300. A Hyundai Santa Fe Elite AWD is $79,990.
The Tayron is a polished family 7-seater with an incredibly broad range of talents. What its lacking compared to the competition is a bit of styling flair, although it’s also important for a VW to look like a VW.
Luckily, there’s help at hand on the colour chart: might we suggest Cipressino Green, Nightshade Blue or the hero Ultraviolet?
How much is the Volkswagen Tayron Elegance?
Our Elegance is the entry point to the Tayron range at $78,990, although it's far from basic. The more powerful, more lavish R-Line is $96,990.
What are the key statistics for the Volkswagen Tayron Elegance?
The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol 4-cylinder engine makes 150kW/320Nm. It's AWD-only, with a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
Is the Volkswagen Tayron Elegance efficient?
The 2.0-litre engine is pretty clean (EU6e compliant) but it's also sans electrification and driving a 1.9-tyonne car, so don't expect to be wowed by the fuel economy. The official 3P-WLTP figure is 8.0 litres per 100km and we averaged 8.9l/100km for a varied week of running.
Is the Volkswagen Tayron Elegance good to drive?
Remarkably so. Tayron has a very broad range of talents, from a comfortable urban ride to very composed cornering at speed.
Is the Volkswagen Tayron Elegance practical?
Practicality is the whole reason for the Tayron to exist. It's super-spacious in the second row thanks to the big stretch in wheelbase over the Tiguan; the third row is fine for children or very short distances, as is the case with most vehicles in this segment.
Access to the back is good, with second-row seats that tilt and slide.
The Tayron also impresses with its luggage space. There's a vast 850 litres in 5-seat configuration and although Volkswagen strangely doesn't state a volume for the boot with all 7 seats in use, it's actually still pretty useful. There's also a bespoke knook for the luggage cover under the boot floor when the back row is raised.
Fold the second and third rows flat and you have a mighty load area (1905 litres) and yes, it's close to flat.
What do we like about the Volkswagen Tayron Elegance?
Even this entry model is lavishly equipped, it's supremely spacious and practical, astonishingly refined and yet also highly capable in the corners.
What don’t we like about the Volkswagen Tayron Elegance?
There's no denying the huge leap up in price form the previous Tiguan Allspace, the styling is on-point for VW brand recognition but far from exciting, the Elegance lacks the R-Line's 360-degree camera.
What kind of person would the Volkswagen Tayron Elegance suit?
Somebody wanting a conventional VW SUV with a lot of space. Or a Seat Tarraco FR owner who wants a new-gen version of their car.