Strikingly complete, but not a seven-seater
Volkswagen’s continuous light bars are usually not standard, but now we have found a car that always has them. That car is the Tayron, which in its cheapest form is also a plug-in hybrid.
Volkswagen Tayron 1.5 eHybrid Life Edition – € 53,490
Yesterday a double test appeared on this site online between the Mitsubishi Outlander and the Skoda Kodiaq. If the car of your choice is not there, but you are shopping in this segment, the Volkswagen Tayron may be a good alternative. The Tayron is completely new in Volkswagen’s line-up and replaces the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace of yesteryear as a separate model. Like that Allspace, the Tayron is mainly larger than the regular Tiguan, but unlike the Allspace, it is not simply an extended version of Volkswagen’s mid-size SUV.
With the arrival of the Tayron, Volkswagen has more than ever a direct alternative to the Skoda Kodiaq, because that car has always been just a bit bigger and more spacious than a Tiguan. The Tayron also shares its biggest handicap with that Kodiaq, because both models are not available as a seven-seater as a plug-in hybrid. That is extra painful with the Tayron, because the non-plug-in hybrid 1.5 eTSI is considerably more expensive here than the more powerful PHEV. So you pay a lot extra to get a less fine and powerful power source, just because of that third row of seats. With Skoda, the mild hybrid is cheaper, a striking difference.
More expensive than the Kodiaq
Anyone who wants a seven-seater will soon end up with Skoda for this reason alone. For plug-in hybrid buyers, the choice is more difficult, although the Kodiaq remains cheaper than the Tayron. A Kodiaq PHEV is available from €48,990, a Tayron PHEV – and therefore ‘a Tayron’ – from €53,490. For that money you immediately get a 4.8 meter long SUV with 204 hp, a six-speed DSG automatic transmission and an electric range of 123 kilometers, but again no four-wheel drive. A Tayron never has that. In terms of versions, Volkswagen keeps it nice and clear and the brand only offers the Life Edition and the R-Line Edition, with the latter distinguishing itself with a panoramic roof, massage chairs, sporty styling and a €5,000 higher price.
No seat heating
Everything else is also simply on the Life and that means that every Tayron is equipped with, among other things, climate control with three zones, navigation, an extensive digital instrument panel, an adaptive chassis, light metal and even sun blinds in the back. Electric seat adjustment and seat and steering wheel heating are not available, which you could experience as a miss on such a large, luxurious and expensive SUV. This can be solved by one of the available option packages, where, depending on the further extras, you pay €550 or €2,990 to get seat heating. In the latter case, there are also immediately (extra) ergonomic front seats with massage, seat ventilation, leather upholstery and steering wheel heating, and your Tayron is suddenly very complete even without R-Line.
On the outside, it is also clear that Volkswagen positions the Tayron quite high. Where other Volkswagens are delivered as standard with simple headlights and taillights WITHOUT continuous LED strip (even the Passat and ID7), the Tayron gets that ‘party lighting’ as standard. The car also has neat 17-inch light metal as standard and the side windows and roof are finished with strips and rails with a beautiful layer of chrome.
The ‘Travel Package’ (the spaces are original Volkswagen) with a 230V socket, electric child locks and an adjustable loading floor is also nice for €290 and if the budget allows, I would also like to tick the panoramic sliding tilting roof of €1,390. Oh, and an electrically folding tow bar of €1,190, because with 1,800 kg there can be quite a bit behind the Tayron.
Probably for the first time in this section I choose optional wheels, because 17-inch is a bit small for the Tayron. For €590 Volkswagen screws on 18-inch Napoli wheels and the only thing that remains is a color. That does not lead to price increases with this Volkswagen, because all available colors are available without extra charge. Because ‘my’ Tiguan is already ‘Nightshade Blue’, I’m going for ‘Ultra Violet Metallic’ today. Also nice, although the dark purple result costs €56,662.