One of the family

James Batchelor introduces the latest addition to Volkswagen’s SUV line-up – the roomy, practical Tayron

Volkswagen already had one of the broadest SUV line-ups in the market, but there’s a new addition to the family. Meet the Tayron, which sits between the recently launched Tiguan and range-topping Touareg, promising to offer space and comfort to growing families and the leisure market. We've been behind the wheel to see what it's like as a towcar.

Comfort – 78%

First, we need to address the name. Pronounced ‘Tie-ron’, it’s a name that will be unfamiliar to Brits, although it has been used on a China-only Volkswagen SUV for the past few years. This Tayron is brand new, though, and is effectively a direct replacement for the old Tiguan Allspace, offering a longer wheelbase, a larger interior, and the choice of five or seven seats compared with the existing Tiguan. With these credentials you could see it as a rival to the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Peugeot 5008, and others.

Unlike the blocky Santa Fe and sharp-suited 5008, the Tayron is fairly conventional looking, sporting a similar front and rear to its sister Tiguan, with a stretched middle section.

At 4,792mm, it’s seven centimetres longer than the old Tiguan Allspace, and this can be particularly felt in the rear. The second row of seats offers loads of head and kneeroom, and can slide backwards and forwards and is reclinable. You’ll need to slide the seats pretty far forwards to gain access to the third row – climbing into these isn’t the easiest process. Once back there, it’s quickly apparent that they are only suitable for adults on the shortest of trips, although children will be comfortable enough.

With the third row in place, boot space is predictably on the small side at 345 litres, which is less than a Volkswagen Golf hatchback. Fold those back seats down and the space expands to a very respectable 850 litres. Meanwhile, five-seater models boast a larger 885-litre boot (or 705 litres in the plug-in hybrids (PHEVs)). Incidentally, five seats are your only option if you go for a PHEV.

Up front is a nice place to be. Models like the Tayron show that Volkswagen is slowly returning to the days of offering cars with plush interiors – the standard of fit and finish is mostly good. There are plenty of stitched soft-touch materials across the dash and there’s even a sliver of open-pore wood, although lower down there are still quite a few scratchy plastics on show. Volkswagen has tried to brighten things up – our Elegance model had configurable 30-colour ambient lighting with lighting strips in the usual places as well as embedded in the dashboard and door trim panels.

Every Tayron comes with a 10.25in digital instrument cluster along with a 12.9in central touchscreen. The latter has been much maligned in recent years, but recent updates have improved the system’s ease of use. The ‘sliders’ – which control the volume and temperature – are now backlit, and Volkswagen has returned to offering proper buttons on its steering wheels. Buyers can upgrade to a larger, 15in infotainment screen by opting for the £1,130 Infotainment Package Plus, which also includes a head-up display, multiple USB-C charging ports, and Volkswagen’s voice assistant, IDA. A rotary dial on the centre console, which can control the audio and driving modes, is a neat touch..

Driving – 74%

The Tayron feels fluid through corners

Volkswagen has given the Tayron a surprisingly broad engine range, with petrols, mild-hybrids, PHEVs and even diesels on offer.

The line-up kicks off with a mild-hybrid 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol, followed by a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with either 201bhp or 261bhp – both of these 2.0-litre units come exclusively with four-wheel drive. Those who prefer diesel can opt for a 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI, and we suspect that many a caravan owner will consider this unit, as it’s torquey and will return around 50mpg according to Volkswagen.

The PHEVs, which combine the 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and come in 201bhp and 268bhp guises, can run up to 76 miles on pure electric power. But, like with all PHEVs, you need to keep the battery pack topped up to get the most from it.

Our test car came with the 148bhp 1.5-litre mild-hybrid, called eTSI – it’s not the most obvious choice for a towcar, but still decent for those who don't want a PHEV or a diesel. Performance is pretty brisk thanks to a slug of low-down torque, but towards the higher end of the rev range it's a bit lazy and coarse.

All engines come with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox – normally a slick unit, we found it a little dithery when paired with the 1.5 eTSI.

There are few complaints when it comes to handling. The Tayron feels fluid through corners and very composed, while tight and accurate steering gives plenty of confidence. Surprisingly, the Tayron rides better than the Skoda Kodiaq despite being its sister; the Volkswagen feels slightly softer over bumpers but no less tied down. You can soften and stiffen the ride even further if you opt for the £1,020 Adaptive Chassis Control, and this is something we recommend for towers.

Towing – 70%

It’s perhaps unsurprising to learn that Volkswagen has given the Tayron good towing credentials. The 2.0-litre petrol versions can tow up to 2,400kg; the 2.0 diesel 400kg less, and even the PHEV versions can manage 1,800kg (in 201bhp guise) or 2,000kg (in 268bhp form).

The 1.5 mild-hybrid, tested here, can cope with up to 1,800kg, and it did a good job of hauling a 2019 Bailey Pegasus Grande Turin caravan. Acceleration up to 60mph was more than decent enough, although the car did feel a little strained between 50mph and 60mph and when overtaking slower-moving vehicles. Just a small level of tug from the rear was felt, particularly when turning, but generally the outfit felt safe and secure.

Verdict – 74%

If you really need a spacious seven-seater SUV or even a PHEV with seven seats, then the Tayron might not be for you. But for most buyers who just want some extra space or the option of carrying seven very occasionally, the Tayron is a fine choice. It’s practical, roomy and drives very well indeed.