2026 Volkswagen Tayron review

There’s been an identity crisis at Volkswagen. That’s why we ended up in a barn in the New South Wales southern highlands where, apparently, an episode of reality TV show Married at First Sight (MAFS) was shot. 

You see, according to Volkswagen, many Australian customers weren’t aware the previous Tiguan mid-size SUV could also be had with seven seats – in the same way a lot of us watched MAFS but tried to make sure no-one knew we did.  

That misunderstanding was in part due to the fact the Tiguan Allspace, as the previous seven-seat version was badged, wasn’t distinctive enough – in terms of both name and design, as well as positioning – to stand out from its popular five-seat sibling (even if the Allspace has actually out-sold the Tiguan so far this year to become Volkswagen Australia’s second-best selling SUV behind the smaller T-Roc).

As a result, many customers bought other seven-seaters instead, such as the Mazda CX-80 and Kia Sorento large SUVs, and the Nissan X-Trail mid-size SUV, simply because they thought the Volkswagen cupboard was bare. 

Enter the 2026 Volkswagen Tayron. 

The Tayron (pronounced ‘Tie-ron’) is a new name but a familiar proposition in that it’s a long-wheelbase SUV based on the new third-generation Tiguan, once again offering seven seats – or five seats with a massive boot.

If it was auditioning for MAFS, the Tayron would say it’s looking for ‘growing families’ and ‘adventurers’ – or those who just like a massive boot – and is seeking a broader, deeper connection with potential buyers. 

It’s stepping out from the shadow of the Allspace with a four-grade model lineup, but continues to offer the key attributes that made its predecessor a success.

Under the bonnet, three turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines are available, ranging from the entry-level 110kW 1.4-litre to the top-shelf R-Line’s 195kW 2.0-litre turbo-four from the iconic Golf GTI hot hatch.

There are no plans for diesel power in Australia, but plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of the Tayron as well as the Tiguan are planned for local release in 2026. 

In the meantime, we’ve had our first drive on Australian roads to determine whether your six passengers should write ‘stay’ or ‘leave’ when it comes to signing on the dotted line for a new Tayron.

How much does the Volkswagen Tayron cost?

Like the Tiguan on which it’s based, the Tayron is available in both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive guise and in three equipment grades, including the base Life, the mid-range Elegance, and the sportier R-Line flagship.

Unlike its Allspace predecessor, the Tayron has unique front and rear bumpers – below its LED headlights and illuminated front and rear Volkswagen emblems – and squared-off wheel-arches to set it apart from the five-seat Tiguan. 

Model grades are distinguished on the outside by different alloy wheel designs – ranging from 18- to 19- and 20-inch – as well as specific bumper inserts and details such as black roof rails that are painted silver on Elegance and R-Line variants. 

Each Tayron costs more than the Allspace it replaces, but also brings additional equipment, space – and in some cases power – for the extra cash. 

There’s still a sub-$50k seven-seat entry variant, too, with the Tayron 110TSI Life priced at $48,290 before on-road costs and powered by a carryover 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine sending the same 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque to the front wheels.

That’s less than the cheapest Kia Sorento S, which offers seven seats and a more powerful yet thirstier six-cylinder engine for $50,990 before on-roads. 

It also positions the base Tayron well below other seven-seat large SUVs like the Toyota Kluger (from $62,410) and Mazda CX-80 (from $55,200) – but above the cheapest seven-seat Mitsubishi Outlander mid-size SUV ($41,790 plus on-roads).

Next up at $53,990 plus on-roads is the Tayron 150TSI Life, the only five-seat version, offering a cavernous 885-litre boot teamed with a 150kW/320Nm 2.0-litre engine and all-wheel drive (AWD). 

The same powertrain is available with the Elegance trim level for $59,490 before on-roads, and Volkswagen Australia expects it to be the most popular model grade – given it was the sweet spot in the previous Tiguan Allspace range.

The 195kW/400Nm R-Line AWD flagship tops the Tayron range – at least for now – priced at $73,490 before on-road costs, which is a decent wedge over the priciest (non-hybrid, petrol powered) Sorento GT-Line, which costs $65,790 plus on-roads but remains front-drive.

Pure White is the only exterior paint colour not attracting an $800 metallic paint surcharge. Ultraviolet Metallic purple is exclusive to the Tayron R-Line, costing an extra $1100.

To see how the Volkswagen Tayron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What is the Volkswagen Tayron like on the inside?

Spacious, classy and well equipped across the lineup – even in entry-level Life form – the Tayron excels in terms of storage and packaging, even if it’s not perfect. 

The seats are the most obvious distinction between model grades inside, but the Life’s excellent front pews are trimmed in cloth with leatherette outers (and accompanied by a leather-topped dash, doors and steering wheel), so the cheapest Tayron doesn’t feel like a price-leader at all.

Stepping into the Elegance and R-Line brings perforated leather ‘ergoactive’ trim, and 12-way power-adjustable front seats with massaging, although steering column adjustment remains manual across the lineup. 

The front seats are also heated and ventilated up front, and there are heated outboard second-row seats, too, as well as a woodgrain-style applique for the Elegance, while the R-Line gets black and aluminium highlights, blue stitching and R logos.

In all versions, the centre console has two wireless phone charging slots (most rivals offer only one), which include both a cover to hold handsets in position and a cooling function to prevent devices from overheating. 

There’s also a rotary dial with an integrated digital display to switch between drive modes and quickly adjust audio volume, surrounded by minimal fingerprint-attracting piano black shrouds. 

The dial is one of few physical buttons or switches on the dash and console, which is a cause of frustration when trying to access air-conditioning and other key controls on the move – a known problem Volkswagen has promised to rectify in all of its future vehicles. 

That leaves the buttons on the steering wheel as the most accessible controls – as in other Volkswagen models, including the Golf hatch – and it’s combined with an excellent digital instrument cluster that can be configured in one of six different layouts. 

It might lack buttons, but the central multimedia touchscreen measures 12.9 inches – making it bigger than the infotainment screen in key rivals and significantly larger than the base Allspace’s biggest 10.2-inch display – and an even bigger 15.0-inch unit is optional for the Elegance and standard in the R-Line. 

The touchscreens in all variants are crisp and clear, with a 360-degree surround view camera standard in all versions. As in other Volkswagens we’ve tested of late, the menu has four customisable quick-find tiles and is relatively easy and intuitive when it comes to doing things like pairing phones (wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is standard). 

Yet the Tayron is all about space. The wheelbase is 2791mm (a single millimetre shorter for the Tayron Life, according to Volkswagen), making it 110mm longer than the new-generation Tiguan’s, but the same as the Allspace’s.

The Tayron’s second row is much roomier than the first, offering even more legroom thanks to the 40/20/40-split and folding rear bench seat’s ability to both slide fore and aft, in addition to its adjustable backrest. There are also two ISOFIX child seat anchors and three mounting points in the second row. 

Second-row climate control includes air vents and a digital display in the back of the centre console – as well as seat heating controls, built-in rear window sunshades and privacy glass for the Elegance and R-Line.

The centre armrest has two cupholders as well as a tablet holder, and there’s a pair of USB-C ports for rear passengers too, a short distance from the latter.

It’s a different story in the third row, which is easily accessed via either a shoulder latch, lower cloth tab or by sliding the second row along the floor rails. Very little muscle or strength is required to move the second row, which slides and tilts but can’t be fully removed. 

Yet the third row is a typically small, child-friendly area that’s far too tight for most adults to sit in comfortably, even for a short time, counting out your favourite Rugby Sevens team members. 

There are small storage bins on each side of the third-row seat, while the side curtain airbags stretch all the way to the rearmost passengers, too.

An electric tailgate is standard for all models and includes a ‘kick’ function for hands-free operation. And the boot has a 12V socket and multiple luggage hooks, plus a cargo net in Elegance and R-Line variants.  

The cargo area also has a quick-release lever to tumble the third-row seat forward, and a clever storage area for the cargo cover. 

With all seven seats occupied, cargo capacity is 345 litres, growing to 850L with the third row stowed, and 1905L with the second row folded as well.

The Allspace, in comparison, offered up to 1775L of space behind the front seats, while the new Tiguan stows up to 1650L.

Naturally, the five-seater has the most space, with its 885L of capacity behind the second row – measured from the floor to the top of the rear seats – growing to a huge 2090L with the second row down.

Among rivals in Australia, only the Peugeot 5008 has more luggage space with a 2232L total.

Impressively, the Tayron offers this amount of space while employing independent rear suspension, instead of shortcutting its way to more space with a cheaper, more compact torsion-beam setup. 

The cargo space is also cleverly packaged. The boot floor is almost flat and has no rear lip, making loading easier, and there’s an under-floor space-saver spare wheel supplied with all models.

To see how the Volkswagen Tayron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

The Tayron may be a new name, but it comes with familiar, proven petrol engines that are also found in a raft of other Volkswagens, including the latest Tiguan and the Allspace it replaces. 

The entry-level Tayron Life runs the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol 110TSI powertrain, which derives its name from the 110kW of peak power it feeds to the front wheels. 

It’s an improvement over the same drivetrain in the final Allspace, as it gets a new seven-speed ‘DQ381’ dual clutch automatic transmission (DCT) in place of the previous six-speed.

All other Tayrons run ‘evo 4’ versions of the ‘EA888’ 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine – as seen in the legendary Golf GTI – hooked up to the seven-speed DCT plus all-wheel drive. 

They all deliver more power than their equivalent Allspace predecessors. 

That means 150kW/320Nm for the 150TSI Life and 150TSI Elegance (up from 132kW), while peak power matches the GTI in the Tayron R-Line at 195kW (up from 162kW). But with 400Nm, this seven-seat SUV has 30Nm more torque than the legendary hot hatch.

All-wheel drive versions also offer a 2500kg braked towing capacity, and also add Offroad and Snow drive modes to the Comfort, Eco, Sport and Individual settings in the front-drive 110TSI Life, which has an 1800kg tow rating. 

The entry-level 110TSI is naturally the most economical, with an official combined figure of 7.6L/100m, while the 150TSI is rated at 7.7L/100km and the R-Line at 8.6L/100km – commendable numbers for non-hybrid petrol-powered SUVs. 

To see how the Volkswagen Tayron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Volkswagen Tayron drive?

Driving the new Tayron at its Australian launch revealed all model variants offer similar core driving characteristics despite their different power outputs, chassis tunes and wheel sizes. 

Above: 150TSI Elegance

The common elements include a good driving position, even in the base Life with its manual seat adjustment, thanks to more than ample leg, hip and shoulder room. 

The seats are well bolstered, supportive and comfortable – again, even in the base car – with the same leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift paddles presented to the driver.

Headroom is not bad, but the lower roofline is noticeable and contributes to a somewhat narrow rear windscreen, limiting vision out the back – and that’s before there are any passengers to further hamper the outlook.

The 110TSI engine in the Life is surprisingly agile – although we drove it without passengers for our first run – and has buttery smooth refinement thanks in part to slick gear changes from the seven-speed DCT.

It doesn’t take long to get comfortable with the car on the road. The electro-mechanical steering lacks some feel but has enough precision to easily place the Tayron on narrow mountain roads like those used for the launch event. 

Ride comfort is reasonable on the 18-inch Hankook tyres, but our brief run in the Life had us wondering if the Dynamic Chassis Control Pro (DCC Pro) that comes with all other versions would improve its crashiness over larger bumps.

It includes two-valve adaptive dampers designed to individually manage vertical and lateral wheel movement to deliver better ride quality. 

Sadly, this may be the Tayron 110TSI’s Achilles’ heel, since it’s our most significant criticism of what is an otherwise well rounded and highly sophisticated package.

DCC Pro is standard in the Elegance – which also rides on Hankook rubber, but this time 19-inch. And while it’s also available in entry-level Life trim, the punchier 150TSI engine brings noticeably more performance but still delivers it with superb refinement.

But the 150TSI Elegance is also another step-up in terms of ride stiffness. To be fair, the roller-coaster winding roads we drove the Tayron on were great for showing off its sharp chassis – which delivers excellent body control, taut handling and tenacious traction, while minimising rear-end squat under brisk acceleration and front-end dive under heavy braking – but they also uncovered a lack of polish over larger bumps. 

During our drive back to Sydney at the wheel of the 20-inch Continental tyre-shod R-Line – taking in mainly highways – even the smallest bump, perforation and surface change was transmitted through to the cabin.

This also brought out some minor squeaks and squirms from some interior trim pieces. Other than the aforementioned centre console rotary dial, all cabin materials feel high-quality – but perhaps their fit isn’t quite so precise. 

Above: 195TSI R-Line

Around town – and on smoother, urban roads – this may not be an issue for many city and suburban dwellers, but some may find it a stretch from this seven-seat SUV’s core goal of ‘luxurious comfort’.

The rest of the Tayron driving experience – including the well-calibrated, inobtrusive driver assist systems, the easy slow-speed parking and the polished powertrains – is a class act. 

In all three model grades, we found minimal differences between driving modes – which change steering, throttle, adaptive cruise and air-con settings – but a more extensive drive may reveal more nuance, so watch this space.

The R-Line’s Golf GTI-matching power output and even higher torque peak endow it with a GTI-like 6.1-second 0-100km/h claim. It feels about that quick and it also has a satisfyingly rorty exhaust note, but never feels coarse.

Its wider 255-section tyres work well with its DCC, AWD and electronic front diff lock to create a supremely capable, fluid machine on windy roads, showing that SUVs are not the end of driver engagement. 

This is not a hot hatch on stilts, mind you, but then again it is an R-Line, not a full-blown R.

In any guise, the Tayron is a very well resolved, competent drive – not just thanks to its refined and punchy powertrains – but the harsher ride on larger wheels as you go up the range could turn some buyers off.

To see how the Volkswagen Tayron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

The Tayron lineup has four variants to choose from, three with seven seats plus a single five-seat offering.

2025 Volkswagen Tayron 110TSI Life equipment highlights:

• 18-inch alloy wheels with 235/55 tyres
• Proximity entry
• Powered hands-free tailgate
• Digital Cockpit Pro digital instrument cluster
• 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• DAB+ digital radio
• Wireless phone charger
• Park Assist Plus semi-autonomous parking

The 150TSI Life adds:

• 4Motion all-wheel drive
• Adaptive chassis control (DCC Pro)
• Chrome roof rails and trim
• Rear privacy glass
• LED Plus headlights with illuminated light bar
• LED tail-lights with illuminated light bar

The 150TSI Elegance adds:

• 19-inch alloy wheels on 235/50 tyres
• Leather-appointed upholstery
• ergoActive front seats
• Power adjustment
• Massage
• Memory
• Heating
• Ventilation
• LED Plus headlights with illuminated centre strip
• LED Plus tail-lights with illuminated centre strip
• 15-inch Discover Pro Max infotainment system

The 195TSI R-Line adds:

• 20-inch alloy wheels on 255/50 tyres
• R-Line body kit
• R-Line interior
• Progressive steering
• Head-up display
• Harman/Kardon sound system
• HD Matrix LED headlights with adaptive high beam
• LED Plus tail-lights with dynamic indicators
• 15-inch Discover Pro Max infotainment system

To see how the Volkswagen Tayron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Volkswagen Tayron safe?

The five-star Euro NCAP safety rating for the Tayron will likely transfer to a five-star ANCAP rating locally, given the two independent auto safety bodies share test results and data where applicable.

*Euro NCAP scores listed. ANCAP scores are TBC

Standard safety features include:

• 9 airbags incl. front centre, rear-side
• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
• Area View – surround cameras
• Autonomous emergency braking – AEB
  • Pedestrian detection
  • Cyclist detection
• Driver attention monitor
• Oncoming vehicle braking
  • Turn Assist
  • Swerve support
• Park Assist Plus – automated parking
• Parking sensors – front, rear
• Proactive passenger protection system
• Side Assist
  • Blind-spot monitoring
  • Rear cross-traffic alert
• Travel Assist with Lane Assist
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Adaptive lane guidance
  • Emergency Assist
  • Traffic Jam Assist

To see how the Volkswagen Tayron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Volkswagen Tayron cost to run?

The Tayron has a five-year, unlimited-kilometre factory warranty with 12 months roadside assistance included – which can be extended by a further 12 months with each service at an authorised VW dealer.

Servicing can be packaged into a Tayron Care Plan, saving more than $500 compared to paying for each service as it happens – but this Volkswagen still costs considerably more to service than rivals such as the Honda CR-V. 

To see how the Volkswagen Tayron lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Volkswagen Tayron

Sitting on a chesterfield couch in front of your peers and thrashing out whether you should have a relationship with the Volkswagen Tayron, MAFS-style, shouldn’t be difficult. 

This new seven-seater brilliantly walks the line in terms of equipment, capability and running costs, making it a highly compelling family SUV. 

It capitalises on the strengths of its predecessor without diluting the appeal that made it one of the German brand’s best-selling SUVs in Australia, even if foibles like the firmer ride and largely buttonless cabin take some shine off an otherwise strong overall effort. 

The Tayron may cost more than the Tiguan Allspace it replaces, but it’s still well priced against competitors and brings greater boot and cabin space, as well as more features, richer tech and better driveability – even in entry-level form. 

The top-spec R-Line may dilute that value equation, even if it ups the ante in terms of driving dynamics, so it’s no surprise the mid-spec Elegance 150TSI is set to be the volume-seller because it delivers the most convincing balance between price, kit and overall polish.

There are cheaper options, as well as pricier choices, and the appeal of the Tayron lineup will extend further beyond its initial honeymoon phase when PHEV versions arrive in Australia in the first half of 2026. 

But even as it stands, the Tayron was impressive enough during our first local drive for us to declare ‘stay’, and it should be on your seven-seat SUV shopping list, too. 

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Volkswagen Tayron. Click here to get a great deal.

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MORE: Explore the Tayron showroom