The new Volkswagen Tayron has politely announced its arrival in India, like a slightly taller cousin turning up to the family reunion insisting it can fit seven people and knows how to handle a motorway. Positioned above the five-seat Tiguan, this longer, longer-wheelbase 7 seater promises more space and the familiar 204 horsepower 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine mated to a 7 speed dual clutch automatic and all wheel drive. If that sounds reassuringly familiar, it should: one of its main rivals, the Skoda Kodiaq, runs the same powertrain. What follows is a mildly contemptuous, affectionately critical look at what Volkswagen has served up for families, executives pretending to be outdoorsy, and anyone who likes soft touch materials under their palms.
Key Features
Seven Seats and a Longer Wheelbase
Volkswagen has stretched the Tayron both in overall length and wheelbase compared with the Tiguan, which is its obvious understudy. Practically, that means more cabin space where it counts: second row legroom and the faint hope that third row passengers might not immediately sue for breach of comfort. For families who have discovered the joys of the school run and long weekend escapes, this extra length promises a more grown up third row than Tiguan could offer. Do not expect airplane-class shoulder room, but you will get something usable for short journeys and emergencies that involve more relatives than seats.
204 hp 2.0 litre Turbo Petrol and 7 Speed Dual Clutch
The powertrain is honest and predictable: 204 horsepower from a 2.0 litre turbo petrol, routed through a 7 speed dual clutch automatic to all four wheels. This is the same combination that the Skoda Kodiaq puts to work, which is both comforting and slightly boring, depending on how you feel about shared engineering. On paper it offers confident motorway overtakes and capable midrange shove, and the all wheel drive adds traction when the monsoon remembers who it is. Expect the DCT to be crisp on upshifts and occasionally indecisive at slow manoeuvres, the signature quirk of dual clutch gearboxes in traffic situations.
Modern Interior With Soft Touch Materials
Volkswagen has clearly taken an interior styling course recently. The Tayron’s cabin is described as modern looking, with soft touch materials on the dashboard, doors and centre console. That tactile niceness matters. It elevates the cabin from pragmatic fleet vehicle to something you might not mind being seen in. The R Line trim adds sporty elements for buyers who dislike blandness and enjoy pretending their SUV got up early to go for a run. The likely reality is stitched surfaces, satin trims, and an infotainment layout that aims for minimalism without offending functionality.
Conventional Yet Capable Chassis and AWD
The chassis is set up for composure rather than theatrics. With AWD and a competent transmission you get predictable behaviour in wet or cratered roads and a stable high speed demeanour. The Tayron is not trying to be a rock crawler; it is trying to be the reliable friend who will take you to the hill station without overpromising on terrain conquest. That makes it useful in practical situations like monsoon trips, occasional dirt roads, and heavy luggage runs.
Pros and Cons
Here is a candid accounting, because hope is not a product feature you can spec sheet away.
Pros
- Seven seats and longer wheelbase deliver genuinely better rear legroom than the Tiguan, making it more suitable for families and carpooling.
- Proven 204 hp 2.0 litre turbo petrol with 7 speed DCT and AWD provides confident acceleration and solid high speed stability.
- Interior finishes are modern and tactile, with soft touch materials that make the cabin feel upmarket without a mortgage-sized price tag.
- R Line trim injects sporty visual cues, useful for buyers who want their SUV to look active while staying comfortably suburban.
- Shared components with Skoda Kodiaq mean easier servicing and proven reliability rather than experimental engineering gambles.
Cons
- Third row will still be tight for adults on long trips; usable, not luxurious. Expect complaints on anything longer than 45 minutes.
- DCT can be fussy at low speeds, with occasional judder or hesitation during very slow manoeuvres, which is a petty annoyance in city traffic.
- Not a true off roader despite AWD; spring and suspension tuning seem aimed at tarmac composure rather than rock-fondling.
- With so many rivals sharing similar powertrains and architecture, the Tayron needs strong equipment or pricing to stand out; otherwise it risks being the sensible but forgettable option at the dealership.
User Experience
Using the Tayron feels like wearing a well-cut suit to a breakfast meeting. It looks and feels competent, polite, and slightly smug. The cockpit supplies soft touch materials exactly where your hands expect them: steering wheel, armrest, dash lip. The R Line’s sporty trims are mostly visual theatre, but the chunkier seats and subtle bolstering do make the cabin feel purposefully driver oriented without compromising family practicality.
On the road the 204 hp engine is eager enough. Overtakes on the highway are handled with minimal fuss, and cruise control duties are assumed with a sigh of relief. The AWD system inspires confidence in wet conditions or on unpaved stretches during the festival holiday run. While the DCT is generally brisk, you will notice it at low speeds around town. Expect slight hesitations when crawling out of parking lots or during stop start traffic; nothing catastrophic, merely an inelegant reminder you’re driving a dual clutch gearbox and not an automatic with a doctorate in smoothness.
Practicalities like ingress and egress are better than the Tiguan. The longer wheelbase translates into step-in room and a second row that can host taller teenagers without immediate legal threats. Third row remains a compromise space best reserved for children, luggage-heavy detours, or adults with a taste for brief suffering. Boot space with all seven seats up is unlikely to rival some large SUVs, so if you frequently carry seven people plus baggage you will need to plan like a medieval supply officer.
Comparison With Alternatives
Skoda Kodiaq: This is the Tayron’s closest sibling and a direct competitor, since they share their powertrain. The Kodiaq tends to trade a slightly more pragmatic interior layout for Volkswagen’s restrained refinement. If you prefer quirky storage solutions and a more upright design, the Kodiaq might feel more functional. The Tayron counters with softer materials and a more conservative, premium-leaning interior presentation.
Tiguan: The Tiguan is the smaller, five-seat sibling. Buy a Tiguan if you never, ever need a third row and value city manoeuvrability. The Tayron is the choice when you occasionally feel the spark of generosity and need seats for extra people, or when longer wheelbase comfort for rear passengers matters to you.
Other rivals: Large seven seat SUVs from the segment may offer more rugged looks, larger engines, or different drivetrain philosophies such as naturally aspirated or diesel options depending on market. The Tayron plays the middle game: refined, competent, and not trying to shout about itself.
Who Should Buy This
Buy the Tayron if you are a small to medium sized family that occasionally needs seven seats but prefers comfort and refinement over rugged capability. It suits buyers who commute on highways, ferry children to school, and take annual family trips where pavement, not boulders, defines the itinerary. The Tayron is also attractive to those who like the idea of getting a step up from Tiguan without leaping all the way to full-size SUV territory.
Do not buy the Tayron if your idea of adventure includes deep mud, rock crawling, or if your neighbourhood parking is so narrow that a longer wheelbase becomes a passive-aggressive relationship test. Also, if you plan to carry seven full-sized adults regularly on long journeys, look for larger SUVs with more generous third rows.
Value for Money
We do not yet have official Indian pricing at the time of writing, and mercifully Volkswagen has left dealers to keep us in suspense until launch. Value here will boil down to equipment levels and trim differentiation. If Volkswagen prices the Tayron in the premium-but-reasonable band and outfits the mid and top trims with the expected tech and safety kit, it will be a strong contender because the mechanical package is proven and the interior materials are genuinely improved over Tiguan.
If, however, the Tayron arrives with paywalls for obvious convenience features and a premium price that encroaches on larger SUVs with more space, the charm will fade quickly. Given the shared component strategy with Skoda, value perception will hinge on how Volkswagen positions the Tayron against its sibling: is it the premium alternative or just a rebadged step up? Equipment, warranty, and service support will determine whether this is a sensible purchase or merely an aesthetically superior Tiguan with a bigger ego.
In short, the Tayron is a well judged expansion of Volkswagen’s lineup: comfortable, modern, and useful for families who rarely stray off road. It is not revolutionary, and it does not need to be. If you want a sensible seven seater with European composure and a dash of quiet style, the Tayron is worth a long look. If you want maximum third row space or muddy bragging rights, shop elsewhere.
My honest recommendation: if you need seven seats with refinement and predictable performance, the Volkswagen Tayron is worth buying; if you regularly carry seven adults or seek serious off road ability, look for a larger, purpose built alternative instead.