Longer and more spacious than the Tiguan Allspace, the Tayron also comes with the option of five seats, but for now makes use solely of the 1.4 TSI engine.
Until now unknown outside China where it debuted five years ago, Volkswagen settling on Tayron for its Tiguan Allspace replacement probably didn’t come as a surprise given the ease of opting for an already present nomenclature rather than creating a new one.
Say it with me…
Pronounced “tie-ron” and not “tai-ron” as its pronunciation suggests, the successor to the Allspace deviates from its Chinese roots further as it is assembled at Volkswagen’s home plant of Wolfsburg for export markets instead of the Changchun facility in the People’s Republic.
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Shown at the marque’s annual product Indaba at its plant in Kariega, formerly Uitenhage, in February in left-hand drive German-market spec, the Tayron’s differences from the Allspace also includes the availability of five seats and not only seven.
Selectively detailed ever since its February “sneak peek”, the official launch in Johannesburg this week not only came as a significant improvement over the Allspace, but also as the catalyst for Volkswagen’s future propulsion plans from 2026.
Tayron vs Tiguan Allspace
An aesthetic combination of the Tiguan and estate-only Passat, the Tayron, as with the Allspace, slots-in between the former and the Touareg in, once again, becoming Volkswagen’s sole three-row SUV in South Africa.
Although based on the same MQB Evo platform as the former, Volkswagen has stretched the overall length to 4 792 mm while also increasing the wheelbase to 2 788 mm.
Representing increases of 253 mm and 112 mm over the Tiguan, the Tayron’s 1 668 mm height is, however, lower by 37 mm and 10 mm narrower at 1 853 mm.
Aside from the seven seats on all but the unbadged base model, the lengthened dimensions’ other virtue is improved practicality.
In the case of the five-seat, this amounts to 885-litres or 2 090-litres with the rears folded down, versus the 652 and 1 650-litres of the Tiguan.
For three-row variant, capacity expands from 345-litres with all seven seats in use, to the same 850-litres with the outer row folded.
Surprisingly, the same volume as the five-seater isn’t replicated with the second row folded flat, as this maxes out at 1 905-litres.
By comparison, the seven seat arrangement in the Tiguan Allspace resulted in 230 and 700-litres, and 1 755-litres in “two-seat” guise.
Tayron vs Tiguan
Aside from its practicality gains, the Tayron also differs, incrementally, aesthetically from the Tiguan.
Besides the lowered roof and newly added C-pillar, the lower air intake has been redesigned, the headlights slightly restyled and the front bumper fitted with an imitation silver skidplate on all but the base model.
At the rear, the taillights resemble those of the Passat, while the bumper has a more squared-off design.
On the model front, the same three trim levels as the Tiguan apply, however, while the base Tayron and step-up Life both come standard with 18-inch alloy wheels and conventional LED headlights, the flagship R-Line receives the so-called LED Plus diodes, 19-inch alloys and the option of the Matrix I.Q. LEDs as part of the Light & Sight Package.
Projected to be the volume seller, the R-Line can also be specified with the optional black styling package, which adds 20-inch alloys to the mix.
Applicable to all variants is a full-width LED bar light bar between the headlights, complete with an illuminated Volkswagen logo and the same setup at the rear with the VW badge backlit in red.
Look familiar?
Inside, the Tayron’s interior has been lifted directly from the Tiguan as all three models are outfitted as standard with the 10-inch Digital Cockpit digital instrument cluster and the 12.9-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Replete with the same steering wheel featuring physical buttons, all also get Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitoring, Park Assist, Lane Keep Assist, Front Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert from the start.
Adding to these, the Life receives tri-zone climate control, ambient lighting, Auto High Beam Assist headlights, ArtVelour upholstered seats and rear window blinds.
Finally, the R-Line gets heated, ventilated and electric front seats with a massaging function, Varenna leather upholstery and the expanded ambient lighting package with 20 additional colours for a total of 30.
Notable options include a wireless smartphone charger, the panoramic sunroof, I.Q. Drive range of safety and driver assistance systems, and a Harman Kardon sound system.
Why no diesel?
On the power front, the Tayron is solely powered by the tried–and–tested 1.4 TSI engine that sends 110kW/250Nm to the front wheels through a seven-speed DSG.
The onset of 2026 will, however, see the arrival of the 2.0 TSI and the 4Motion all-wheel drive system, but not the 2.0 TDI as the unit used in Europe cannot run on South Africa’s high sulphur diesel.
At the same time, the 110 kW TDI used in Tiguan won’t be transplanted into the Tayron as a result of it being of an older design and not available in the European version.
Instead, improvements in the country’s petrol quality, which has made it possible to introduce the Mk 8.5 Golf GTI quicker than expected, will lead to the Tayron becoming the first Volkswagen product in South Africa to offer the mild-hybrid eTSI as a TDI alternative.
The drive
Centring around the Cradle of Humankind and Hartbeespoort, the launch route in the Life yielded a superbly comfortable ride most likely as a result of the comfort-tuned suspension and added length over the Tiguan.
The fitment of acoustic glass across the entire range also plays a part in overall refinement as very little road or wind noise intrudes into the cabin.
Unsurprisingly, progress is more adequate than spritely as a result of the Tayron Life being nearly 250 kg heavier than the comparative Tiguan Life without any occupants.
While anything but lethargic, the added mass is evident on the 1.4 TSI engine’s delivery, which requires a slightly heavier foot to overtake or simply extract a bit more momentum.
More puzzling, the seven-speed ‘box is devoid of the usual low-speed DSG drag experienced during the Tiguan Life’s stay over the December festive season period.
Given the Tayron’s payoffs of an improved ride and refinement, the inherent lack of puff, arguably, won’t be on every buyer’s radar, yet will still be felt more so than in the Tiguan.
Elsewhere, fit-and-finish is typically Volkswagen, although the silver decorative insert on the test unit sounded and felt low-rent.
Another contentious issue, the display, also used in the Golf 8.5, rates as a massive step up from that used in the Allspace and is still easy to navigate through despite the lack of physical buttons.
In fact, the opposite still applies to the climate control, which requires going into the display for the exact settings instead of relaying on the newly illuminated touch sliders which adjust only the temperature not the air delivery speed.
Conclusion
Separate in name but still related to the Tiguan inside and subtly outside, the Tayron feels slightly more substantial and upmarket, which, for some, will still be hard to swallow given the mono drivetrain option and dramatically higher price tag at nearly R900 000 for the R-Line without options.
In the face of ever increasing and more affordable options from its market of conceptualisation, the Tayron could prove to be a hard sell, but with the recognition of the Volkswagen badge, another possible winner as its predecessor turned out to be.
Price
Standard across the Tayron range is a three-year/120 000 km warranty and a five-year/90 000 km service plan.
- Tayron 1.4 TSI DSG – R811 800
- Tayron 1.4 TSI Life DSG – R853 800
- Tayron 1.4 TSI R-Line DSG – R899 900
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