New Volkswagen Tayron – What to Expect? » MotorOctane

Volkswagen India plans to refresh its entire range in the coming year. With the upcoming launches of the Tera and Taigun facelift, Volkswagen are trying to get back into the game. The German manufacturer released a few high-end cars this year, such as the Tiguan R-Line and Golf GTI, but they were aimed at car enthusiasts rather than the general public and failed to register good sales.

Now, Volkswagen are planning to release a full-sized SUV, the Tayron. It is supposed to be the replacement for the Tiguan Allspace and a rival to the Toyota Fortuner. We take a look at the Tayron sold globally and provide all the information you need about the India-bound Tayron.

Exterior

The Tayron follows the same design language as the latest generation of Volkswagen cars. A sleek lightbar running across the front, connecting the generic VW headlights and taillights with blackened accents, are two of the familiar design cues between the new-gen VW models. For the design, Volkswagen seems to be using the part bin from its other cars, since the Tayron headlights look pretty similar to those on the Tera, ID.4, or Tiguan R-Line.

Nonetheless, the Tayron is still a pleasant-looking car. The design isn’t aggressive like the Fortuner, and neither does it look sophisticated like the upcoming Hyundai Palisade or the Skoda Kodiaq. The overall design is understated, and there are very few cues, such as the extruded wheel arches, that give it the look of a big off-roader.

Read more: New Hyundai Palisade – What to Expect?

The Tayron is based on the MQB evo platform, which is also used in the Skoda Kodiaq. This means that both vehicles have similar dimensions. The Tayron is longer and broader than the Kodiaq, but has the same wheelbase of 2791 mm.

Like the Kodiaq, the Tayron performed really well in Euro NCAP tests, earning 5-stars. This is positive news for its potential customers, since a good Euro NCAP rating usually translates well into Bharat NCAP ratings.

Cabin

The Tayron features a sensible, straightforward cabin. It has all the modern amenities expected, which are matched with Volkswagen’s trademark build quality. You get soft-touch materials across the dashboard and driver contact areas. The wood finish, meshed with the gloss-black dashboard, gives the cabin a more lavish feel.

However, the climate controls can be a chore to use. The climate controls are integrated into the massive 15″ infotainment screen (12.9″ on lower trims), making it a snag to use while driving. Aside from the unintuitive climate controls, the Tayron is reasonably practical inside.

You also get a comprehensive equipment list with the Tayron. This list includes front seats with massage feature, ventilated seats, 30-colour ambient lighting in the dashboard and the doors, ADAS, a Harman Kardon sound system, a panoramic sunroof, a heads-up display, and much more.

The Tayron will come standard with 7 seats. An important thing to note with the UK-spec Tayron is that you cannot get the hybrid variant as a 7-seater due to the raised floor.

Powertrain

With the Tayron, you get 2 engine options – a 2.0L 4-cylinder Diesel and a 1.5L 4-cylinder Petrol. These engines do not seem particularly exciting, but they provide enough power to move a 2-tonne vehicle. The diesel engine produces 150 horsepower and a healthy 360 Nm of torque. Moreover, the petrol engine is only available with a plug-in hybrid setup. The effective power of this powertrain is 204 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque. For the Indian-spec, Volkswagen may also offer a conventional 1.5L petrol engine as an alternative.

You get the Tayron with the fabled DSG gearbox. The Petrol trims get a 6-speed DSG, whilst the diesel variants get a 7-speed DSG to handle the extra torque. The powertrain options do not inspire enthusiasm for aggressive driving but seem adequate for ordinary city usage.

Rivals

Upon its launch, the Tayron would compete with its Czech sibling, the Skoda Kodiaq. Other competitors include the Toyota Fortuner, MG Gloster, Jeep Meridien and the upcoming Hyundai Palisade and Kia Sorento. The Fortuner dominates the segment, and Volkswagen would hope that its reputation and the Tayron’s extensive feature list would distract the potential Fortuner customers.

Read More: New Kia Sorento – What to Expect?

Expected Launch And Pricing

The Tayron is expected to go on sale by mid-2026. It was recently spotted testing on Indian roads, suggesting a launch isn’t far off. This segment has been stagnant for some time with minimal updates or arrivals, but we will see newer faces in 2026 with the Tayron and Hyundai Palisade.

However, we do not yet know whether Volkswagen will launch the plug-in hybrid variant alongside its other ICE engines. Volkswagen may ditch the idea of a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), as the Indian market demands a 7-seater. Furthermore, PHEV demand is relatively low at the moment.

The price is expected to be steep at 55 lakh rupees for the base trim and 65 lakh rupees for the higher trims (on-road, Mumbai). This would place it right beside its counterparts in the price bracket.

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