A perfect family SUV (with a catch)

THE recently launched Volkswagen Tayron is the German manufacturer's replacement for the phased-out Tiguan Allspace and sits between the Touareg and the Tiguan.

- Willem van de Putte

It’s set to replace the Touareg as the brand's flagship as production of the large SUV winds down in the next year or so.

We recently had the mid-specced Tayron Life on test and came away suitably impressed, although there were a few concerns after handing back the keys.

Range

Although we had the Life, the Base sits below it, and the tops the lineup.

The five-seater Base derivative comes standard with Eco LED headlights, park assist, a blind-spot monitor with tear traffic alert, a 12.9-inch infotainment system, adaptive cruise control with front assist, lane-keeping assist and 18-inch Bologna alloy wheels.

Stepping up to our Tayron Life, it adds three-zone automatic climate control, 10-colour ambient lighting and a total of nine airbags.

It also features Driving Experience Control, which allows the driver to adjust various driving profiles, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a digital instrument cluster, LED headlights with automatic main beam control and illuminated Volkswagen logos front and rear.

The R-Line adds sports comfort seats upholstered in Varenna leather, leather inserts across the dashboard and door panels, and faux aluminium decorative trim. Exterior changes include R-Line-specific bumpers and 19-inch Coventry alloy wheels.

It also gains LED Plus headlights with dynamic cornering lights, 3D LED tail lights with dynamic indicators and expanded 30-colour ambient lighting.

Exterior