VOLKSWAGEN TAYRON

All-new seven-seat SUV slots in between the Tiguan and Touareg

- JACK WARRICK

Those of you who know your Chinese cars will be aware of the name Tayron, from a crossover produced collaboratively by Volkswagen and FAW. This year, though, the Tayron will go global, with a new model plugging the gap formerly filled by the Tiguan Allspace, offering seven seats and a wide-ranging powertrain selection.

This new Tayron is far bigger than the Chinese version. Measuring 4792mm, it's slightly longer than the Tiguan Allspace, and while it's based on the same MQB Evo platform as the latest Tiguan (see p56) and has remarkably similar styling, Volkswagen claims it's a unique car with no shared panels.

The Tayron's powertrain range is one of the most versatile in the Volkswagen line-up.

The petrol engines are a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid turbo four with 148bhp and a 2.0-litre turbo four with either 201bhp or 261bhp and the choice of front- or four-wheel drive.

Then there are two diesels, with 148bhp (FWD) and 190bhp (4WD).

Finally, there are two plug-in hybrid systems, with 201bhp and 268bhp. They team the 1.5-litre petrol four with a 113bhp electric motor in the six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and a huge, 19.7kWh battery for an electric-only range of more than 70 miles.

Volkswagen anticipates the PHEVs to be popular in the UK, accounting for around 20% of Tayron sales, even though the battery placement eliminates the option of seven seats.