Fun fact: the new Volkswagen Tayron is the first VW with a combustion engine that has lit-up logos both in the front and in the rear. Yes, you’re right – the ever-fabulous Golf has a light-up badge, too but that’s only at the front. The Tayron is illuminating, both coming and going.
It’s little touches like these that make for a better big car. Big? Oh yes – the Tayron may not be an over-sized American-style SUV, but it’s big enough to take on the travails of family life, with seven seats and a large boot all present.
Space is not the first thing that comes to mind when you see the Tayron. From the outside it looks sporty and sleek for an SUV, with a distinctive sweep of bright trim that runs from the windscreen to the base of the tailgate. Up front there are ultra-bright LED lights – so late-night runs home won’t hold any nasty surprises – and at the rear there are scrolling indicators.
Okay, enough about the outside. What really matters for a family car is what’s inside, and the Tayron’s got a lot going on in here. Remember we said space? Well, you can choose from roomy five-seat models with up to 705 litres of boot space (in comparison, the spacious Golf hatchback has 380 litres of boot space), or a seven-seat model which, when you fold down the extra seats in the back, can lug up to 850 litres of whatever you need to carry.
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The back seats slide and recline, so getting comfy back there is easy and the big windows give everyone a great view. However good it is for those in the back, though, it’s better again for those in the front (proper order…). As well as the option of a special 75th birthday trim called the Tayron Edition 75, which has additional specs included at a discounted price, there’s also a multi-function steering wheel with proper buttons that are easy to use on the move. There’s a 30-colour ambient lighting system and even 10-chamber pressure-point massaging seats.
There’s high-tech on offer too. A dual wireless phone charging pad that charges at up to 15-watts, while there are also 45-watt USB-C sockets that are powerful enough to charge a laptop on the go. And because your hands are always going to be full of the bags with those laptops and phones in them, the Tayron helpfully has keyless entry, that unlocks as your hands approach the handle.
Speaking of tech, you can speak to the tech. Volkswagen has fitted the Tayron with its latest-generation Ida voice assistant, powered by ChatGPT artificial intelligence. It means that instead of using clunky commands that an old computer could understand, you can actually talk naturally to the Tayron. Start by saying, “Hello, Ida.” And then try something like, “Where can I find fine-dining restaurants in Dublin?” You can also mention to Ida that you’re feeling chilly and it’ll turn up the temperature in the cabin and flick on the heated seats. Tell it, specifically, that your hands are cold, and warm air will start to flow from the face-level vents in the dashboard. The clever microphone system can even figure out whether you’re talking, or your front seat passenger is, so you can both ask for different stuff.
Tech such as this – and the likes of the 12.9-inch (15-inch, optionally) touchscreen are all well and good, but the Tayron is first and foremost a family car. It has to be able to protect you and your family when you’re on the move.
To do that, the Tayron deploys a Side Assist lane change system, which uses a battery of rear-facing sensors to be able to detect not only if there’s a car in your blind spot before you pull out to change lanes, but also if there’s a car coming up fast from behind, and give you a warning of what’s happening. This all works as soon as you flick on your indicator.
At slower speeds, there’s a Rear Traffic Alert, which can warn you if a car is about to cross your path when reversing, and it can even hit the brakes if you haven’t reacted in time. Then there’s the Exit Warning System, which keeps an eye out for approaching traffic when you’re getting out of the car, and again warns you – or someone precious to you – not to open the door if a car is coming up from behind.
Better yet, the Tayron can even get you parked up nice and neatly. Ever tried parking properly with a car full of kids? Then you’ll appreciate the Tayron’s standard Park Assist Plus, which can scan the street as you drive along at up to 20km/h, tell you if a parking space is big enough and steer, accelerate and brake for you to slot perfectly into that space, every time. Got blocked in by thoughtless parkers? No worries – Park Assist Plus can also help you get out of a tight spot.
The Tayron comes with either a 150hp 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine, or with a 204hp 1.5-litre turbo petrol plug-in hybrid, which, when fully charged up can run for up to 125km in electric mode, using no petrol at all.
With up to seven seats, the all-new Tayron is the perfect companion for every situation in life, offering flexibility for the everyday as well as for those special moments, retailing from €54,925.
For more information visit volkswagen.ie
