What's the difference?
There has never been a better time to be shopping for an electric SUV in Australia, with the avalanche of Chinese brands constantly smashing through the price floor as they bid for the title of Australia’s cheapest.
MG led the charge with its S5, which is $40,490, drive-away. Then Leapmotor upped (or downed?) the ante with its B10 with a $38,990, drive-away, price tag. And now BYD has knocked them both out with its Atto 2, officially Australia’s cheapest electric SUV (at least for now), with a MSRP of $31,990, which, in NSW, translates to a drive-away cost of less than $35K.
Cheap is one thing. But cheerful? Let’s find out, shall we?
Volkswagen has a new large SUV in the Tayron (pronounced TIE-ron), and it arrives with a fair bit riding on it. Replacing the Tiguan Allspace and taking on some of the duties left by the departing Touareg, it’s now the brand’s key seven-seat family offering.
We’re testing the flagship 195TSI R-Line with established petrol rivals like the Kia Sorento GT-Line, Skoda Kodiaq RS and Toyota Kluger Grande in mind. After a few weeks of school-holiday mayhem, complete with feral kids, does it sink or swim?
The BYD Atto 2 isn't just the cheapest electric SUV in Australia, it's also one that doesn't feel all that cheap, which is a hell of a magic trick. If it's easy, comfortable city motoring you're after, the Atto 2 delivers in spades. But if your blood type is high octane, there are better driving EVs out there.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.
Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
So, does the new Volkswagen Tayron 195TSI R-Line sink or swim? It's definitely swimming as it delivers a solid blend of features and comforts for families seeking a 'sometime' seven-seater. It's not yet on the podium as it doesn’t hit every mark. Purchase price and servicing costs may put some buyers off but it packs in a number of thoughtful, family-oriented features. Whether it will go on to become Volkswagen’s standout seven-seat offering remains to be seen, but it’s a capable, well-rounded option in the segment.