Volkswagen Tayron 2026 review: 150TSI Elegance

Volkswagen has done something unusual and added a new model name to its line-up. Called the Volkswagen Tayron, it’s the spiritual successor to VV’s Tiguan Allspace with three rows of seas in a relatively standard mid-size package.

For a three-row German SUV, the Tayron seems like good value. At $60,390, before on-road costs, its relative premium feel and decent list of features are good showroom fodder for the new VW model.

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Take a look at the Toyota Kluger or Hyundai Santa Fe if you’re considering a more established, proven rival.

Back to the Tayron 150TSI Elegance, which like much of the range has VW’s '4Motion' all-wheel drive system which can be reassuring in bad weather.

As the name suggests, its power output of 150kW comes from a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol, four-cylinder engine, as does 320Nm of torque, which VW claims results in a 0-100km/h time of 7.4 seconds.

Power and torque is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, a drivetrain layout only the ‘150’ variants in the Tayron line-up have.

Volkswagen says the Tayron, which needs its 58-litre fuel tank filled with 95RON minimum, drinks 7.7L/100km. That’s decent for a non-hybrid SUV capable of hauling a family around, but it’s a fair bit thirstier than rivals like the Kluger or Santa Fe (both 5.6L/100km). 

In terms of creature comforts, the Elegance comes with a set of 19-inch alloy wheels, chrome trim outside and wood accent inside, tinted privacy glass, a 10.25-inch driver display and 12.9-inch multimedia touchscreen, three-zone climate control, heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats, a heated steering wheel, heated outboard seats in the second row, auto LED headlights with cornering lighting and interior coloured mood lighting.

The Tayron 150 TSI Elegance can also be had with a 'Sound and Vision Pack' for $4200 that upgrades the multimedia touchscreen to a larger 15-inch version while also adding a 10-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a head-up display and matrix LED lights with dynamic lighting.

While the list of features is healthy, the interior doesn’t feel extravagant, instead keeping the layout relatively simple and, likely to the disappointment of some, hiding much of the car’s functionality in the touchscreen.

There is, mercifully, a constant menu bar for the key climate controls, but the only physical control in the Tayron’s central stack is the trio of the engine start button, electric handbrake switch, and the dial for either volume or drive mode, two settings that change with a push.

Having to go through the screen is usually a bit of a pain when you’re on the move, but VW’s system is decently simple, even allowing you to swipe down and easily access important functions while using phone mirroring - Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both wireless by the way.

Its interior is otherwise well considered, though the driving position feels a little high to me, but the seat itself is comfortable.

The second row can also be moved and adjusted for better comfort or space, depending on how kind you want to be to any third-row occupants, while the third row has enough space for an average adult to sit in comfortably, likely for a bit longer than you’d expect.

Under the boot floor - where there’s either 345 litres, 850L, or 1905L depending on whether there’s one, two or three rows of seats up - the Tayron also has a space-saver spare wheel which is becoming a rarity today. Well done, VW.

Like the space-savvy interior packaging, the Tayron’s on-road performance also deserves its bouquets. The three-row SUV isn’t enormous, but handles better than you might expect from something you could cart all six members of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard around in.

On highways and smoother roads, it’s decently quiet and is easy to settle into a nice rhythm with, while on twisty roads only particularly rough surfaces will unsettle it.

Surefootedness comes with the very slight trade-off in terms of suspension softness, but it isn’t uncomfortable and doesn’t let big bumps in the road upset the cabin ambience much.

The engine could be slightly more powerful for some situations, overtaking for example, but it’s about right for most day-to-day driving and it’s probably not worth spending too much more on a more powerful variant unless a hybrid’s efficiency appeals.

On test, the Tayron returned a 7.9L/100km consumption figure, but given a fair chunk of that was dynamic testing, Volkswagen’s claimed number is probably a bit conservative and it wouldn’t be surprising if frugal owners managed to beat it.

The transmission, despite still having some minor dual-clutch fumbles at low speeds, is good at keeping the engine where it needs to be in the rev-range and there are paddles to make that even smoother for dynamic driving.

A maximum five-star ANCAP rating accompanies the Tayron, as well as nine airbags and a decent suite of safety kit that doesn’t interfere with your driving, a welcome change from many new cars.

VW’s five-year warranty is getting on the shorter side as many brands extend theirs, but it’s not unusual for a Euro brand.