Volkswagen Reviews

It feels like everyone has a VW bus story. Someone’s sister converted their Multivan into a home-away-from-home, Uncle Ern had a pop-top kombi and Macca at the pub has had his since 1982.Which is no surprise because many peoples’ favourite VW has been around, in one form or another, for over 75 years. And this limited ‘Edition’ package has been applied to the most recent, seventh-generation version of the Multivan.Exactly 300 will be available, each costing $79,990, before on-road costs, or $82,990, drive-away as an introductory offer.That price puts it between the short- and long-wheelbase Multivan Life ($77,990 and $80,290 MSRP, respectively) and adds additional standard fruit including a black roof and gloss black 18-inch alloy wheels, LED matrix headlights (with dynamic cornering function), darkened (LED) tail-lights, dual-tone synthetic velour and synthetic leather seat trim, heated front seats and the Digital Cockpit Pro instrument display.There’s also puddle lamps, ‘easy open and close’ power sliding doors and tailgate, built-in nav, a 360-degree camera view and a sliding multi-function table.Put the Multivan Edition next to rivals like the Ford Tourneo Titanium ($74,590), Hyundai Staria HEV Lounge ($73,740), Kia Carnival GT-Line HEV ($76,840) and Mercedes-Benz Vito Tourer ($89,672), all before on-road costs, and the VW puts up a compelling value-for-money pitch.There are two colours, Pure Grey and Candy White, both with a Deep Black Pearlescent roof and door mirror combination and aside from Edition graphics this limited edition’s fundamental design is unchanged.It’s kind of like an expanded Golf with head- and tail-light treatments in particular clearly connecting it to the current VW family.The Multivan’s close to 5.0m length, near 2.0m width, 1.9 metre height and lengthy 3124mm wheelbase provide a comfortable interior for seven (an eight-seat Life is available). And while the interior has that typical VW look of teutonic efficiency it also feels welcoming thanks in no small part to the synthetic microfibre and synthetic leather seat trim. I’m guessing Shaquille O'Neal would have enough headroom in the Multivan, because at a lowly 183cm tall I had what felt like metres between my scone and the headliner.And it’s the interior layout’s incredible flexibility that makes this VW such a practical multi-passenger proposition.There’s a flat, walk-through floor and we’d need a separate website to detail all the available seating and storage combinations but suffice it to say rails running the length of the Multivan’s floor allow the seats to move easily so they can be adjusted to best accommodate the passengers onboard.With the driver’s and second-row captain’s chair seats set to my position I still have enough space in the third row, although toe room under the seat in front is a little tight. Up to teenage kids will be more than comfortable back there.Storage is everywhere including cupholders, bins and flip-up tray tables but the highlight in the Edition is its sliding multi-function table which can serve as a front centre console but has the ability to slip backwards, rise in height and sprout large tabletop surfaces for the second row. There’s Qi-compatible wireless phone charging up front as well as six USB-C ports and three 12-volt sockets spread across the interior and cargo area which is more than enough to keep everyone happy with fully charged devices. With all seats upright there’s 469 litres (VDA) of luggage space, expanding to 1316L with the third-row folded and a van-like 3672L with the second and third rows removed. The seats are lightweight and slide easily so removing them isn’t as hard as you might think. Maximum braked trailer towing capacity is a useful 2.0 tonnes. A 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine sends 110kW/310Nm to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission with the current Multivan riding on VW’s MQB Evo platform which also underpins the Golf and Tiguan.And the Edition feels far more car-like than any of its predecessors. Don’t get me wrong, this is a boxy bus but the way it drives, rides and steers is exceptional.The engine feels responsive and strong, picking up acceleration quickly without a hint of turbo hesitation and works hand-in-glove with the super-smooth auto. The front seats are comfy, ride quality is terrific for this class of car, freeway cruising is effortless and road feel from the steering is good. Even winding B-roads didn’t unduly upset the Multivan’s handling or stopping power.Unsurprisingly, wind noise starts to make its presence felt around the A-pillars and exterior mirrors at around 100km/h, but never to an alarming degree. The Multivan scores a maximum five-star ANCAP assessment to the latest protocols with seven airbags (including a front centre bag) and the Edition boasts a laundry list of ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems) crash avoidance tech, the highlights being AEB (auto emergency braking) Park Assist (with front and rear proximity sensors), adaptive cruise, lane keeping, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.There are child seat top tethers on the second row captain’s chairs and across the third row, with ISOFIX anchors on all of those except the centre rear position.  The official fuel economy figure for the Multivan on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 6.2L/100km which puts it ahead of all key competitors and translates to a theoretical range of around 1160km. On the roughly 350km launch drive program which took in urban, B-road and freeway running we saw an average of 7.3L/100km, which would translate to a real-world range of around 950km. Not too shabby for a roughly 2.0-tonne bus.The Multivan is covered by Volkswagen’s five year/unlimited kilometre warranty which is now being overshadowed in the mainstream market with many brands at seven-, eight- and 10-year terms. Roadside assist is included for the first year.Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or 12 months with fixed price and pay-as-you go plans available. You’re looking at an average of around $650 per workshop visit over the first five years. Not the cheapest but not outrageous.Volkswagen operates a network of around 180 dealers and service centres across the country.

Time’s up! Our three-month long-term test of the Volkswagen ID.5 Pro is over and I have so many thoughts about this electric car. It does some things way better than its rivals but misses the mark slightly in other areas.This is the stuff you learn over a longer period of time as an owner would discover, too.The Volkswagen ID.5 is one of the best mid-sized electric SUVs I’ve driven. The emphasis is on the word "driven", however.Sure Volkswagen might not be the first brand you think of when it comes to EVs, especially given the enormous variety offered by Chinese brands, but the company’s cars are nearly always excellent to drive and the ID.5 is no different.Some EVs are just quick at accelerating but the rest of the driving experience feels half baked, from the ride and handling to the steering and driving position.The ID.5 isn’t all that quick when it comes to accelerating (0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds) compared to some EVs, but all the components that make a superb driving car are there.The steering is accurate and well weighted, the suspension setup offers both a comfortable ride and sporting handling, the seating position makes you feel part of the car, and, being rear-wheel drive, the ID.5 Pro benefits from better traction, good balance and a sporty feel.The next best ID.5 Pro takeaway is the 543km driving range which is equal to many petrol SUVs. For city dwellers like our family who only do between 60 and 150km a week, it was enough to last a couple of weeks between charges.This month, for example, we only travelled 238km. But keep in mind we have two cars in our family - the one we own and the car I’m testing. If we were a one-car family, then you might find the ID.5 needs to be charged weekly.Batteries are very different to petrol tanks and charge can be used up faster, depending on the type of driving. Motorways tend to deplete the charge, whereas lower-speed city driving with lots of braking will conserve the charge. The ID.5 does well on this front. Official energy consumption is 16.3kWh/100km, but we averaged 18.8kWh over three months. Still, many electric SUVs hover above 20kWh and I’m sure with more conservative driving the ID.5 would easily hover around the official consumption figure.And my final best bit of the ID.5 is the design. I wasn’t sold on the styling at first and I still think this car looks inflatable and odd, but it’s such a refreshing change from all the SUVs that seem to look the same. With this unique design the ID.5 oozes premium car quality inside and out. The ID.5’s biggest drawback is the lack of cabin practicality, and not just in terms of outright space. It feels like VW didn't prioritise storage solutions, which isn't great for a medium sized SUV that'll be considered by families.Seriously, I have driven two smaller electric SUVs recently with far more space and cleverer interior packaging than the ID.5. This lack of clever storage is unusual for a Volkswagen which is a brand that prides itself on its utility.Electric cars don’t have drive shafts and transmission tunnels eating into cabin space so there really is no excuse.The boot’s usability is reduced due to the sloping coupe roofline and there’s no front boot here, either. The mechanically identical ID.4 has a more practical boot. With 549 litres on offer, the boot is large enough for shopping, just don't try to fit anything too tall in there.Yes, there are door pockets and cup holders, but that’s about it. A family needs trays, large covered areas, hidey holes and deep wells for all of the bits and pieces that follow them.Add to this a cabin without physical buttons, but with touch-sensitive haptic controls instead for everything from volume to temperature control, and the car loses points for functionality.The ID.5 would suit people without children or those whose children have flown the nest. But for busy parents the ID.5 doesn’t offer the kind of help needed in terms of space and practicality. If only there was a fully electric version of the Volkswagen Tiguan! This would be perfect. That said, the ID.5 really is lovely to drive and for those looking at buying an electric car that is as good to pilot as the best combustion cars, this is it. This electric SUV is also appealing thanks to its unique design that differentiates it from the same-same design of so many modern EVs. Acquired: March 2026Distance travelled this month: 238kmOdometer: 2633kmAverage energy consumption this month: 18.1kWh/100km

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.It sits relatively middle of the pack for the Tayron, the 110TSI Life is less powerful and lacks some features, but the eHybrid plug-ins and more powerful 195TSI R-Line can be as much as $15,000 more expensive.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. 

Why do things grow on us? You know, when you don’t really like something but after a while you begin to appreciate it more. What is this phenomenon? Because it’s happening to me after two months of living with the Volkswagen ID.5. This car has me feeling conflicted.In my last instalment I testified that the ID.5 wasn’t pretty to look at and while I still don’t disagree with that first impression, the unique styling is growing on me. Having driven so many 'samey' electric SUVs I’m starting to think it is quite brave of Volkswagen to not just make another one that also looks like a bar of soap.Look at the ID.5’s side profile (see images) - it’s almost cartoon-like with its bulbous shapes. There are also small tocuhes of design flare I really like from the way the paint colour scoops into the black bumper and the white VW badge on the bonnet.The cabin styling is growing on me. I like the sculpted door trims and woven headlining but I’m also noticing the hard plastics and a colour scheme that feels a bit dull now. There are also cabin design elements that I didn’t really take in at first but after two months I find them unappealing. Really unappealing. The fold-down armrests on the front seats, for example - they look as though they’re from office chairs, so out of place and unstylish (see images).The instrument cluster is another example - it’s quite small and toy-like - and the lack of head up display is perplexing.From the start, I had my doubts about the practicality of the ID.5, especially from a family car perspective. That feeling has solidified after living with it daily with my family of four. The interior space just isn’t packaged as well as it could be.Overly large and thick front seats eat into rear legroom, and the coupe-like roofline limits headroom, combining to limit space for adults and make getting our child car seat in a squeeze.The rear doors don't offer the biggest aperture, either (see images).Storage is also an issue with a thin centre console area which lacks functionality along with cupholders that feel far from people but too close to controls.An opportunity for good storage is also missed under that floating centre console with no stowage area (see images).Topping off this bad run are the haptic controls which have been frustrating me. The climate controls are haptic and require constant swiping and pressing to work effectively.The door handles have a similar haptic feel and aren’t pleasant or easy to use.Finally the driver's master window switches have one set of controls and require you to toggle between front and back. I’m constantly having to look down at the switches to see if I’m about to put my widow down or the one behind me.My first impression of the way the ID.5 drives was a good one - comfortable, planted brisk accleration - and I still feel that way. However, I was also a passenger for some trips this month and I'd forgotten how electric cars can induce car sickness due to their sudden acceleration and one-pedal braking. I also found as a passenger the ID.5’s suspension is quite firm and body control can be a bit busy too.This month we covered only 547km and used quite a lot of energy doing so - 22.0kWh/100km. I have to say I’m not using the strong setting on regenerative braking as much now and the climate control has been getting a workout as we’ve headed into winter.Oh, and finally, the visibility out of the rear window is obstructed by the coupe roofline and headrests (see images).So, that’s it for another month. I’m still impressed by the quality feel and the comfort of the cabin and the quirky styling but there are practicality issue galore.Acquired: March 2026Distance travelled this month: 547kmOdometer: 2395kmAverage energy consumption this month: 22.0kWh/100km

New city cars aren't over yet, as the latest version of Volkswagen's nine-year-old Polo proves. Tested in mid-range 85TSI CityLife guise, the German alternative to the Suzuki Swift, Mazda2 and MG3 has evolved into a roomy, comfy and practical hatch. Great economy and driving dynamics are further bonuses. But there are issues, prompting us to ask if the VW is good value.

For decades Volkswagen Golf has been the generic term for high-quality small hatchback. And as much as the high-riding SUV configuration has become the new car default for compact car buyers this VW still attracts devoted fans. They say quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten but does this modern classic's value equation stack up?

We’ve been waiting a few years for Volkswagen and Walkinshaw to fully reveal its latest creation and now it won’t be long until it's on public roads.Following the success of the original Volkswagen Amarok W-Series of flagship utes, there has been a lot of hype surrounding what the German carmaker is planning for its current-generation model which shares its platform with the Ford Ranger.Dubbed the Amarok W600, Volkswagen revealed some initial details of this locally fettled ute late last year, but ahead of its launch in August, CarsGuide was given the opportunity to test out the ute at Holden’s former proving ground at Lang Lang, Victoria.Volkswagen and Walkinshaw claim the Amarok W600 is the ‘ultimate driver’s ute’ and it has been modelled as a more street-focused, performance model, like the previous Amarok W580S. This contrasts against key rivals like the Ford Ranger Raptor, Isuzu D-Max Blade, Mitsubishi Triton Raider and Nissan Navara Warrior which are off-road-focused.Highlight changes include new 20-inch alloy wheels that are 10 inches wide and wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres, a dual side-exit exhaust system, a bespoke Koni suspension set-up with a Walkinshaw tune and the fitment of a 22mm rear anti-roll bar.Other niceties include electric side steps, Walkinshaw embroidering on the leather-upholstered seats and aluminium sport pedal covers.The Amarok W600 has a tough and menacing stance. There are wider wheel arches to cover the fatter wheels, plus a unique front fascia with a W motif in the grille and a light bar connecting the headlights.One thing we don’t know yet is how much the tough looks and all of these performance additions will add to the price tag. For context, the current flagship Amarok Aventura caps out at $82,990, before on-road costs.The previous Amarok W580S was $7500 more than the Aventura at the time and if this price difference is carried over this could see the Amarok W600 be priced over $90,000.This is notable as the Ford Ranger Raptor is currently priced from $90,690, before on-road costs.Wherever VW lands will be interesting as the Amarok W600 has an unchanged 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine that’s available on other trim levels, as well as in the Ford Ranger.It produces 184kW and 600Nm which is 16kW less and 20Nm more than the previous W580S which also had a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel but it was sourced in-house.Also unchanged are the braked towing and load-carrying capacities. Volkswagen has confirmed the Amarok W600 retains a 3500kg braked towing capacity and will have a payload capacity close to 1000kg.Exact figures, including the kerb weight, haven’t been confirmed yet.Something Volkswagen has locked in though is a standard-fit 17-inch steel spare wheel even though Walkinshaw ensured there is enough space to fit a full 20x10-inch alloy. This means you’ll likely need to travel at reduced speeds when it’s fitted. That’s not ideal for this type of vehicle.We had the opportunity to sample the Amarok W600 back-to-back with the regular Amarok TDI600 Style across a series of scenarios at Lang Lang and the differences are pronounced.One of the most obvious changes behind the wheel is the tyres which offer fantastic grip. They were put to the test on a rather rainy day and held up very well.Also impressive is the improved braking performance. It’s noticeably better than the regular Amarok and goes to show how much braking can change with different tyres as the braking system itself hasn’t been altered.Additionally another major area of change with the Amarok W600 is how it rides and handles. The Koni-sourced suspension and damper package helps make this ute feel a lot more planted during hard acceleration and braking.Plus, the rear anti-roll bar helps keep the ute flatter through the bends. As a result it's more confidence-inspiring to drive spiritedly. You can focus more on the driving ahead than what the ute is doing.My only criticism of the package is that you can feel more pimply bumps and road imperfections in the Amarok W600 compared to the regular Amarok. It’s unclear if this is the suspension, larger wheels or a combination of both.Plus it’s worth noting that Volkswagen and Amarok may still fine tune the suspension in this ute ahead of its launch in August.

Volkswagen has recently launched its first all-new Transporter in a decade, but does the full-electric variant of this light commercial icon appeal to long term loyalists and new customers alike?

The Volkswagen Tayron eHybrid might just be the hidden gem in VW’s SUV line-up, and it’s all because you get less of something, not more.Sounds weird, I know, but stay with me. It was once pretty easy to identify the difference between the Tiguan and the Tiguan Allspace. One had five seats, and the other mostly had seven. Simple.But this Tayron eHybrid changes that equation. It’s the plug-in hybrid replacement for the Allspace, joining the petrol-powered versions that have already launched in Australia.And like the just-launched Tiguan eHybrid, it’s exclusively a five-seat affair. But it’s also bigger, cheaper and I reckon better to drive than the Tiguan, if it doesn’t have the immediate nameplate recognition of its smaller sibling.Same five seats, same petrol-electric powertrain, just with more space for less money, even if its equipment list isn’t quite as generous as the one in the Tiguan.The Tayron eHybrid is the latest arrival in Volkswagen’s plug-in hybrid push, sharing its powertrain specifics with the Tiguan eHybrid. That means a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a front-mounted electric motor and a 19.7kWh (net) battery, and an all-electric driving range of around 115km on the WLTP cycle.Both grades are set up for 40kW DC charging, or 11kW charging at home — the latter meaning you can essentially use a regular power point, or a much faster wallbox charger.There are two trim levels, the Elegance and the sportier-feeling R-Line, with the latter also adding progressive steering to the driving aid list (both also get adaptive damping and an e-diff lock). There are also different power outputs for each — in Elegance guise, that means 150kW and 350Nm, while the R-Line improves the grunt on offer to 200kW and 400Nm.Each trim has its petrol engine and electric motor up front, meaning front-wheel drive, with the battery at the rear, and feed their power through a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox.And all of that is largely identical to the Tiguan. But from there, things change.The Tayron PHEV might not sport the seven seats of internal combustion versions, but it’s still got the body size to fit them. It’s both longer and wider than its five-seat sibling, and it serves up wagon-like space in its boot, with a sizable 705 litres with the second row in place, and a massive 1915 litres with the row folded flat. That makes this a proper family transporter. There is oodles of room in the back seat, too, though there is a comically large tunnel running through the centre of the backseat that will definitely impact leg room for adults riding in the middle seat.The window seats offer an adult-friendly amount of room, though. I’m 175cm, and had no issue getting comfortable. There’s also a pull-down divider, twin USB ports and tri-zone automatic climate with twin rear vents.Both the Elegance and R-Line interior treatments are clean and modern, with solid material choices and a genuine feel of quality in the elements you interact with.In more good news, I think the cheapest version is the stronger buy. The extra power on offer in the $75,990 R-Line version actually feels unnecessary in the context of the Tayron. The performance in the $62,390 Elegance feels ample, especially with the added zip from the electric motor when taking off at city speeds. Right now both models are significantly cheaper, too, with a limited drive-away offer on both grades that will see you on the road for less than the RRP.Anyway, the Elegance is officially about one second slower to 100km/h than the R-Line, sure, but a) it doesn’t feel it, and b) who cares? This is spacious family transport, not a Nurburgring rocket.It can get a bit revvy when when you really plant your foot from a rolling speed, and it can feel too firm on properly jittery road surfaces. But it’s otherwise a competent and pretty comfortable drive, with a confident weight to the steering and a feeling of connection between drive and car, especially on winding roads, that’s sometimes missing from its competition.There are subtle differences in the way the Tayron and Tiguan drive. Both feel competent and buttoned down, but the Tayron feels a little more stable and better balanced, likely owing to the 110mm longer wheelbase.Like in the Tiguan, the EV power delivered when you take off really eases forward progression so much so that you really don't want for more power.In Elegance trim, your spend buys you 19-inch alloy wheels, an auto-opening boot, and LED lighting. Inside, there’s leather trim with seats that offer heating, cooling and ventilation, a digital driver display, a 12.9-inch central screen and wireless charging.Springing for the R-Line nabs you a sportier look, as well as 20-inch alloy wheels and VW’s clever Matrix LED headlights. There’s a bigger screen and some other niceties, too, but how much all of that matters is up to you.Unfortunately, Volkswagen won’t budge on its now-too-short-feeling five-year and unlimited-kilometre warranty, which grates in a world of seven-, eight- and 10-year warranties. Volkswagen insists its customers don’t want or need more, but I’d like to speak to some of these customers. The battery is covered for eight years or 160,000kms. Servicing is required annually, and a three-year prepaid package will set you back $1605, while a five-year package is $3391For mine, the Tayran is the VW sleeper, and the Elegance eHybrid is the pick of the plug-in bunch.

One of Volkswagen’s most important vehicles has welcomed what will almost certainly be its most important powertrain, with a plug-in hybrid variant here to capture all those people tired of having to black-market an organ every time they need to fill up.And it turns out that there are a lot of those people. Plug-in hybrid sales are up 119 per cent so far this year — and more than 500 per cent in April alone — and it’s into this PHEV feeding frenzy that Volkswagen launches its plug-in Tiguan, which is available in Elegance guise, or as a sportier and more powerful R-Line.In Elegance guise, the sticker price is $64,590 before on-road costs, while the R-Line ups the cost to $74,550. Both have sharp drive-away price deals at the moment that will see you on the road for less than the RRP.There's a solid inclusion list too, mirroring the non-hybrid range, as well as some driving kit, like adaptive damping, and a clever e-diff that smooths out understeer and dials up grip.Well, VW calls it an eHybrid, which is company parlance, but the end result is the same, with its powertrain combining a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a front-mounted electric motor and a 19.7kWh battery.Electric driving range is around 115km (WLTP), and both grades are set up for 40kW DC charging, or 11kW charging at home — the latter meaning you can essentially use a regular power point, or a much faster wallbox-style charger.Opt for the Elegance, and the total system power is 150kW and 350Nm, while the R-Line is tuned to deliver 200kW and 400Nm. Both feed their power through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and are front-drive only, with the electric motor positioned on the front axle.Power is only ever a small part of a new-car story. Producing grunt is often the easy part. Delivering it in a car that feels properly ready to receive it is seemingly much harder.Happily, the Tiguan is a definite bright spot on the soft and spongy horizon of new-car sales in Australia. It feels properly engineered from behind the wheel, with a ride that delivers true connection with the road surface below, even if it does definitely stray into too-hard (and even a bit jittery) territory over corrugated road surfaces. There's not a huge amount of body roll when cornering, and it feels sorted from behind the wheel.The way the electric power is delivered in this car is also a bonus. It is very noticeable that it is using exclusively electric power from low speeds. The torque is instantaneous and it propels you forward before the engine kicks in at about 20 kilometers an hour or so. The result is an SUV that feels more like a nippy little EV at city speeds, before turning into plug-in family transport elsewhere.There are only two quirks that irk me a little. One is the consistency of the brake pedal feel, which sometimes feels like there is plenty of pedal travel, and other times feels like there isn't much at all, which makes how much pressure to apply a little unpredictable at times. The other is the weight of the steering, which can go from very light as you brake into a corner, before quickly weighting up as you accelerate out. Neither are major problems, but can take a little getting used to.Inside, the interior lighting is customisable and has a nice, sporty touch in the R-Line, while the twin screen setup – including the gigantic centre screen – is premium in look and feel, too.Be warned though, the driver-distraction monitor doesn't just sound an alarm, but locks you out of the screen until it decides that you're paying attention again, so if you're doing something on the screen, it then freezes.But kudos to Volkswagen for concocting an iPhone wireless charging solution that actually holds your phone in place, with a little lift flap in the centre console that keeps things secure while charging, whether that's via the twin USB-C ports or via the twin wireless charging pads.Elsewhere, and apart from the plastic-feeling centre console edging, everything in the cabin is nicely wrapped, and it does give the sense of a car that just feels well sorted, both on the road and from the driver's seat.Space in the backseat is ample for my 175cm frame, and boot space is pretty family friendly – despite a slight space penalty to pay compared to non-hybrid models –with 490 litres with the rear seats in place, and 1486 litres with the second row stowed.