Volkswagen Tayron vs BMW 440I

What's the difference?

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.

Is now the right time to buy a 4 Series coupe? With the next-generation model a matter of months away, probably not.

That said, those buyers who decide to park a new ‘old’ 4 Series coupe in their driveway will be very pleased with their purchase.

At the end of the day, the current-generation model is still a cracking sports-luxury coupe, and more so when in 440i form. It’s just that good.

The Tayron has a robust silhouette but avoids tipping into boxy territory. Its long wheelbase is balanced well by the overall shape and the large 20-inch alloy wheels give it a planted, purposeful stance. It’s a pleasant-looking family SUV, though it stops short of being particularly distinctive. Beyond the illuminated Volkswagen badges (which are a genuine highlight and lend the Tayron some subtle Tron-like flair) the design is fairly unassuming.

Inside, the Tayron makes its strongest impression after dark. Multiple illuminated panels with galaxy-like patterns add depth and visual interest, giving the cabin a sense of atmosphere that’s largely absent in daylight. There’s a reassuring mix of soft-touch surfaces and materials throughout. Suede-like microfleece and leather elements are used generously, contributing to a cabin that feels well made.

The black headliner is a win when you have kids but interestingly for a top-spec grade, there is no sunroof. The R-Line leather steering wheel looks the part and feels good in hand but aside from the expansive digital displays, the cabin lacks a clear focal point. A little more personality would have gone a long way toward elevating the cabin space.

The first-generation 4 Series coupe has aged relatively well, despite sharing most of its design cues with the superseded sixth-generation 3 Series sedan.

Compared to current BMW models, the 4 Series coupe’s signature kidney grille is small, flanked by angry-looking adaptive headlights with hexagonal daytime running lights, all of which are of the LED variety.

The 440i’s standard M Sport body kit adds to the aggressive styling with chunky front bumper with three large air intakes, the outer two of which also contain the LED fog lights.

Around the side, a strong shoulder line stretches from the front wheel arches to beyond their rear counterparts, while BMW’s Air Curtains split the difference between it and the sporty skirts.

The rear end is the 440i’s simplest angle, although its bumper is spruced up with a dark-grey insert and dual exhaust tailpipes. Predictably, L-shaped LED tail-lights punctuate the styling at the rear.

Inside, the 4 Series coupe is holding up well, but it's still clearly a generation behind most other new BMW models.

That said, it’s a throwback we quite like, particularly iDrive6, which is still arguably BMW’s best multimedia system to date. Powering a floating 8.8-inch touchscreen in this instance, it’s just so intuitive, partly thanks to its rotary controller.

An 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster is a late-life addition for the 440i, and while it looks great with its drive mode-specific views, it lacks the breadth of functionality of Audi’s set-up.

The 4 Series coupe’s cabin is otherwise pretty basic despite its apparent emphasis on sportiness, although the selection of luxurious materials used throughout is top-notch.

The entire dashboard, chunky M Sport steering wheel and old-school handbrake lever are trimmed in high-quality leather, while lower-quality Dakota leather covers the sports seats, armrests and door inserts.

Soft-touch plastic is used for the door shoulders and bins, even in the second row, while hard plastic is limited to the centre console, and gloss-black trim is used on the centre stack’s audio and dual-zone climate control surrounds.

The Tayron’s cabin hits most of the right notes for a three-row family SUV. Space is strongest in the front and middle rows, with generous head and legroom accommodating taller passengers without issue. That said, the narrow centre armrest means the driver and front passenger end up quietly competing for elbow room on longer drives.

The electrically-adjustable front seats are the most comfortable place to be, particularly over distance. With heating, ventilation, massage and strong lumbar and under-thigh support, they reinforce the sense that this is the flagship grade.

Storage up front is more mixed. The door bins and glove box are on the larger side, but the centre console leans more towards tray than box. While the ‘hideaway’ dual wireless charging pads are a clever idea, accessing them means clearing whatever you’ve placed on the shelf above. A small drawer to the right of the steering wheel is a useful touch, though, and works well for a garage remote or wallet.

The second row is firmer and more bench-like, with seat backs that don’t offer much support in corners. Heated outboard seats are a welcome inclusion, but, much like the Tiguan Allspace, there are noticeable gaps of around 12cm between the seats and the doors. While the Tayron offers three top-tether anchor points across this row, fitting three child seats side by side would be challenging.

That said, amenities in the second row are plentiful. The transmission tunnel is relatively low, foot space is generous, and there’s no shortage of features to keep younger passengers comfortable. Map and device pockets, dedicated climate controls, two USB-C ports, retractable cupholders and manual sunblinds all feature. The sunblinds, in particular, are a road-trip essential when travelling with kids or a sleeping baby. The only frustration is that the climate and seat heating controls can occasionally lock, requiring access via the front touchscreen.

The third row is kid-coded because of the access and available legroom. There’s no footwell as the seat base sits fairly close to the floor, so knees are up. There are also no amenities aside from a single cupholder, so any novelty will quickly wear off even for younger kids.

Much of the Tayron’s functionality runs through the large 15-inch multimedia display, including climate control. The screen offers clear graphics and is mostly responsive, though some lag can occur on start-up. Built-in navigation is standard, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. CarPlay maintained a consistent connection and pairing was straightforward.

Practicality is rounded out by a well-shaped boot. With all seats in use, there’s 345L of cargo space which is enough for school bags and a grocery run. Fold the third row and capacity expands to 850L, which is better than several key rivals. The squared-off load area makes it easy to stack gear, and it comfortably swallowed a nine-year-old’s BMX bike and scooter without needing to fold the second row, which benefits from a versatile 40/20/40 split.

All grades come with a space-saver spare tyre, which is far preferable to a repair kit, and the R-Line adds a hands-free powered tailgate. Deep side pockets flanking the height-adjustable boot floor and a 12-volt socket round out a cargo area that feels genuinely family-friendly.

Measuring 4640mm long, 1825mm wide and 1377mm tall, the 440i coupe is a true mid-sizer, and that means it’s surprisingly practical – for the most part.

Cargo capacity is more than solid, at 445L, but stow the 60/40 split-fold rear bench via a pair of manual latches located in the boot and more storage space is quickly liberated.

To make matters even better, the boot has two bag hooks and four tie-down points, making securing a load a cinch. That said, the high load lip means bulkier items can require a little more effort to accommodate.

Up front, the door bins are large enough for a regular bottle each, while a pair of cupholders separate the gear selector from a seriously shallow storage tray.

The central storage bin is on the shallow side, too, albeit not to the same degree as the dedicated storage tray. That said, much of its space can be taken up by the optional wireless smartphone charger ($200), which was fitted to our test car.

The glovebox tries its best to make up for the lack of genuine in-cabin storage options by being quite large, while storage nets are attached to the backs of the front seats.

Rear occupants can also make use of a large storage tray that resides where a middle seat would otherwise go. They also have access to a fold-down central armrest that incorporates two more cupholders.

Speaking of armrests, the rear side ones are incredibly narrow, leaving tired elbows in a bit of a pickle.

It’s not all bad news in the second row, though, as legroom and toe-room behind our 184cm driving position are very generous, with the former offering several inches of wriggle room.

We’d go as far as to say the rear quarters are comfortable, but that would require ignoring the fact that headroom is seriously compromised with the optional power-operated sunroof ($3000) fitted, with our head pressed firmly against the 440i coupe’s Anthracite roofliner.

Either way, child seats can be fitted in the second row, with ISOFIX anchorage points available for the outer seats. Speaking of which, it’s worth noting ingress and egress to the rear bench isn’t too bad, with the front seats folding forward via manual latches.

Connectivity-wise, two USB-A ports are found in the first row, split between the centre stack and the central storage bin, while three 12V power outlets are spread across the front and rear of the centre console, and the boot.

The 440i coupe is priced from $103,200 plus on-road costs, positioning it as a more affordable alternative to its main rivals, the Audi S5 coupe ($105,400) and Mercedes-AMG C43 coupe ($116,500), although it’s not as fully featured.

Standard equipment not already mentioned in the 440i coupe includes dusk-sensing lights, rain-sensing wipers, 19-inch alloy wheels, a mixed set of run-flat tyres (front: 225/40, rear: 255/35) and power-folding side mirrors with heating.

Inside, satellite navigation with live traffic, digital radio, a 600W Harman/Kardon sound system with 16 speakers, a windshield-projected head-up display, keyless entry and start, power-adjustable front seats with heating, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and ambient lighting feature.

For now, the R-Line sits at the top of the Tayron range and is the most powerful version available. It’s powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine producing 195kW of power and 400Nm of torque, paired with a seven-speed auto transmission and all-wheel drive.

In isolation, and particularly against its key petrol-powered rivals, those figures stack up well. For everyday family duties, the combination feels suitably polished.

With a 2500kg braked trailer towing capacity, it's competitive for this segment and will be sufficient for many families towing medium-sized toys. That said, buyers coming from, or expecting, a Touareg replacement may notice the difference. The Tayron doesn’t match the larger SUV’s 3.5-tonne towing capability. And the larger capacity will be missed.

The 440i coupe is motivated by a silky smooth 3.0-litre turbo-petrol in-line six-cylinder engine that punches out 240kW of power at 5500rpm and 450Nm of torque from 1380-5000rpm.

An equally silky smooth eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission exclusively sends drive to the rear wheels – a characteristic that has become a rarity in this segment.

This combination helps the 440i coupe sprint from a standstill to 100km/h in a scant five seconds flat with launch control engaged, according to BMW. Its top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h.

Some of the Tayron’s key rivals lean on mild-hybrid assistance to improve fuel efficiency, and on paper they offer an advantage in this area. By comparison, the Tayron 195TSI R-Line sticks with a conventional petrol powertrain, so its efficiency figures are largely in line with what you’d expect given its size, weight and performance.

Volkswagen claims a combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel cycle figure of 8.6L/100km for this grade. With a 58-litre fuel tank, that translates to a theoretical driving range of up to 698km. In real-world use, after a mix of longer highway driving and some urban running, I recorded an average of 9.3L/100km, which feels reasonable rather than surprising.

Efficiency is an important consideration for families, particularly in this segment and it will be interesting to see how the upcoming hybrid powertrain performs once it arrives. For now, the R-Line’s fuel consumption feels broadly consistent with its output, even if it doesn’t lead the class.

The 440i coupe will drink a claimed 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle, while its carbon dioxide emissions are 159 grams per kilometre.

Our week of testing skewed towards city driving over highway stints, and we averaged 8.6L/100km, which is impressive given the six-cylinder performance on offer. And yes, we did put it to use...

The 440i coupe's 60L fuel tank takes 95RON petrol at minimum.

The R-Line’s engine is the standout in the Tayron range. It delivers solid, usable power with enough in reserve to make overtaking straightforward, particularly at highway speeds. While it doesn’t have the same effortless surge as the larger Touareg, it performs where it matters for everyday driving.

There is an occasional shudder through the front suspension and steering when entering a roundabout or turning off on a hill. It’s brief when it occurs, but noticeable and not something you expect to feel regularly in this class.

Suspension tuning is on the firmer side, though overall ride comfort remains acceptable. The Tayron provides decent road feedback without feeling unsettled or harsh. At higher speeds the cabin can sound slightly tinny, but around town it remains quiet and composed.

Steering response is direct without being heavy. The Tayron corners confidently for a vehicle of this size, but there is some body roll, which is most apparent for passengers in the back rows.

Forward and side visibility are strong, helped by a high seating position and unobtrusive pillars. Rearward visibility becomes more limited when the third row is in use, and a digital rear-view mirror would be a worthwhile addition.

With a 12.1m turning circle, the Tayron can feel large in tighter car parks, though it’s otherwise easy enough to park. The 'Park Assist' function and 360-degree camera system helps, even if image clarity falls short of what you’d expect from a flagship grade.

The 440i coupe toe the line between sports car and luxury vehicle very, very well.

The straight-line performance is definitely there thanks to its in-line six-cylinder unit, which is one of our favourite engines in any vehicle – period.

From top to bottom, the 3.0-litre unit is absolutely delicious. Maximum torque kicks in just above idle and remains on tap deep into the top end, at which point a fleeting moment of peak power is just 500rpm away. Needless to say, acceleration is strong.

Remarkably, the engine’s twin-scroll turbo exhibits next to no lag, making for a unit that you truly want to wring out. That said, don’t expect aural pleasure when you do so, as the sound it generates is lacklustre. Yep, no enticing crackles or pops are heard here.

The automatic transmission ties everything together beautifully, providing timely, quick and smooth gear changes on the regular, even without its Sport mode engaged. And, of course, there are paddle-shifters on hand if you want to take matters into your own hands – literally.

Given the 440i coupe’s apparent performance bent, you’d be forgiven for thinking it rides like an unforgiving sports car. Well, the good news is it doesn’t.

Consisting of MacPherson-strut front and multi-link rear axles with adaptive dampers, its independent suspension set-up stands up really well to Australian roads.

While potholes and coarse-chip roads would usually be met with hesitation, the 440i coupe silences the doubters with its composed ride. Can you feel them? Yes, but they’re relatively muted, especially in a car with sporty aspirations, like this one. 

Cornering is a lot of fun, too, thanks to excellent body control. Tip its 1555kg kerb weight into a corner with intent and you’re quickly reminded why SUVs are nowhere near this fun to drive.

Simply put, the 440i coupe loves a twisty stretch of road, where its M Sport brakes (front: four-piston fixed callipers, rear: two-pot floating stoppers) and traditional rear-wheel-drive dynamics come out to play.

This experience is enhanced by its superb electric power steering, which is speed-sensitive, meaning it’s quick at low speed, for improved manoeuvrability, and ‘slow’ at high speed, for improved stability.

We absolutely adore this particular system, mainly because of its perfect weighting and surprising amount of feel. And in a surprise to no-one, it also turns in really well, too.

Of course, if you want to take the 440i coupe’s handling to the next level, you can engage its Sport drive mode, which stiffens up the adaptive dampers for even flatter cornering and adds more heft to the electric power steering. But we’d say both are unnecessary.

Advanced driver-assist systems in the 440i coupe extend to low-speed autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, a manual speed limiter, speed-sign recognition, high-beam assist, park assist, surround-view cameras, front and rear parking sensors, hill-start assist and tyre pressure monitoring.

Other standard safety equipment includes six airbags (dual front, side and curtain), electronic stability and traction control systems, anti-lock brakes (ABS) and brake assist, among others.

That said, high-speed AEB, lane-keep assist and rear cross-traffic alert are among the notable exclusions.

Neither ANCAP nor its European sibling, Euro NCAP, have awarded the 4 Series a safety rating yet.

The Tayron is covered by Volkswagen's five-year/unlimited km warranty which is a shorter term than a lot of its rivals.

You can pre-purchase a three- or five-year servicing plan at $2207 or $4098, respectively, which isn’t as affordable as some rivals but does include roadside assistance. However, at the time of writing, the five-year price was set at $3550.

Servicing intervals are well spaced at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first, with servicing available at any of VW's 118 official service centres nationwide.

The Tayron only accepts a minimum 95 RON unleaded petrol, which might sting a little with regular fill-ups.

As with all BMW models, the 4 Series comes with a three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with three years of roadside assistance, both of which are two years short of the premium standard now set by Mercedes-Benz.

The 440i coupe’s service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Owners can opt for a $1650 five-year/80,000km capped-price servicing plan, which is well-priced.