Photography: Shrenith Bhandary
Over the past few years, we’ve seen Volkswagen India try to position itself as a manufacturer of sportier, more premium vehicles in India more aggressively. The new generation Tiguan that was launched in the sportier, R-Line trim last year was a perfect example of that, and the all-new Tayron R-Line is a follow-up act to it. And that’s because Volkswagen is kick starting 2026 with the Tayron as its new flagship SUV. Effectively, the Tayron will sit above the Tiguan R-Line and is bigger, more spacious and has three rows of seats, while being powered by the same 2.0-litre TSI engine. But interestingly, unlike the Tiguan R-Line that was a direct import, the Tayron R-Line is being assembled locally in India, in a bid to price it more aggressively and make it more attractive. Does it tick the right boxes? Well, what better roads than the arrow straight ones in Jaisalmer to experience this 200PS German SUV!
The Tayron’s front end looks sporty and aggressive to begin with, and that’s thanks to its sleek looking headlamps and the more aggressive design of the bumper, as this is the R-Line version. And the prominent placement of the letter R on the grille, just like we have seen on the Tiguan R-Line, confirms its sporty intent. One of the biggest differences between the Tiguan and the Tayron are the Tayron’s larger dimensions though, especially its longer length. The Tayron sits on the same MQB EVO platform as the five seat Tiguan, but is 253mm longer to accommodate the three rows of seats, besides which the wheelbase is up by 89mm too. The increased length helps in identifying this one as the Tayron immediately, and also helps the SUV look more stately as compared to its two-row sibling.
That said, the wheel design is exactly the same as the Tiguan, and the wheel sizes are the same too, at 19 inches. The Tayron also looks similar to the Tiguan R-Line from the rear as far as the basic design is concerned, but there are a few differences, like the fact that the tail lamps look more appealing, besides which the Volkswagen logo is backlit, in red. Overall, while the Tayron is identifiable as a Volkswagen instantly, it looks more futuristic as compared to the Tiguan, thanks to its design, particularly courtesy the sleeker lamps at both ends. It also boasts better road presence, especially in this shade of blue which adds to its appeal and also helps the Tayron feel closer to luxury SUVs.
Interiors impress from the word go too, thanks to the high quality of materials and multitude of surface finishes. But a bigger highlight is the cabin layout and dashboard design, which while looking properly German, as you would expect in a Volkswagen, give the Tayron the feel of being a luxury SUV. The Tayron also feels very spacious, and I like the amount of space around the driver’s cockpit. The steering feels nice to hold, and I also like how the infotainment screen is angled towards the driver, a clear mark of the Tayron R-Line being a driver-focused, performance-oriented SUV. But having said that, I’m still not convinced about the size of the screen, because this is the same 15-inch touchscreen as the Tiguan R-Line, and it just feels too large! The dashboard design is the same as the Tiguan too, with some eye-catching ambient lighting embedded into it on the left side, which is also customisable. The front seats feel plush and luxurious and add to the Tayron’s appeal and given that this is the R-Line, the cabin wears an all-black theme for added sportiness. There’s a lot to like about the second row as well, in terms of space and comfort both, and the second row seat can also be reclined by up to 15 degrees.
The same cannot be said about the third row though, as space is constrained. On the other hand, a panoramic sunroof helps in adding to the sense of space inside. The Tayron R-Line also comes with a long list of features and get conveniences over and above the Tiguan R-Line. Most importantly, front seats are not just heated anymore, they are ventilated and get a massage function too. You also get 3-zone air-conditioning, and if you are an audiophile, you are sure to appreciate the Tayron R-Line’s 700W, 11-speaker audio system from Harman Kardon, equipped with a subwoofer and amplifier as well.
The 15-inch touchscreen uses Volkswagen’s new user interface that we first saw in the Tiguan R-Line and Golf GTI last year, but it takes some getting used to, especially accessing driving-related functions which are bundled into a tiny icon at the top right. Good news is, the infotainment system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get an augmented reality-based head-up display, Level 2 ADAS and a list of safety features including 9 airbags, ESC, hill-hold, 360-degree view and more.
The Tayron R-Line is powered by the same 2.0-litre TSI, turbocharged petrol engine as the Tiguan R-Line and it also offers the same 204PS and 320Nm, sent to all four wheels via the same 7-speed DSG. The engine’s silky-smooth feel and refinement even well beyond the 4,000rpm mark is as remarkable as ever, but more importantly, acceleration is very quick as we’ve always known this powertrain to offer, despite the Tayron’s size and weight. Claimed 0-100kmph time is just 7.3 seconds, made possible by its strong engine performance, and also the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system. Credit goes to the dual-clutch automatic gearbox too, which impresses with its super-quick gear changes as it always has, and downshifts are particularly satiating given how well the engine matches revs. And yes, the paddle shifters certainly help in adding to the powertrain’s sporty feel too! The powertrain thus has the Tayron R-Line feel smaller and lighter than it is, and feel more car-like from behind the wheel, just like every iteration of the Tiguan.
The Tayron misses out on the Tiguan R-Line’s DCC Pro system with adaptive dampers, but I’m not complaining at all, because its handling is as good you would expect of a high-end German SUV. In fact we’ve always liked the Tiguan’s sporty handling and car-like feel even on the handling front, and the Tayron continues that trend well. There’s a surefooted feel around corners or when changing lanes even at highway speeds, besides which the Tayron also stays firmly planted even at triple digit speeds – it really did help me make the most of Jaisalmer’s butter-smooth and arrow-straight roads! The steering feels perfectly weighted too and offers excellent feel and feedback, as we’ve always known Volkswagens to, especially the high-end ones. All this sportiness does not come at the expense of a ride quality though, despite the firmness of the suspension. The Tayron feels adept at balancing sporty handling with a ride quality that impresses, despite the suspension setup feeling firm. Jaisalmer’s well-paved tarmac was not exactly a gauge, but the Tayron certainly gave me a feel that it will deal with typical Indian roads well to boast a ride quality that will even impress chauffeur-driven buyers.
To sum it up, the Tayron is very impressive as a full-size premium SUV, and also feels perfect as Volkswagen’s new flagship offering given its sporty design, well-appointed interiors and right mix of features, besides the strong engine performance and sporty dynamics. Importantly, unlike the Tiguan R-Line that was a direct import, since the Tayron R-Line is being assembled locally, it might just undercut the Tiguan R-Line and offer better value for money once prices are announced!
