Volkswagen Tayron Spotted Undisguised In India, Launching Soon?
The current flagship in Volkswagen India's lineup is the Tiguan R Line. The Allspace (7-seater Tiguan) which was on sale previously, is no more available. A new sighting has sparked fresh anticipations around a possible replacement. Volkswagen Tayron, a three-row SUV that is available in several global markets was spotted undisguised in India. The SUV was seen parked in the premises of a commercial space. It has a number plate that reads MH 20 TC 830 A- meaning it is running on Trade Certificate (TC).
The sighting has sparked fresh discussions on a possible India launch. It is widely anticipated that the Tayron could launch later this year, as a replacement for the Tiguan Allspace. It will then mark the carmaker's re-entry into the three-row SUV space. Rumour also has it that Volkswagen might consider local assembly for the SUV.
A Closer Look At The Tayron
On design grounds, the Tayron will borrow heavily from the Tiguan R-Line that's now on sale here. The two will share a lot of design cues. A notable difference will be in the overall length. The Tayron will be longer than the Tiguan R Line by 231mm. Other design cues include sleek LED headlamps, Black grille cover, a large mesh-patterned air dam on the bumper that looks much like what you get to see on the R Line.
The vehicle here seems to be riding on 19-inch alloy wheels. The rear bumper looks much the same as the one on the five-seater Tiguan. The tailgate, however, has slimmer LED tail lamps connected by a full-width light bar. A previous sighting of the same vehicle had revealed an 'R' badge near the rearview mirror. This suggest that Volkswagen could launch a sportier version of it in India.
No visual of the interior can be had from this sighting. If we are to base the discussion on interior design offered on the global SUV, the India-spec could come with a clean layout. There will be a clear visual resemblance to the Tiguan R Line's cabin. The vehicle will also come with a large 15-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 10.25-inch all-digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, ambient lighting, 3-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, Level 2 ADAS, and more.
Talking of space, the Tayron's key attraction will be the third row. Even with all seats in use, it will offer 345 litres of boot space. Folding the third row down will generate a whopping 850 litres of space. This if you see, is 198 litres more than the Tiguan's boot space.
Much like the Tiguan R-Line, the Tayron will also house the 2-litre turbo-petrol engine (EA888) under its hood. While the official figures are yet to surface, the output could stand at 204hp and 320Nm. The carmaker is likely to offer just a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox on the Tayron. There will be All Wheel Drive (AWD) system on offer as well. Due to its added weight, the Tayron could likely have a meeker acceleration and slightly lower top speed than the Tiguan R Line.
The Tayron Could Make Sense In India's SUV Space
The Tiguan R Line may not have been a huge success in India. It is primarily because of its high price tag as the Tiguan R Line is brought as CBU units. With the Tayron, however, we expect the carmaker to take the CKD route and commence local assembly at its Aurangabad plant.
Think of the Tayron as the Volkswagen version of the Skoda Kodiaq. The Kodiaq enjoys good demand in the D1 SUV segment and posts three digit monthly numbers. If Volkswagen manages to commence local assembly and price it competitively, the Tayron will be able to give the Kodiaq a strong fight. Today, options are limited in the seven-seater D SUV space- you just have the Jeep Meridian, Fortuner and the Skoda Kodiaq!
Someone particular about having the best driving dynamics will be left with just one option -the Kodiaq. It offers impeccable road manners and control. Since it is based on the same underpinnings, the Tayron will also impress equally.