VW Tayron eHybrid – Everything we know in April 2022

Volkswagen is planning a new SUV called the VW Tayron for Europe. Bigger and more premium than the Tayron currently sold in China (featured image), it would slot below the Touareg in its European line-up.

Confirmation

In March 2022, Volkswagen confirmed that the rumored global VW Tayron is in the pipeline. In an announcement about approving the new VW Trinity factory in Wolfsburg-Warmenau, Germany, the company elaborated on the decision to manufacture the forthcoming electric sedan at a new factory instead of the main plant in Wolfsburg. One of the reasons was that this would ensure that the Trinity production does not disrupt ongoing series production or ramp-ups of core models “such as the Tiguan and Tayron or the Golf facelift scheduled for the coming years” at the Wolfsburg plant.

Positioning

Reports suggest that the VW Tayron will be the successor to the VW Tiguan Allspace, also called VW Tiguan XL and sold as the Tiguan in the U.S. market. Introduced in January 2017, the independent variation of the VW Tiguan has additional length and a longer wheelbase, and is available as a seven-seater optionally. With more than 1.7 million units sold between 2017 and November 2021, in the words of Volkswagen, it’s “an out-and-out success.”

Clearly, Volkswagen isn’t being compelled to discontinue the Tiguan Allspace. Rather, it wants to take advantage of recent success with a standalone model. The closest competitor of the Tayron in Europe could be the next-gen Honda CR-V, which will be available as a PHEV in the region.

Specifications

Next-gen PHEV system

The VW Tayron will be among Europe’s final MQB-based launches. It should come with Volkswagen’s next-gen plug-in hybrid system that uses a 1.5-liter TSI Evo engine instead of a 1.4-liter TSI engine with an electric motor, ready for the incoming Euro 7 emission norms. The combined power of the new system will likely be much higher than the current combination’s 241 hp.

Volkswagen uses a 13 kWh battery pack in PHEVs with the current compact electrified powertrain. In the Tiguan eHybrid (PHEV), this enables a pure electric range (WLTP) of 30 miles. In the PHEVs with the next-gen compact electrified powertrain, including the VW Tayron eHybrid, the company will overhaul the powertrain as it targets next-gen PHEVs to deliver a pure electric range of up to 100 km (62 miles) on the WLTP cycle.

VW Tayron Release Date

It’s early to forecast the release date of the European VW Tayron. If it’s the successor to the VW Tiguan Allspace like the media claims, expect the debut 6-12 months after the next-gen Tiguan. If the all-new Tiguan hits the European markets in summer 2023 as expected, the Tayron should launch in the first half of 2024. Do note that Volkswagen hasn’t commenced testing either of the models on public roads.

VW Tayron FAQs

Featured image: Volkswagen