Volkswagen Tayron review

Functional. Which you couldn’t say of many VWs until quite recently. Inside you’re greeted by a 10in digital instrument display, and depending on spec either a 12.9 or 15in infotainment screen. It’s a big improvement on the old system, with an interface that’s sensibly laid, responsive to inputs and (crucially) doesn’t bury the stuff you’ll want to interact with most several layers deep.

Temperate controls are permanently displayed along the bottom, or there’s the touch-sensitive tabs if you’re a real glutton for punishment. Lane keep and speed limit warning deactivation are just two taps away from the main screen. We’d prefer one (or none), but we’ll take it.

And look at the steering wheel! Actual buttons! Including for volume! VW has seen sense and made a u-turn on the industry trend, recognising that physical switchgear is vastly easier (and safer) to use than that horrid haptic stuff that crops up everywhere now. Whoever fought for that internally, we see you. And we appreciate you.

How’s the quality?

It’s all solidly put together as you’d expect, although the materials stop short of plush. On mid-spec Tayrons you get a welcome wood-effect trim piece that frames the bottom of the dashboard, although we’re not sure how well the dashed plastic art panel is going to age. Puts in mind of a trendy wine bar, not a family steed.

Meanwhile, VW has taken a leaf out of Mini’s playbook with a variety of ‘atmospheres’ that switch up the ambient lighting, volume and music depending on what you’re in the mood for. They are Lounge, Energetic, Joy, Minimal and Me. Moving on…

Yeah enough of that. Give me the info I’m really here for.

You mean the practical stuff don’t you?

Yes.

Thought so. You can fit three abreast in the back row, which slides (individually or as a unit) as required. In its most copious configuration (i.e. when passengers six and seven have elected to walk), leg and headroom is glorious. And there’s a tonne of wiggle room under the front seats, both of which have a trio of pockets stitched into the back. Handy. Notice the climate control and USB-Cs back there too.

While the back seats can be dropped with a lever in the boot, the jump seats are released with a latch. And can only be raised/lowered when the rear bench is slid all the way forward. Annoying. Safe to assume little ones will need your assistance here, every time. Good luck keeping your diary. As you’d expect, the floor is quite high up in relation to the rearmost chairs, so they’re only really for kids.

As for the boot, on all but the PHEVs you get 345 litres of luggage space with all seven seats in place, and 885 litres with the two jump seats felled. Remember you can adjust as needed by sliding the rear bench backwards or forwards. Collapse everything and the magic number is 1,905 litres. Basically St Paul’s Cathedral on wheels.

The plug-ins manage ever so slightly more in Dump Run mode, but with five seats up you’re well down on the others with just 705 litres to work with. You poor thing.