New Volkswagen Tayron papped as Tiguan’s seven-seater sibling continues testing

The VW Tiguan Allspace is not long for this world, as the seven-seat family SUV is due to be replaced by the all-new Volkswagen Tayron later this year. We’ve now spied prototypes undergoing testing in both bitterly cold temperatures and doing hot lap times of the famous Nürburgring. 

The Tayron will be the big brother of the new third-generation Volkswagen Tiguan, which is available only in five-seat form, however, the Touareg (also a five-seater) will remain the German brand’s flagship SUV. The Tayron name will be unfamiliar to European motorists but it’s been used by Volkswagen in the Chinese market for several years now.

All the prototypes we’ve seen so far are wearing camouflage to give them a passing resemblance to the previous-generation Tiguan, but the front bumper design with large air intakes on either side is very similar to the all-new model that just landed in UK showrooms. We expect the Tayron to sport a similar front end and grille treatment, plus a near-identical rear light treatment, to its little brother.

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Styling isn’t the only link between the Tayron and Tiguan, as the two will share the same MQB evo platform, also used by another seven-seater SUV, the Skoda Kodiaq.

The new Tiguan is 4,539mm long and has a wheelbase of 2,676mm, but the Tayron is expected to measure over 4.7 metres long and have an even longer wheelbase to help accommodate its seven-seat layout. Our spy shots also show the rear doors have been lengthened for easier access to the second and third rows of seats.

We have a good idea of what to expect when it comes to the Volkswagen Tayron’s interior. It’ll almost certainly get the firm’s new 15-inch central touchscreen from the ID.7, Passat and Tiguan, for example. Volkswagen is in the process of moving away from touch sensitive controls – such as the sliders on the dash, and touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel. We may, therefore, see a greater proportion of physical controls on the Tayron; more even than on the Tiguan with which it shares its DNA. 

As for powertrains, expect these to mimic the smaller Tiguan rather than the Touareg. That means a choice of mild-hybrid petrol and TDI diesel units, plus two plug-in hybrids. We should see the Tayron PHEV offer a pure-electric range of over 60 miles, based on the figures for the new plug-in Skoda Kodiaq.

Pricing for the new Tiguan starts from £34,060, meaning the seven-seat Tayron should start from roughly £40,000 when it goes on sale later this year.

Now take a look at our list of the best family cars to buy...