Volkswagen – Pulpaddict

Volkswagen Tayron review

We get behind the wheel of VW’s latest SUV – the seven-seater Volkswagen Tayron family car…

Effectively replacing the Tiguan Allspace, the Tayron (pronounced tie-ron) is a mid-sized SUV, slotting in between the five-seat Tiguan and the range-topping Touareg.

Available with five or seven seats, it’s built on the same MQB Evo platform as the Tiguan, Skoda Kodiaq and Cupra Terramar and is priced from £40,130.

Of course, the Tayron’s USP is its extra space, and though the luggage capacity varies depending on whether you opt for the five or seven-seat versions (or the plug-in hybrid), it’s very practical.

With the third row folded down, my seven-seater test car had a massive 850-litre luggage capacity (or 345 litres with all the rows in use). Alternatively, flip down all the rear seats and it can swallow 1,905 litres.

There’s loads of head and leg room in the middle row, which is adjustable, thanks to the sliding bench.

It’s possible for adults to sit in the third row, but you have to slide the seats in front forward for legroom, and clambering in is a performance, so they’re best left for children or small people.

Looking much like a stretched Tiguan, the Tayron has an elegantly sleek design, with full-width light bars, slim lights front and rear, a large front grille and illuminated VW logos.

My Tayron 1.5 eTSI (with 48-volt mild hybrid petrol technology) is just one of many powertrain options (all fitted with a DSG automatic gearbox).

Buyers can also choose from 2.0-litre petrol and diesels, plus a plug-in hybrid (badged ‘eHybrid’) which pairs a 1.5 TSI engine with a 19.7kWh battery, giving an EV range of more than 70 miles.

Developing 148bhp, my 1.5 eTSI has an official fuel consumption of 44.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 146g/km. Maximum speed is 127mph, while the 0-62mph spring takes 9.4 seconds.

With four adults and luggage on board, it felt quicker than the official sprint time, and I managed more than 50mpg on longer motorway runs.

The engine is refined for the most part, only becoming vocal during aggressive acceleration.

It also has a tendency to hold a lower gear on steeper hills, but thankfully you can manually change up via the small paddles behind the steering wheel.

Clearly it’s a substantial car, but you’re only aware of its bulk when manoeuvring.

In fact, the Tayron is much easier to drive around town than you might expect, thanks to its impressive all-round visibility, sensors, light steering, big mirrors and rear-view camera.

It’s a comfortable car to drive, soaking up speed bumps and large potholes well. However, it does have a tendency to wallow around a bit, and it’s unlikely to put a smile on your face.

So, even though Sport mode dials up the throttle response, there are more engaging SUVs to drive.

That said, body control in more challenging corners is surprisingly good, though less spongey brakes would inspire more confidence.

Inside, the Tayron has a classy look and feel, and it’s well put together.

There’s a 10.25-inch driver’s display, plus a 12.9-inch infotainment screen as standard (it can be upgraded to 15 inches), with crisp and clear graphics.

Swiping and prodding for central touchscreen for so many essentials, such as climate control, isn’t ideal on the move, but at least VW has replaced the much-criticised haptic touchpad on the steering wheel with physical buttons.

A special mention for the innovative Central Driving Experience Control (a dial down in the centre console), which allows you to adjust audio volume, as well as select drive modes, ambient lighting and all-wheel drive (if fitted).

It’s also worth mentioning that the Tayron is capable of towing between 1,800-2,400kg (engine dependent), the 2.0-litre petrols are available with ‘4Motion’ all-wheel drive, and the car was awarded a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Verdict: If you’re looking for a classy seven-seater SUV that’s practical, refined and surprisingly economical, the Volkswagen Tayron should definitely be on your shortlist. Not unusually within the VW Group, it’s biggest competitor is arguably its cousin, the Skoda Koadiq.

Volkswagen UK

Volkswagen Touareg R eHybrid review

We get behind the wheel of the big, performance-focused plug-in hybrid SUV from VW…

Volkswagen’s biggest SUV was originally launched in 2002, and is now in its third generation. During that time, well over a million have found homes around the world, including some 60,000 in the UK.

Recently treated to a facelift and updates, it’s the range-topping ‘R’ model that’s the subject of this week’s road test.

To be exact, it’s the Touareg R eHybrid 4MOTION, which means that it’s an all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid.

It’s not short of a few premium-badged rivals either. Take your pick from the likes of the BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery, Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz GLE and Porsche Cayenne.

The current Touareg model has been around since 2018, so the refresh is welcome.

Externally, there are new bumpers front and rear, new matrix headlights (which use no less than 38,432 micro LEDs), a new rear lightbar, plus new 20, 21 and 22-inch alloy wheel designs to sharpen up the overall look.

Inside, there’s an updated version of VW’s slick Innovision Cockpit including 15-inch touchscreen and 12-inch digital instrument cluster, improved voice control and wireless app integration.

Crucially, there are more soft-touch surfaces in the cabin – an essential when a car is priced from a very premium £80,710.

Touareg customers can choose from three models – Elegance, Black Edition or R.

The R gets 22-inch ‘Estoril Black’ alloy wheels, ‘Puglia’ leather trim with cooling seats up front, plus blue brake calipers with the ‘R’ logo. That logo makes other appearances, including the seats and sill panel mouldings (where it’s illuminated no less).

The R is fitted with air suspension as standard, Park Assist Pro with Area view, and plenty of other goodies. In fact, just about all the gadgets and safety/driver assistance features you’d expect of a car in this price range are included.

The Touareg R develops a mighty 456bhp from its twin-turbo 3.0-litre petrol V6, combined with electric motor and modest 17.9kWh lithium-ion battery.

VW claims it has a 31-mile electric-only range, which is a bit shorter than some rivals, but enough for most short commutes.

There’s a potential 121mpg, while CO2 emissions are a low 53g/km.

The battery takes around 2.5 hours to charge via a 7.2kW charger, or overnight using a 2.3kW connection.

And with a 155mph top speed (limited) and a 0-62mph sprint time of 5.2 seconds, it’s certainly no slouch.

Drive is sent through an eight-speed automatic gearbox with the option of steering wheel-mounted paddles for manual changes.

It’s practical too, with ample space for adults front and rear, and a useful 665 litres luggage capacity, rising to 1,675 litres with the rear seats down. But remember, it’s only available as a five-seater.

The Volkswagen Touareg R is impressive on the road. Yes, it’s substantial and weighs in at nearly 2.5 tonnes, but the engineers have done a pretty good job of disguising that bulk with impressive body control.

Obviously, it’s no Golf R, but it is surprisingly agile for a big SUV. The ride is on the firm side (not helped by the enormous 22-inch wheels), but it’s by no means uncomfortable. In fact, on cruises and in town, it floats over bumps and potholes.

The suspension can be tuned further by selecting Sport mode (in addition to Eco, Comfort, Normal, Individual, Off-Road, and Snow), which will also tweak other settings such as throttle response. Choose Individual and it allows you to customise most of the settings, including steering.

And just to give you a little more confidence, the brakes are progressive (not always the case with a PHEV) and effective.

The auto gearbox feels slick for the most part, only occasionally hesitating or holding a higher gear for a tad longer than necessary.

Sport mode dials up the V6 engine note, but it’s still understated, which is a shame because you’d expect more character.

In petrol mode it feels fast, but not blisteringly so, with electrical assistance for the initial getaway and plenty of mid-range grunt.

Of course, the Touareg R is at its smoothest and most refined when running in EV mode, though the real-world range is closer to 20 than 30 miles. It’s still a bonus, especially when the battery charge has been used up and economy for the petrol engine plummets to well below 30mpg – unless you really behave yourself.

On the plus side, the switch from petrol to EV – and vice versa – is seamless.

Ultimately, it’s a fast SUV with an environmentally-friendly side, set up more for comfort than sporty driving engagement.

We didn’t get to try the Touareg R off-road, but with its drive modes and air suspension, it should be capable of handling the kind of weather extremes we endure in the UK – or even the odd muddy festival car park.

Finally, it has a handy towing capacity of 3.5 tonnes, which is similar to other premium SUVs.

Verdict: The new-look Volkswagen Touareg R eHybrid is a swift, spacious, comfortable and well-equipped sporty SUV with off-road capability. And if most of your driving involves short commutes, the plug-in hybrid technology will slash your running costs.

Volkswagen UK

Volkswagen to electrify the Pope’s vehicle fleet

Home / Auto News / Volkswagen to electrify the Pope’s vehicle fleet

Gareth Herincx

30 mins ago
Auto News

The Vatican has teamed up with Volkswagen to replace the city state’s entire car fleet with electric vehicles by 2030.

At the beginning of 2024, VW will deliver some 40 fully electric models from its ID family, ranging from the ID.3 to the ID.4 and ID.5.

The vehicles are part of the decarbonisation strategy of the world’s smallest state, aiming to make the fleet climate-neutral by 2030.

Imelda Labbé, Member of the Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and After-Sales at Volkswagen Passenger Cars, and Dr Christian Dahlheim, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Financial Services AG, personally handed over the first two EVs to the Vatican – a pair of ID.3 Pro Performance 2 models.

Tags electric vehicle EV pope Pope Francis popemobile Volkswagen Volkswagen ID 3 Volkswagen ID.4 Volkswagen ID.5 VW

Gareth is a versatile journalist, copywriter and digital editor who’s worked across the media in newspapers, magazines, TV, teletext, radio and online. After long stints at the BBC, GMTV and ITV, he now specialises in motoring.

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Top tips for preventing tool theft from vans

Home / Auto News / Top tips for preventing tool theft from vans

Gareth Herincx

2 hours ago
Auto News

UK tradespeople reported a staggering £3.5 billion worth of stolen equipment last year.

According to research by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, tool theft has increased by 33% since 2020, with a third (36%) of van drivers falling victim in the last year.

The average value of tools stolen per van last year stands at just over £2,000.

The study also revealed that almost half (48%) of van drivers confess to keeping more than £2,150 worth of tools in their vans overnight.

From a financial perspective, van owners who are on the receiving end of tool theft are at risk of an increase in future insurance premiums.

With theft on the rise, there has never been a more pressing time for van drivers to ensure that their vehicles are protected.

Here are Volkswagen Financial Services’ top tips on the best ways van drivers can protect their vehicles:

Be a conscious parker – When possible, ensure that the van is parked in a well-lit place which is visible to passers-by, not in areas which are secluded and dark
Stay alert, be aware – Check your surroundings before offloading your tools – savvy thieves can spot a high value tool and are willing to take risks to steal them
Track your vehicle – Consider fitting your van, or tools, with a tracking device so that you can see where they are at all times
“No tools on board” – The best way to prevent your tools from being stolen is to not leave them in the van, especially overnight. If you remove your vehicles from your van, then consider affixing a sign to the van saying ‘no tools left in vehicle overnight’
Take note – If you do need to leave any tools in your vehicles, then ensure that they are security marked (noting the serial numbers of all tools is also advised). If your tools are tagged, then put a sticker on them to advertise this fact
Taking extra precautionary measures – Sometimes tools have to be left in a vehicle, in a vulnerable location. If this is the case, then consider fitting additional safety locks to the rear and side door, or install lockable racking and safe boxes, making it harder for thieves to break in

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles understands the importance of incorporating theft prevention technology into its vehicles, to protect van owners.

For instance, the all-electric ID. Buzz Cargo is fitted with an anti-theft alarm system, interior monitoring in the cab, back-up horn and towing protection as standard. When activated, the anti-theft alarm system sounds the horn and activates the hazard lights, ensuring that bypassers are aware there has been an unwelcome intrusion.

Tags electric van EV tool theft van van security Volkswagen Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Volkswagen ID.Buzz Cargo

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770 HP Audi S8 Battles RS3-Swapped Golf R in Ultra-Close Drag Race

This Audi S8 makes far more power than the Golf R, but it also weighs more, resulting in one of the closest matchups we’ve seen.

Drag racing is a fascinating sport for a variety of reasons, but to us, one of the best things about it is getting to watch very different machines battle it out in a straight line. While many sports match up competitors based on skill or capability, that isn’t always the. case in drag racing, at least in the “run what you brung” sort of situation. That’s exactly what took place in this latest showdown conducted by the YouTube channel Officially Gassed, which pits a pair of modified German vehicles – an Audi S8 and Volkswagen Golf R – against each other.

However, these two cars do share one thing in common that most wouldn’t expect – an engine, or at least an engine from the same manufacturer. That’s because the Golf R seen here is packing the same 2.5-liter inline-five cylinder engine as the Audi RS3, and in this guise, it’s been boosted to around 520 horsepower thanks to a tune and a few other goodies. It also utilizes the RS3’s gearbox and rear end, and weighs in at around 3,300 pounds.

In the other corner, we have the Audi S8, which has received one big update for its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 as well, giving it a substantial 770 horsepower to play around with. Amazingly enough, this car needs nothing more than just a tune to achieve that mark, but as one might imagine, it’s quite a bit heavier than the Golf R, tipping the scales at around 4,400 pounds.

The very first race between these two is conducted from a roll, and despite their many differences, it’s a shockingly close one, with the Golf R just barely taking the win. However, there was some controversy regarding the VW driver jumping early, and the next go-round, they seem to be too conservative, giving the S8 an easy win. Amazingly, the third race was so close that it’s impossible to call, so the team goes to the numbers to decide, which shows that the Audi was indeed quicker.

From a dig, the Audi S8 proves to be superior in the first-go round, though the second round produces another race that was essentially too close to call. Thus, the two line up for a third time yet again, and in another photo finish, the Golf R takes home the victory. After reviewing the footage later on, however, it appears that the S8 actually won the second match, but regardless, this is easily some of the best racing we’ve seen in a while, which means that we’re all winners for getting to watch it all take place.

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