VW – 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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2023 Volkswagen ID.3 review

Volkswagen’s bestselling EV in the UK has had an update for 2023 – we drive the new, improved ID.3…

The VW ID.3 electric hatchback has been treated to a mild makeover and tech update, despite only being launched in 2020.

Volkswagen has listened to feedback (some of it lukewarm) and acted on it swiftly. The result is a more mature proposition.

Crucially, the changes will also keep the car competitive in the ever-increasing EV family hatch sector, where rivals include the ID.3’s VW Group cousin, the Cupra Born, plus the MG4, Nissan Leaf, Renault Megane E-Tech Electric, Vauxhall Astra Electric and Peugeot e-308.

The ID.3’s exterior styling tweaks are subtle, to say the least. The front now features a longer-looking bonnet as a result of the removal of the black strip beneath the windscreen, plus larger air intakes. The honeycomb effect on the bumper has also gone and LED headlights are now standard.

Badging along the side of the car, plus decals on the rear pillar, have vanished too, resulting in cleaner lines, while the rear light cluster is tweaked and it has a distinctive X-shaped light signature.

The cabin has had an upgrade too. There are now more soft-touch surfaces, while the seat covers and door trims use fabric made of 71% recycled materials.

Finally, the infotainment system (one of the original ID.3’s biggest issues), has improved software and can now be updated over-the-air.

The menu structure is clearer and it seemed slicker and more responsive on our test drives. Even the controversial touch-sensitive sliders at the bottom of the touchscreen and on the steering wheel worked better.

Sadly, UK buyers will have to wait until 2024 for the new, larger 12.9-inch central screen, which benefits from backlit climate and volume controls – one of the big criticisms of the original car.

There’s also a more intelligent route planner for the sat nav (which schedules charging stops more effectively on longer journeys), improved voice control and an impressive augmented reality head-up display which projects directions from the sat nav onto the road ahead.

Mechanically, the rear-wheel drive ID.3 is much the same, so there’s still a choice of two batteries – 58kWh in the Pro and 77kWh in the Pro S, delivering ranges of up to 266 miles and 347 miles respectively.

Priced from £37,115, both develop 204bhp, though the Pro accelerates a tad quicker to 62mph (7.4 vs 7.9 seconds).

Another change is that the ID.3’s charging capacity has been uprated. So, the Pros S can be charged from 5-80% within 30 minutes at speeds of up to 170kW, while the Pro takes 35 minutes with a charging capacity of up to 120kW.

The revised ID.3 is no different to the “first generation” model on the road, which means that it’s competent and assured.

It’s no Golf in the handling department and is unlikely to put a smile on your face like some EVs, but it’s easy to drive and a refined cruiser.

It’s also good in the city with decent all-round visibility, light steering and a tight turning circle of just 10.2 metres.

There’s also plenty of grip and it smoothed out poorer road surfaces well, but it’s not at its happiest when hustled on more demanding roads.

There are three drive modes (Eco, Comfort and Sport), but the reality is that the ID.3 is all about comfort and extracting maximum miles from a charge.

Frankly, there’s not much between the Pro and Pros S, other than range. If anything, the 58kWh Pro S is a tad more nimble, but ultimately, the ID.3 still lacks the driving engagement of some rivals.

So, there aren’t many gripes with the improved ID.3. The brake pedal still has a relatively long travel, which takes a bit of getting used to, and paddles or buttons behind the steering wheel to adjust the brake generation level would be a bonus.

And the ID.3 can’t be faulted when it comes to space inside the cabin where there’s plenty front and rear, while the boot has a healthy 385-litre capacity, rising to 1,267 litres with the back seats flipped down.

It’s safe too, boasting a maximum five stars from Euro NACAP. The ID.3 has all the latest safety and driver assistance systems. And new for 2023 is Travel Assist, which helps keep your vehicle in its lane, keeps its distance from the vehicle in front and maintain your pre-defined speed.

Verdict: The updated Volkswagen ID.3 is a welcome improvement. Safe, spacious, refined and a doddle to drive, it’s a sensible electric hatchback choice with a good range.

Volkswagen UK

Record-high tool theft from vans

Gareth Herincx

2 days ago
Auto News

Tool theft has soared in the last 12 months with more than a third of van drivers falling victim – up from a quarter the year before, according to a study by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

The average value of equipment stored per van stands at £2,500, which means UK tradespeople are footing a £4.4 billion bill for replacement tools every year.

In addition, the study found that when tools are stolen, it stops work for six days on average, causing UK businesses to lose a staggering £5.2 billion annually.

An increase in the number of van drivers leaving tools in their vehicles overnight, with three-quarters admitting to doing so compared to less than half in 2020, has created more opportunity for thieves. And just half of van drivers are taking extra precautions such as additional alarms, locks, and vehicle trackers.

While London remains the UK’s biggest tool-theft hotspot, the rate has reduced to 47% of van drivers from 55% in the previous year. That’s in contrast to Scotland (45%), the North West (41%) and North East (40%), which have recorded huge surges in tool theft in the past year. The South East is the area where van drivers are least likely to fall victim to a break-in.

Percentage of van drivers with tools or equipment stolen in the past year
Region	2021/22	2020/21
London	47%	55%
Scotland	45%	22%
North West	41%	25%
North East	40%	28%
Yorkshire and the Humber	38%	7%
Wales	36%	4%
West Midlands	36%	33%
Northern Ireland	35%	13%
East Anglia	33%	23%
East Midlands	32%	15%
South West	32%	10%
South East	28%	17%

“We’re shocked to see that cases have risen so much in the past year, as we know the impact on businesses and workers is massive,” said David Hanna, Head of Direct Sales at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

“Hopefully, these findings will prompt those with expensive equipment to take extra precautions, whether that’s additional security features on their vans, avoiding parking in secluded, poorly-lit areas, or taking an extra 15 minutes at the end of the day to unload their vans.”

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