There’s that moment in life that a true car lover will always remember… when you put practicality ahead of performance.
Maybe you’ve got kids or maybe you just needed to get a car with a factory-standard exhaust so all your colleagues didn’t look at you when you drove into work. But for whatever reason, as inevitable as the seasons, we all tend to grow up and leave the hot hatches behind in favour of a sensible SUV.
But what if you could combine the sportiness of a hot hatch with the practicality of an SUV? More specifically, what if you could create a Volkswagen Golf GTI for the whole family to enjoy?
Well, Volkswagen may have done just that with the all-new Tayron 195TSI R-Line. This is the replacement for the Tiguan Allspace in the line-up, taking a new name (which is pronounced tie-ron) but keeping the same formula – a stretched, seven-seat version of the five-seat Tiguan.
The German brand is not afraid to set the bar high for its range-topping R-Line variant, claiming it possess ‘GTI-like performance’ from its turbocharged, all-wheel drive powertrain (which makes it sound more like a Golf R, but that’s splitting hairs).
The engine in question is the Volkswagen staple, a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol unit which makes, as the name suggests, 195kW of power and a healthy 400Nm of torque. It sends those kilowatts and newton meters to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
This endows the Tayron with sprightly performance, feeling quick off the mark and punchy through the middle of the rev range, but the extra size and weight of the SUV body means it doesn’t feel as rapid as a Golf GTI.
The same is true when cornering, with the Tayron obviously feeling taller and heavier than a true hot hatch. However, for a medium-large SUV capable of taking seven people (although those in the third row will be squeezed) it’s a genuinely fun thing to drive.
Volkswagen has always produced some of the most dynamic mainstream vehicles and the Tayron lives up to that legacy. The handling is very responsive, with direct steering that provides hot hatch levels of feedback to the driver. The ride is firm as a consequence, so it’s not the most comfortable SUV in its segment, but it might be the most enjoyable for whoever is behind the wheel.
The other problem the firm ride throws up is a surprising amount of rattles and squeaks in the cabin, primarily from the door. Which is both unusual for Volkswagen but also disappointing given this is a $73,490 vehicle.
Fortunately, for that asking price you do get a lot of standard equipment, including 19-inch alloy wheels, Matrix LED headlights, R-Line exterior and interior styling, heated steering wheel, leather-appointed upholstery, power adjustable front seats with massage function and heated rear seats, a 15.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, a head-up display and a Harman Kardon premium sound system.
It makes for a quite premium package, with the Tayron feeling roomy and well-appointed in the first two rows of seats. It’s ideal for those who have enjoyed their time in a Golf GTI or R but now feel the responsibility of parenthood or just need more space.
The Tayron 195TSI R-Line is the closest thing you can get to a hot hatch for sensible adults.
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