Category Archives: Volkswagen

Electric/hybrid, Motoring, SUV, Volkswagen

Tayron a premium plug-in hybrid bridge to EVs

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Volkswagen Tayron R-Line eHybrid

By Bill McCarthy

Volkswagen’s slick Tayron is the kind of vehicle that serves as a bridge for drivers not yet ready to commit to a full EV. This spacious plug-in hybrid boasts a standout interior. While I use the term sparingly, ‘ergonomic’ is apt here.

The cabin design is genuinely impressive, featuring a curved dashboard and seats engineered for exceptional comfort.
In automotive design, ergonomics is the science of tailoring a vehicle’s interior to the human form, minimising driver strain and fatigue while maximising comfort, safety, and overall efficiency. It works here.

It is already proving popular and by the end of 2025 had sold just short of 4,000 models in the UK in nine months.

Design and styling

Measuring almost 4.8 metres long, the Tayron features up to seven seats, but it is available as a five-seater only in this plug-in version.
The smart looks are further enhanced with this range-topping R-Line finish, which adds sharp, body-coloured bumpers, 20-inch alloy wheels, and signature LED lighting front and rear, including illuminated Volkswagen badges. Also included is a tilting, sliding panoramic roof.

The cabin has a premium feel, and this model does, after all, carry a £57k price tag, above the standard £50,210, with all the optional bells and whistles.
It features specialised R-Line microfibre upholstery with blue piping, which feels high-end and hard-wearing. Head and legroom are excellent, and the whole cabin feels spacious, air and well engineered.
The standard 12.9-inch infotainment display controls major functions like infotainment, phone and app connectivity, and navigation.
It is further enhanced on this test model with the £1,160 Infotainment Package Plus, adding a larger 15-inch screen and a head-up display. 

Interior and technology

The 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro is standard and delivers real time information to the driver.
An extensive list of driver aids and electronic features includes an automatic dimming interior rear-view mirror, electronic air conditioning, and electrically heated, adjustable, and foldable door mirrors with puddle lighting. Additional lighting features include dynamic cornering lights and coming/leaving home functions.

Performance

Power is via a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine combined with an electric motor and a 19.7 kWh battery. The system deliver272 PS and 400 Nm of torque through a 6-speed DSG automatic transmission.
This setup offers practical flexibility. On battery power alone, it can cover a claimed 60-70 miles (70 miles WLTP), sufficient for most daily commutes. When needed, both systems work together for responsive acceleration. However, there was some evidence of wheelspin, even when not flooring the accelerator. 

The official WLTP fuel economy is 165.0 mpg – a nominal figure dependent on regular charging – but it indicates the potential for low running costs if the battery is kept charged

On the road

The Tayron’s advanced suspension setup and chassis dynamics deliver a pleasing driving experience. The petrol/electric combination offers plenty of power with swift acceleration to 60 mph in just 7.3 seconds. While not the quickest, (it’s still quick), its handling more than compensates.
It potters along happily on electric power in the city, but open it up on faster roads and the optional Adaptive Chassis Control (DCC Pro) and Vehicle Dynamics Manager keep the vehicle stable and balanced even on the tightest bends, with minimal body roll for a large SUV.
On the motorway, it’s a relaxed cruiser, with wind, road, and engine noise suppressed – which is the least you would expect from a car with a price tag of just over £57k.

Practicality

As a five-seater in a potentially seven-seat body, storage areas are huge. The boot offers a substantial 525 litres with the seats up. These can be reclined or folded completely flat, opening up to 1,610 litres.
It supports AC charging at up to 11 kW (a full charge in 2h 30m) and DC rapid charging at 40 kW (5-80% in 26 minutes).

Safety and driver assistance

Comprehensive safety features include full airbags, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, junction braking assist, lane-keeping, adaptive cruise control, and available 360-degree parking camera.

Verdict

The Tayron R-Line eHybrid combines efficient electric driving for daily use with a petrol engine for longer trips, all within a high-quality, tech-rich package. A decent driving experience, despite the wheelspin, it is practical and economical.

Factfile:

  • Volkswagen Tayron R-Line 1.5 TSI eHybrid 272 PS
  • Price (as tested): £57,025
  • Powertrain: 1.5-litre turbo petrol + electric motor, 272 PS, 400 Nm, 6-spd DSG auto, FWD
  • 0-62 mph: 7.3 seconds
  • Top Speed: 134 mph
  • Electric Range (WLTP): 70 miles
  • el Economy (WLTP): 165.0 mpg
  • CO2 Emissions: 39 g/km
  • BiK Rating: 7%
  • Warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles
electric, Family hatchback, Motoring, Volkswagen

ID.7 is the best EV from Volkswagen by a distance

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Volkswagen’s ID.7 Tourer combines appealing design and functionality, offering a 445-mile range, spacious interiors, advanced technology, and strong safety systems. Priced from £55,260, it effectively balances luxury and practicality for families.

Volkswagen is producing some seriously good cars in the moment. I say at the moment, it nearly always has, but this big ID is its best EV yet.
The market is all about SUV/crossovers, so the big family saloon/tourer bucks the trend somewhat, but seems to have limited competition around. Except maybe for the VW Group stablemate Skoda Superb.

The German brand has clearly put some serious thought into the aesthetics of the ID.7. This car boasts a drag coefficient of 0.25. The aerodynamic profile not only looks good but also contributes to its claimed range of 445 miles.

Range anxiety is decreasing as battery power delivers and an ID.7 Pro S with a standard technology package and output of 210 kW  or 286 PS, recently covered a distance of 585 miles on just one battery charge on a test run in Italy.

It’s huge at just under five metres, although this  tourer has a slightly taller roof, with roof rails to allow for extra capacity.

Standout features include the illuminated VW badge on the slim grille while to the rear, there are tinted windows with a horizontal LED light strip.

Other features include body-coloured bumpers and door handles; gloss black door mirrors with integrated indicators, black roof; silver roof trim strip and 19-inch alloy wheels round it all off.

The interior offers a spacious layout with generous head and legroom, large glass panels and minimal clutter.
The build quality is the best yet and improves on some of the cheaper finishes on earlier models. Exactly what you would want for a motor costing in excess of £55k.  

For that you get plenty of standard equipment, but this model managed to add another £4k worth of extras.

The gear selector is a rocker switch located behind the steering wheel, and the absence of a handbrake lever creates extra space between the front seats for a large central console with deep storage capacity

The comfortable seats are heated with power adjustments and lumbar support and there are leather style trim to steering wheel and door and soothing  ambient lighting with 30 colour options.

The vehicle is equipped with a 15-inch display, an augmented reality head-up display and operates the sat nav with preloaded European maps, speed limit display, and the ability to connect two mobile devices simultaneously. Infotainment includes a DAB digital radio, 8+1 speakers

 Additional features include an online voice assistant, and multiple USB-C ports along with wireless smartphone charging. The optional panoramic sunroof can toggle between opaque and transparent modes via touch or voice commands.

You would expect an estate type vehicle to have plenty of  luggage  space and this is no exception, with a  compartment volume of 605 that expands to a cavernous 1,714 litres

Range anxiety is a diminishing problem with more efficient batteries and a growing charging grid country-wide. The model features an 87 kWh battery mated with a 286 PS motor, which deliver rapid pace and hits 60mph in just 6.7 seconds.  It also produces a massive 545Nm of torque, making it ideal for towing.


As for that huge claimed range, I got nowhere near it, and with a week of filthy, wet, dark and cold weather, it was difficult to tell . But I reckon 350 might have been nearer the mark and the car went back with plenty of range left. Fast charging allows for a 10-minute charge that provides 126 miles of range and can go from 10% to 80% in 28 minutes.

For a big vehicle it handles really well, offering good stability on corners with plenty of grip. But it really is a comfortable, practical estate, at home around town and particularly pleasant on long motorway journeys.

It is packed with safety kit that includes a full complement of airbags, driver fatigue detection, electronic stability control with traction control and a reminder system for unfastened seat belts.
Additional features assisted braking and various traffic and pedestrian warnings.

Factfile

Volkswagen ID.7 Tourer Pro S Match
Price: £55,260
Mechanical: 286PS electric motor and 89kWh battery powering rear wheels via single speed auto transmission
Max speed: 112mph
0-62mph: 6.7 seconds
Range: 424 miles
Insurance group: 38
CO2 emissions: 0 g/km
BiK rating: 2%
Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles