Kamal Ghorui
Volkswagen India has announced the start of local assembly for the upcoming Volkswagen Tayron R-Line SUV. Assembly is underway at the company’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar plant, in line with plans to launch the SUV in the first quarter of 2026. The new Tayron will serve as the brand’s top-tier offering in India, positioned above the Tiguan R-Line. It will be offered in a seven-seat layout and marks the brand’s return to the premium three-row SUV segment following the discontinuation of the Tiguan Allspace.
Talking about the engine first, the Tayron is expected to be powered by a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, turbo petrol engine which puts out 204 hp of power and 320 nm torque. The engine comes paired with a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox which sends power to all four wheels. Design-wise, it features a sharper, sportier appearance with angular bumpers, large 19-inch alloy wheels, and exclusive R-Line branding. Built on the MQB EVO architecture shared with the Tiguan R-Line, it benefits from an extended wheelbase of 2,789 mm, around 109 mm longer to accommodate a third row of seating.
The new Volkswagen Tayron R-Line will be brought to India via the CKD route, which should allow it to be priced more competitively, with an estimated ex-showroom price ranging between Rs 45 lakh and Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom). The SUV will be launched sometime in March 2025 and will compete with the Toyota Fortuner, the MG Gloster, the upcoming MG Majestor, the Jeep Meridian and the Skoda Kodiaq in the Indian market.Moving inside, it features a large 15-inch touchscreen angled towards the driver, handling most of the vehicle’s primary functions. While it retains the massage feature for the leather-appointed front seats seen on the Tiguan R-Line, the Tayron swaps seat heating for front-seat ventilation, a more practical addition for Indian climates. Additional highlights include a fully digital instrument display, a panoramic sunroof, customisable ambient lighting with 30 colour options, and Matrix LED lighting technology. Cargo capacity is also generous, offering up to 850 litres of boot space when the third row is folded down.
