Motoring

New Volkswagen Tayron emerges as renamed Tiguan L Pro

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By Charl Bosch

Reported back in 2020 to be under investigation for Europe as the replacement for the seven-seat Tiguan Alllspace, Volkswagen’s second generation Tayron has been leaked in China via images and documents submitted to its Ministry of Industry and Information Technology office.

Identity change

Its confirmation as the Allspace’s replacement, and approval as a world model, being made last year by Volkswagen’s Head of Engineering, Karl-Heinz Hell, the Tayron will seemingly adopt a two-name strategy as evident by the newcomer bowing as the Tiguan L Pro in the People’s Republic.

ALSO READ: Volkswagen Tayron mentioned again as Tiguan Allspace replacement

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Announced by Hell as only going on-sale in Europe by the middle of the decade, in other words 2025, the Tayron name will seemingly be adopted in markets outside of China in a confusing turnaround of moniker usage.

Fundamental changes

Although appearing similar to the standard wheelbase Tiguan, the Tiguan L Pro/Tayron measures 4 735 mm long, 1 859 mm wide and 1 682 mm tall while riding on a wheelbase stretching 2 791 mm.

Versus its sibling, the newcomer is 184 mm longer, 80 mm wider and 40 mm taller with its wheelbase being unchanged.

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Tayron name has been dropped for Tiguan L Pro in China. Image: carscoops.com

In a further comparison, the Tiguan L Pro/Tayron measures seven millimetres longer and 20 mm wider than the Allspace, although its height is lower by four millimetres. The same applies to the wheelbase that grows by a marginal two millimetres.

While no pictures of the interior were divulged, the Tiguan L Pro is likely to differ incrementally from the Tiguan by way of certain readouts and specification items reserved solely for the Chinese market.

Current Tiguan Allspace will most likely bow-out at some stage in 2024. Image: Volkswagen

Once on-sale in Europe, and with the exception of the third-row, no significant changes from the five-seat Tiguan are expected, meaning the retention of features such as the ergoActive Plus comfort seats, physical buttons on the steering wheel, wireless smartphone charger, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the new touchscreen infotainment system in two sizes; 12.9-inches and 15-inches.

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Change of heart

All-new Tiguan will arrive in South Africa in the second quarter of this year. Image: Volkswagen

Up front, the Tiguan L Pro will derive motivation from the 2.0 TSI engine that powers the majority of Volkswagen’s Chinese products in two states of tune; 137 kW and 162 kW.

The only transmission choice is a seven-speed DSG and while the former’s amount of twist is sent to the front axle only, the latter will have the option of the 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.

Tiguan’s rear has been changed little when viewed alongside that of the Tiguan L Pro. Image: Volkswagen

For Europe, the Tayron’s drivetrain choices will be more extensive and consist of the 2.0 TSI and mild-hybrid eTSI, the 2.0 TDI and the plug-in hybrid that combines the smaller 1.5 TSI Evo engine with a 19.7-kWh battery pack powering an 85 kW electric motor.

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In the Tiguan, this configuration allows for an all-electric range of up to 100 km and two states of tune; 150kW/350Nm and 200kW/400Nm channelled to the front wheels only through a uniquely tuned six-speed DSG.

Tiguan’s interior will likely be a touch different in the Tiguan L Pro. Image: Volkswagen

So far, not yet for us

Set to be sourced from either the Wolfsburg Plant in Germany or the Puebla facility in Mexico for export markets, with two plants in China assembling it for the domestic market, the Tiguan L Pro/Tayron remains an uncertainty for South Africa as no indication of it replacing the Tiguan Allspace has so far been made.

With sales of the five-seat Tiguan penned-in for the second quarter of the year though, expectations are that the Tayron will most likely only be approved once out in Europe next year.

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Additional information and images from carscoops.com and autocar.co.uk.

NOW READ: Volkswagen plotting Tiguan Allspace replacement derived from China’s Tayron

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Published by
By Charl Bosch