A Volkswagen Tayron diesel could still be offered in Australian showrooms, following the launch of a petrol-only lineup and confirmation a plug-in hybrid powertrain will be here next year.
The Tayron launched in Australia this month as a replacement for the Tiguan Allspace, offering a trio of turbocharged four-cylinder engines.
Volkswagen has also announced plans to add plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models already on sale overseas to the local lineup in 2026, with a PHEV version of the related Tiguan arriving at the same time. The two new PHEV SUVs will join the existing Touareg R, currently the brand’s only PHEV Down Under.
Yet the local arm of the automaker hasn’t ruled out adding diesel power to the Tayron lineup – and beyond – to add further to the choice in Australian showrooms.
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“If we see an opportunity, if we see that it is worth going for, we will not say no,” Volkswagen Australia passenger vehicle director Piergiorgio Minto told CarExpert.
The Tayron is sold in Europe and the UK, the latter being a right-hand drive market like Australia, with a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine producing 110kW of power and 360Nm of torque, mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
It offers more than 1000km of range based on a fuel economy figure of 5.6L/100km – better than the most efficient petrol Tayron sold here, the entry-level 110TSI Life, with 7.6L/100km.
It also brings a 2000kg braked towing rating against the 110TSI’s 1800kg – with the PHEV also at 1800kg – but can’t match the petrol 2.0-litre’s 2500kg.
The diesel also has the same 850-1905L boot space as petrol seven-seat Tayrons, where the PHEV has a smaller 705-1915L boot – but the PHEV has 9g/km carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions against the diesel’s 145g.
“We always keep an eye on diesel – what is going on in the market and everything,” Mr Minto said.
“We have enough powertrains the [Volkswagen] Group that we can choose from, we can take from, but we are always very careful in the way we choose them, [and] we always adapt them to the Australian market.”
“For Tayron, we thought that it [diesel] was not really worth going into.”
That’s despite the Tiguan Allspace having been offered with diesel power in Australia as recently as 2023.
Volkswagen Australia’s head of product, Arjun Nidigallu, says the brand has focused on diesel power for certain models but sees an opportunity for plug-in hybrids for others.
“It’s driven purely based on customer needs,” Mr Nidigallu told CarExpert.
“[The larger] Touareg is a great example where diesel is needed for the customer who wants that level of torque, that level of towing capacity – we don’t look at it as petrol or diesel, we look at it as the customer need.”
That approach has helped keep the Touareg within the local lineup – for the time being at least – despite reports the SUV is set for the axe in Europe, given its unique position in the range.
But diesel power for the Tayron would be serving a different set of circumstances, the product boss suggests.
“Tiguan and Tayron customers – they’re not doing a lot of kilometres during the week; it’s only on the weekend they may take trips,” he said.
“Hybrid makes a lot more sense because we’ve got 100km better range, so most people will be comfortable throughout the week not having to sip into their petrol – only on the weekend will they do that.”