The Volkswagen Tayron Life serves as the entry-level trim in the SUV's line-up, slotting below the range-topping R-Line. While a price gap between the two is a given, how different are they in terms of features, and what sets them apart visually? Here's a closer look at the differences between the two trims.
Volkswagen Tayron Life vs R-Line: Exterior
The Life trim has a cleaner-looking front bumper with L-shaped grille slats. The R-Line, meanwhile, gets a sportier front end with a criss-cross grille pattern and large air intakes on either side of the bumper. Other R-Line-specific styling elements include a gloss black front grille, wheel-arch cladding and rear bumper trim. Also, Matrix LED headlights are also exclusive to the R-Line.
In profile, the most noticeable difference is the alloy wheel design. The Life rides on 18-inch alloy wheels, an inch smaller than those on the R-Line. The styling remains clean, with a rising shoulder line stretching from the rear doors to the rear end, while the silver window surround extends from the roof and dips towards the rear glass. A chrome strip further adds to the look.
That said, several exterior features are common to both trims, including illuminated Volkswagen logos at the front and rear, illuminated LED light bars, body-coloured ORVMs and door handles, and a panoramic sunroof.
Volkswagen Tayron Life vs R-Line: Interior
The cabin layout is largely the same in both trims, and most of the key comfort and convenience features are shared. Both get a heated steering wheel with paddle shifters, a 10.25-inch driver's display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three-zone climate control, powered front seats with heating, ventilation and massage functions, sliding and reclining second-row seats, and a powered tailgate.
The biggest differences lie in the infotainment and premium features. The Life gets a 12.9-inch touchscreen paired with an 8-speaker audio system, while the R-Line upgrades to a 15-inch touchscreen and an 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. The latter also exclusively gets a head-up display, illuminated 'R' inserts on the dashboard and doors, a black roof lining, and matte chrome interior accents.
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Another key difference is seating. The R-Line is the only trim to get a third row, making it a seven-seater, while the Life is offered as a five-seater. As a result, the Life offers a much larger 885-litre boot, compared to the R-Line's 345-litre luggage capacity with all seats up.
Volkswagen Tayron Life vs R-Line: Powertrain
This is one area where the two trims don't differ. The same 2-litre turbo-petrol unit used in the Tayron R-Line also does duty in the Life trim, producing identical peak outputs of 204hp and 320Nm. Additionally, transmission duties are handled by a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic unit, which sends drive to all four wheels.
Volkswagen Tayron Life vs R-Line: Price
As the entry-level trim in the Tayron line-up, the Life is priced Rs 5 lakh lower than the R-Line, at Rs 41.99 lakh. Volkswagen has taken a similar approach to Skoda, which offers the Kodiaq Lounge as a more affordable five-seater alternative to the higher-spec seven-seater variants.
The Volkswagen Tayron rivals the Skoda Kodiaq and Jeep Meridian. Like the R-Line, the Life trim is also locally assembled at Volkswagen's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) plant in Maharashtra.
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
