FAW-Volkswagen drives SUV strategy with mid-size Tayron

The heavyweight model expected to open up new chapter for JV

Sino-German joint venture FAW-Volkswagen launched a mid-size SUV - the Tayron - last Monday, the latest move in its plan to tap into the sizable segment of such vehicles in the Chinese market.

More than 7.23 million SUVs were sold from January to September in China, up 3.9 percent year-on-year and accounting for roughly 42 percent of the country's passenger vehicle sales, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

The Tayron, produced at FAW-Volkswagen's Tianjin plant, is its second SUV, which came within three months of the compact T-Roc, its first such model. Previously, it had focused on sedans.

The carmaker said the Tayron is a core model in its SUV family, and has a mission to up the Volkswagen brand and to open up a new chapter for FAW-Volkswagen.

Both the Tayron and the T-Roc are part of FAW-Volkswagen's campaign to introduce five SUVs in various sizes by 2020, a move expected to fuel its performance by creating a balanced portfolio.

Starting this year, the company's Volkswagen brand "is charging into the SUV market with strong models", said Liu Yigong, president of the carmaker that produces both Volkswagen and Audi-branded vehicles.

In the first nine months this year, its Volkswagen-branded vehicle sales totaled 991,813 units, up 1.3 percent year-on-year.

"We are confident in and capable of bringing our success story in the sedan segment over to the SUV sector, seeing good performance in both sedan and SUV markets," Liu said.

The T-Roc saw its September sales reach around 5,500 units, a decent number for a model hitting the showrooms in late July. It thus outlines an even more promising future for the larger Tayron, whose sub-segment offers the fastest growth and great potential.

Available in 10 variants, the model that competes with models include Toyota's Highlander and SAIC Volkswagen's Tiguan L features Volkswagen's latest manufacturing and smart technologies.

Designed as an all-terrain SUV, the Tayron will prove to be an ideal partner for its target customers-the new middle class primarily composed of the post-1980s and the post-1990s generation - with its power, handling and advanced features, the carmaker said.

It has three powertrain options. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine has two versions. One produces a top torque of 350 Nm and a maximum output of 162 kW, while the other, a top torque of 320 Nm and a maximum output of 137 kW. The 1.4-liter turbocharged engine generates a top torque of 250 Nm and a maximum output of 110 kW.

The model features Volkswagen's smart four-wheel drive system, the 4MOTION, and offers seven driving modes, allowing the driver to handle different road conditions more easily.

The Tayron boasts segment-leading technologies, ranging from the head-up display, which is often found in premium brands, to the 10.3-inch display. It is also equipped with an advanced driver assistance system that covers functions including adaptive cruise control and lane assistance.