Not everyone fits into the ‘I need seven seats, but don’t want an EV’ category, but John Challen has spent a week with just the vehicle for that demographic.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Day 1

In a (fleet) world dominated by electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, it’s always quite a refreshing change to drive something a bit different. Yes, this Volkswagen Tayron is still a plug-free hybrid, but I quite like the almost old-fashioned powertrain option. Subjective, I know, but it looks good, too. Imposing and purposeful from every angle, the Tayron is helped on the outside by the Dolphin Grey (an £810 option) paint and eye-catching illumination.

Day 2

For some, this is just another biggish Volkswagen SUV, to join the Tiguan and Touareg (and maybe even the Touran), but, for others, the Tayron plugs a gap in the range. A full-size seven-seat SUV might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the practicality is up there with the best of them. Today was the first time we got to put that practicality to the test, heading out six-up, with a load of stuff in the boot. Happy to report the Tayron passed the ‘space’ test with flying colours.

Day 3

There’s plenty of flexibility when it comes to boot capacity, but with the third row of seats there’s still 345 litres to fill in the back. Fold that rearmost set down and you’ll have access to 850 litres – and a whopping 1,905 litres with the second row flattened. While there were no trips to the tip when the Tayron was with me, moving large items would be a doddle in the big Volkswagen.

Staying at the back end, the Tayron has the most effective ‘virtual pedal’ system I’ve ever encountered. Normally I wave my foot underneath the car and nothing happens. This time, as I walked past it, I’d barely got any of my foot in the right area and the system was activated. The only slight downside was that I didn’t mean to do it!

Day 4

A 1.5-litre engine powering a car that boasts a gross vehicle weight of 2,310kg might not seem an appealing proposition, but it seems to work with the Tayron. Clearly, this isn’t a performance vehicle – what SUV really is, let alone one that seats seven? – a fact that is underlined by the car’s zero to 62mph time of 9.4 seconds. However, the turbocharged engine gives out 150hp and 250Nm of torque, which is enough for almost all of the scenarios I’ve put in front of it so far this week. There’s a bit of a roar coming from under the bonnet at times, but it typically gets on with its work in a very calm and efficient manner.

Day 5

It’s been noticeable recently that some manufacturers are scrimping a bit on interior quality as they are tasked with keeping the overall vehicle cost down. Volkswagen has always been lauded for its cabin environments and our car shows that this tradition is upheld. The R-Line ‘ArtVelours’ upholstery on the seats – with matching trim on the dash, door and side trim panels – looks and feels the part. Our Tayron had a host of other high-quality items such as heated ‘sports comfort’ seats, brushed stainless steel pedals and matte chrome door handles. These additions make it a very nice place to be.

Day 6

Another day, another occasion where nearly all the Tayron’s seats were called into action. This time, the task ahead was collecting a Challen Jnr and four of his mates after Reading Festival. A good few hours on the road for the round-trip – a lot of parents were tasked with the same job, so it seemed, leading to quite a few congested spots – were made easier by the car’s comfortable surroundings.

Once onboard, the young’uns were soon fast asleep and stayed in dreamland until we were close to home a few hours later – testament in part to the decent ride quality and refinement of the Tayron that didn’t disrupt their well-earned rest.

Day 7

A final day with the Volkswagen had me contemplating the automotive landscape and where this particular model fits in. Big cars aren’t for everyone and, these days, nor are non-EV options. But the Tayron is a very capable choice for those who need a lot of room, but also want the comfort and quality of a premium car (although in PHEV guise you do lose two of the seats). It does pretty much everything that is required of it to a very high standard, which – let’s face it – is all we want in a car sometimes. Full-size seven-seaters might not be in high demand on the UK market but, certainly in the case of the Tayron, they do the job very well.