Volkswagen India has just revealed the new Volkswagen Tayron R-line three-row SUV in the Indian market. The new VW Tayron will sit at the top of Volkswagen’s India lineup, positioned above the Tiguan R-Line. The SUV will arrive in India via the CKD route and the local assembly of the Tayron R-line is underway at the company’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar plant.
In this article, let’s compare the new Volkswagen Tayron R-line with the 2026 Renault Duster and new Skoda Kushaq facelift in terms of features, dimensions, specs and more. While the Volkswagen Tayron R-Line does not sit in the same mid-size SUV segment as the Skoda Kushaq and the new Renault Duster, comparing the three still offers a useful perspective. The Kushaq and Duster represent the core of the highly competitive mid-size SUV space, focusing on value, practicality and mass-market appeal, whereas the Tayron R-Line operates in a segment above as a larger, more premium three-row offering. Placing them side by side helps highlight how buyers’ priorities shift as budgets increase whether it is space, features, performance or brand positioning.
Volkswagen Tayron vs Kushaq vs Duster: Expected price, launch timeline The Volkswagen Tayron R-Line will arrive in India via the CKD route, a move that should help keep pricing competitive. The SUV is likely to be priced between Rs 45 lakh and Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom) and the price announcement is expected to happen sometime in February 2026. The pre-booking for the new Duster is open, interested customers can pre-book and register their interest online or by visiting their nearest dealership. The price announcement is expected to happen sometime in March 2026 with deliveries starting from April 2026. Prices are expected to start somewhere between 9-10 lakh (ex-showroom). Talking about the Kushaq facelift, the prices are expected to be announced in February, and the deliveries are scheduled to begin in March 2026. The pre-bookings are already underway. Interested customers can book the new Kushaq online or by visiting the nearest dealership. Prices are expected to start somewhere between 10-11lakh (ex-showroom).
Volkswagen Tayron vs Kushaq vs Duster: Dimensions Comparing dimensions next, the Skoda Kushaq facelift measures 4225 mm in length, 1760 mm in width, 1612 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2651 mm. Ground clearance is rated at 188 mm and has a boot space of 491 litres. The new Duster measures 4343 mm in length, 1813 mm in width, 1659 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2657 mm. It has a ground clearance of 212 mm and a boot space of 594 litres.
The VW Tayron R-Line measures 4792 mm in length, 1866 mm in width, 1665 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 2789 mm. Ground clearance is rated at 181 mm and has a boot space of 345 litres (with 3 rows up) 850 litres (with folded 3rd row). In terms of size, the three SUVs are clearly separated by segment. The Skoda Kushaq facelift is the smallest of the lot, while the new Duster sits slightly above it. The Volkswagen Tayron R-Line, meanwhile, operates in an entirely different league. It is substantially larger than both the Kushaq and the Duster. Volkswagen Tayron vs Kushaq vs Duster: Engine options Comparing engine options first, the new Renault Duster will be offered with three engine options – a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 100 PS power and 160 nm torque paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Another engine is a 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol with 163 PS power and 280 nm torque paired with a 6-speed DCT or a 6-speed manual. There’s also a bigger 1.8-litre strong hybrid petrol engine with 109 hp paired with a 49hp electric motor and a 20hp hybrid starter generator (HSG), paired with a 1.4kWh (280V) battery. Together, this configuration delivers a combined system output of 160hp and 172Nm.The Skoda Kushaq facelift is offered with two engine options – a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine which puts out 115 hp power and 175 nm torque. Gearbox options include a 6-speed manual or a new 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. Another engine is a 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, turbo diesel with 150 hp and 250 nm. Gearbox options include only a 7-speed DSG for the 1.5.The Volkswagen Tayron is offered with a single engine option, a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder, turbo petrol engine which puts out 204 hp of power and 320 nm torque. The engine comes paired with a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox which sends power to all four wheels. Volkswagen Tayron vs Kushaq vs Duster: Features The new Renault Duster features a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a panoramic sunroof, a wireless phone charger, dual-zone climate control, a powered tailgate, 6-way powered and ventilated front seats, 48-colour ambient lighting, keyless entry with push button start/stop, multi-drive modes and more. Safety features include six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, rear parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, 360-degree camera, electric parking brake, disc brakes on all four wheels and Level 2 ADAS features.
Talking about the Kushaq facelift’s features, it gets a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, along with connected-car tech. This infotainment system gets an AI companion app built on Google-powered technologies, which features advanced digital capabilities in the vehicle, including intuitive voice-based control of key functions enabled by Gemini AI. Other features include a fully digital 10.25-inch instrument cluster, a six-speaker Skoda sound system with subwoofer and amplifier, automatic climate control, a panoramic sunroof, leatherette seats, electrically adjustable front seats with ventilation, a segment-first rear massager and more.
Talking about the features in the Tayron R-Line, it features a large 15-inch touchscreen angled towards the driver, massage and ventilated leather-appointed front seats, a fully digital instrument display, a panoramic sunroof, customisable ambient lighting with 30 colour options, and Matrix LED lighting technology, an 11-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, 12-way powered front seats with memory, an augmented reality (AR)-based head-up display (HUD), theee zone climate control, powered tailgate and more. Safety features include Level 2 ADAS, nine airbags, ESC, hill-start and hill-descent controls, a 360-degree camera and more.
