Hello New VW Tiguan

The previous Volkswagen Tiguan suffered from a bit of an identity crisis in our opinion. It was meant to be like a smaller Touareg, but it didn’t pull off the masculinity of its older brother. What it did have was many modern technologies for that time. Under the hood was the option of a combination of supercharging as well as turbo charging. The car also had the ability to park itself, which at the time was a very cool feature to have. Since its inception, what the Tiguan has proved is that smaller displacement engines that are boosted can work in mid-sized cars. If only it looked a bit more butch, then many men wouldn’t have felt that they were driving a school taxi each time they stepped inside.

All that has changed:

Speed up to present day and we now have a new Tiguan on our hands. To say that there is even a slight similarity between this version and the one it replaces, would be a complete lie. Visually this new car is larger, boxier and much more aggressive looking. Gone are the softer looks of the old car. The standard package alone is a vast improvement, but the R-Line Package is the one you want if you’re looking for to turn heads. The interior of the new Tiguan also keeps to the car’s overall modern theme.

In typical Volkswagen fashion, the layout is functional, well built and logical. As a result, though, functionality has replaced a bit of creativity so the interior is not the most exciting to sit in. The Composition Media infotainment system is as good as all modern VW’s and thankfully the new Tiguan also has the option of the Active Info Display. The digital screen of the Active Info Display is one of the greatest things that has come from the VW Group, and its good to see it feature in more cars.

What makes it tick:

On launch we had two models at our disposal, both petrol, and both 1.4 litre turbocharged engines. The one model offers 92kW’s whilst the other offers 110kW’s. The former had a manual and the latter a DSG gearbox. The cars ride very similarly with the obvious difference being the power, something that makes the 110kW derivative the choice car between the two. The combination of the DSG gearbox and the added power work very well together, especially considering the larger size of the new car. That being said, the manual 92kW version is good at what it does, but you do long for more power at times. Comfort levels are good in the Tiguan considering that the cars we had were riding on 19-inch wheels. For maximum comfort, though, a smaller wheel size may be preferred as the ride may be firm for some. For its purpose as an everyday medium sized SUV, ferrying the little ones around or going on a long holiday will be a pleasure.

What the future holds:

The two cars we drove are not the only derivatives that will be available. Three diesel options will be present soon, as well as a high powered petrol engine. Both the petrol and the diesel will be 2.0 litres in displacement, with the top of the range diesel featuring 130kW’s and the petrol making 162kW’s. We look forward to sampling the diesel models, as these cars generally work better because they offer more torque and are therefore more usable.

Verdict:

Based on our brief encounter we had with the new car, we can conclude the following about the new Tiguan: On the outside, when fitted with the R-Line package, it looks very good. The car also has enough interior space for a family and a large boot (615 litres). Overall the new Tiguan experience is one that is premium, luxurious and appealing. Most appealing, however, is the price of the new Tiguan which you can read below.

Our in-depth review will be available in Edition 05 of TheMotorist magazine.

Prices:

1.4 TSI 92kW Trendline Manual R378 0001.4 TSI 92kW Comfortline Manual R419 0001.4 TSI 110kW Comfortline DSG R457 680