Car Reviews > Volkswagen > Tiguan > Volkswagen Tiguan Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Prices: £25,645
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel
Gearbox: 6-speed manual, 4-wheel drive Power: 138 bhp
0-62 mph: 10.2 seconds
Top Speed: 116 miles per hour
Economy: 48.7 miles per gallon
Emissions: 150g per kilometre
Equipment: Electric windows, Bluetooth, and MP3 connector, rear parking sensors, sliding rear seat bench, alloys, climate control

The SUV is even more appealing than ever before thanks to lower emissions and sharper looks.

Many people tend to think that they will have to pay out big if they ever want to own an SUV, but the newly updated Volkswagen Tiguan seems out to prove that that just is not the case. The revamped off-roader now comes complete with both a much more fuel-efficient diesel engine but also a whole host of extra gadgets and a brand new look to boot. If the admittedly very pricey Range Rover Evoque is perhaps a little out of your league, this could be the next best thing in its class.

The most popular model is almost certain to be the 2.0-litre TDI, capable of a bhp rating of 138, which is both environmentally friendly and also comes in a well-equipped BlueMotion SE form. The downside is that at £25,645 it still manages to come in at £2500 more than the equally powerful Kuga 2.0 TDCi Zetec from Ford, although it must be said that the somewhat lower running costs and the strong residuals could work out as making up for that in the long run. The revamped unit may only have the exact same bhp and Nm ratings of 138 and 220 respectively as it did before, but this one also comes with a stop-start system that boosts the economy rating from 44.8 miles per gallon to as much as 48.7 miles per gallon. CO2 emissions have likewise fallen from 164g per kilometre to 150g per kilometre, which in turn means that road tax has been reduced from £165 to just £130.

Once up and around, the stop-start system proves to be so smooth as to be almost unnoticeable when the engine cuts out and then fires back up again, and while the low-rev response is not up there with the best of them – though the combination of kerb weight, tall gearing and the 4Motion 4WD System is very likely to be largely responsible for that – but the mid-range punch is pretty good giving you plenty of urges to overtake. The Tiguan also comes across well when driving at motorway speeds, with minimal road and wind noise, and while the ride is perhaps a little bit on the bouncy side, the upsides to this are one very agile car with very sharp responses. The ultimate impression is that the Tiguan is very similar to a raised version of the Golf, which may not be too surprising given that that vehicle is what it was based on, though it has to be said that is not quite up there in the fun stakes with a Kuga.

There is plenty of grip courtesy of the 4Motion 4-wheel drive-system, while the Tiguan has no problems at all dealing with soggy hillsides or grassy car parks. For those who want to go a little further off-road, the Escape version features a different front end that allows for steeper approach angles.

Styling wise, the Tiguan has clearly been inspired by the Touareg, and with its large lights, new grille, tweaked chrome trim, and revamped taillights, this is an upmarket and very classy SUV that does not cost a fortune to run and is great to drive.

by Autoweb