Having seen plenty of the previous generation Tiguans on the roads around Scotland, the thought of having one for the week did not fill me with excitement. The mid size SUV market is filled with competent yet dull looking cars and I hadn’t paid too much attention to launch pictures of the new Tiguan. However, on first hazy 7am glance of the car through the window, I knew I was wrong.
The Look
VW designers, not known for being bold over the last few years, have really went to work to make the second generation Tiguan stand out in a crowded market place. It’s definitely a VW, with plenty of similarities in the LED lights carried over from the Golf and Passat, but they have given it some really distinctive lines, especially the crisp shoulder line. The LED light pattern combined with the chrome grill really give it a more premium look in order to elevate the Tiguan above the likes of the Nissan Qashqai or Renault Kadjar.
It’s a testament to how good the design is that many people were actually complimenting the Tiguan at the latest Tartan Tarmac Breakfast Meet. This is at an event where there are sports and supercars from the last four decades including the latest Porsche GT3 RS and Ferrari 488 GTB!
What’s in the box?
As you might expect of a brand new car from Volkswagen, the Tiguan is full of the latest technology and safety features to keep every member of the family happy. Although the Tiguan is by no means a cheap car (this version is £32,810 OTR) many of the best features actually come as standard.
The most striking bit of technology has to be the 12.3” TFT digital dashboard. I first tried this in the Audi R8 V10 Plus and am amazed that it’s already in a normal family car. As well as looking stunning, the benefit of mirroring the satnav between the rev counter and speedo is that it’s a much more natural spot to glance down to when you need to concentrate on the road. It’s the first time I’ve used the system on public roads and I hope it’s something that other manufacturers copy soon.
The centre console also benefits from another 8” display with a range of online features helping you to find the price of fuel locally through to where the nearest parking spaces are. You can even mirror compatible apps from your Apple or Android phones. I didn’t check if it’s compatible with Pokemon Go – has anyone else got it to work?
The Tiguan seems to have more airbags than a lowrider convention – front, side and knee airbags along with “PreCrash preventive occupant protection” and an active bonnet which activates in a front on collision in order to protect pedestrians, meaning it’s a very safe place to be or be beside on the road.
I got a bit of a slagging at the TT Breakfast Meet for suggesting that one of the Tiguan’s best features involved the car being stationary, but I stand by my judgement. The Tiguan has an auto hold function for when you pull to a halt and don’t engage park or the parking brake. This might seem trivial but it makes stopping at traffic lights or in stop start traffic an ever so slightly more pleasant experience – where has this feature been hiding in other autos I’ve driven recently?
For me the other stand out bit of tech was the massage function on the driver’s seat. I’ve driven cars at three times the price of the Tiguan which don’t have this so it’s a nice standard addition to have and very handy on the morning after a heavy gardening session!
Out and about
To drive, the Tiguan feels competent rather than exciting. This will of course be by design as it’s a family car and not a hot hatch and so it’s not a disappointment in this case.
Compared to other mid-sized SUVs it does feel lighter and a bit more nimble, probably thanks to losing 50Kg compared to the first generation car. As with many cars of this type, once you adjust your driving style to suit, it can be hustled down a twisty road with a fair amount of momentum. When doing this you always have confidence in the tried and tested 4MOTION system and in damp conditions I’m sure this would help maintain suitable progress.
As you would expect, the DSG system in the Tiguan is as slick as it is in the rest of the group’s vehicles. Smooth changes and quick downshifts when needed mean you never really need to use the discreet paddles on the steering wheel.
Where the Tiguan does excel is just dealing with the daily town and motorway driving. Comfort mode selected, radar cruise on, massage seat activated and directions displayed right in front of you – it’s such an easy car to live with and would be a great tool for commuting into Glasgow or Edinburgh.
CAR: Tiguan SEL Off-Road 2.0 TDI SCR 4MOTION 150 PS 7spd DSG
PRICE: £32,810 (Price as tested £38,460)
ENGINE: Transverse-mounted 2.0-litre common rail turbocharged diesel. Fitted with DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction)
POWER: 150PS
TORQUE: 340 Nm
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 124 mph 0-62mph 9.3 secs
ECONOMY: 49.6 mpg combined
CO2 EMISSIONS: 149 g/km
TT Rating: 
