Volkswagen Tiguan SUV (2016 - Review)

Auto Trader expert verdict: 3.8

Volkswagen Tiguan do pretty much everything a good family SUV should be. This stylish, high quality, massively practical and easy and relaxing to drive. This is not the cheapest car of the type, whether to buy or run, but you will not feel short-changed by a car you get for your money.

pro

Really spacious and practical

The cabin is classy with a lot of technology

Fun and easy to drive

counter

No selection of the most economical SUV

Not cheap, either

Reliability recording little attention

Exterior

Volkswagen is not a company famed for its radical design, but although the Tiguan’s styling certainly displays the firm’s usual fondness for conservatism, it’s a fraction more outlandish than other VW models. With headlight clusters that feature strip-style lighting, a chunky-looking grille, beefy bumpers and plenty of character lines, there’s lots of interesting stuff to look at. The fact it’s longer, wider and shorter than the car it replaces also means it has a more hunkered-down stance on the road. Precisely how sharp your Tiguan will look depends on which trim level you go for, and each step up brings a few more styling goodies. All models come with alloy wheels, while steeping up from S to SE earns you a few more bits of chrome. SE L gets you a rear diffuser while R-Line models get a sporty body kit and a lowered ride height.

Interior

Ergonomics is a high point, thanks to the touch screen infotainment system is simple and clutter-free dashboard

You expect a fair chunk of the quality of each product Volkswagen, and Tiguan certainly give enough to make you satisfied. There are plenty of soft-touch materials dotted around the cabin, and although some panels - like the couple at the door and in the footwells - not the sterling quality, they are very solid and hard-wearing. Less impressive, though, is folding picnic table in the back that is standard on all but the S model, which looks and feels cheap disappointing. That said, ergonomics is a definite high point, thanks to the simple touch-screen infotainment system with sharp graphics and a logical set of menus, and, layout intuitive dashboard clutter-free. SE L and R-Line cars also has a large-screen digital information quickly rather than conventional, which can be configured to display different information. All versions have a pocket adjustment to the driving position and great views in all directions.

Practicality

The new Tiguan is much larger than the car it replaces, and the car was really felt in the cabin. You would expect abundant space in front, but you also get a bag of legroom in the rear, and that regardless of where you set the sliding rear seats. Headroom is also generous, even with the panoramic roof you get on high-end models. boot even more impressive, with a large 615-liter loadspace into a 145-liter improvement outstanding on its predecessor and compares very well with rivals such as the BMW X3 and the Honda CR-V. Split-folding rear seats are not enough to lie perfectly flat when you drop them, but you do not go to the steps in the load floor and there was almost no lip to transport heavy items above.

Ride and handling

Cars like these are most often used as family carry-alls, and that means that a comfortable ride is very high on the list of priorities. The Tiguan does a pretty decent job, too. The ride does have a slightly firm edge to it on particularly rutted road surfaces, but it always stays smooth enough to keep your and your brood comfy and relaxed. The front-wheel drive versions we drove stayed smoother than the four-wheelers, but none of them will have you wincing. That includes the R-Line, which has a suspension that’s lowered by 15mm, but even so, there’s no deterioration in comfort. You can also specify your car with adaptive dampers, but we don't know what effect these have because we haven't tried a car with them fitted. The handling from all the versions we have tried is pretty tidy, with plenty of grip, decent body control and nicely weighted steering. Obviously, versions with four-wheel drive give you slightly better on-road traction, and with a reasonably sophisticated set of off-roading aids thrown in, the Tiguan might also get you a bit further into the countryside than you might expect.

Performance

The diesel engine is capable of hauling the car around in a reasonably purposeful manner

So far, we only had a chance to try one of the few available engines, 148bhp 2.0-liter turbodiesel that will definitely be the biggest-seller. Despite this extra mass Tiguan body, this machine is more than capable of carrying the rest of the car around in a way that is quite effective, although not quite feel as fast or as muscle power output suggests. It feels a bit perkier if you can live without four-wheel drive, though. Six-speed manual gearbox as standard you get to have nice smooth action, and you can also have a car with a twin-clutch transmission seven-speed. It's pretty subtle, but the changes can sometimes feel a bit slow and it works, so we'll stick with the manual.

Equipment

The range begins with S trim, and this provides pretty generous kit including remote locking, air-conditioning, four powered windows, automatic lights and wipers and a touch-screen infotainment unit that has a DAB radio and Bluetooth. Upgrading to SE trim gives you three-zone climate control, cruise control, all-round parking sensors and improved smartphone compatibility thanks to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink. No prizes for guessing what SE Nav models add, while SE L cars have a heated front seats, a panoramic roof, the posh virtual dials and adaptive cruise control. The upgrades that R-Line models get are mainly cosmetic, but you get a sports suspension as well. It’s a bit weird, however, that none of the trims come with leather upholstery as standard, even the high-end ones that really aren’t cheap.

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