13 November 2012
The popular choice
Facelifts are nothing new in the motoring world and can often appear to be a bit of a yawn. But Volkswagen’s designers have managed to achieve eye-catching results in face-lifting the popular Tiguan.
The trendy compact SUV arrived in New Zealand back in 2008 with one diesel powerplant on offer. With the latest round of updates, a petrol powered version now appears on the New Zealand price list, an option that’s sure to appeal to petrol-heads, especially given the sharp price point.
Outside the vehicle there are only a few subtle changes. The designers have spruced-up the headlights and treated the Tiguan’s frontal styling to VW’s new slim, horizontal lined grille. At the rear, the tail lights have been given a sleeker appearance too, bringing the Tiguan’s styling in line with other recent VW product.
The cabin area looks classy, with high quality trim materials utilized throughout. The dash is uncluttered with easily understood, intuitive switchgear operating the climate-control air conditioning and audio system. Boot space is not the largest in this segment but folding the rear split seats will free up a useful 1,510 litres of load space.
Car matching performance and handling
The peppy 2.0L TSFI petrol motor delivers a healthy 132kW/280Nm which Volkswagen claims to use 8.7L/100km of fuel in a combined cycle. The engine is nicely tuned to work with the brisk, smooth shifting six-speed automatic transmission. For the 2013 model year, the 2.0L TSI Tiguan will be treated to an extra cog, with the installation of a quick shifting seven-speed dual clutch transmission (DSG). The DSG gearbox improves the claimed sprint time from standstill to motorway speed limit from the current 9.6 seconds to a super quick 7.9 seconds, making it one of the nippiest vehicles in this segment.
All four wheels are driven on demand by Volkswagen’s Four Motion all-wheel drive system which keeps the vehicle sure-footed on the sealed roads and improves handling when negotiating unsealed surfaces by distributing the torque to the wheel with the most grip. The petrol model matches its diesel sibling with the ability to tow a two-tonne braked trailer, making it a capable weekend workhorse.
A flashy set of 17-inch alloy wheel rims are fitted with wide road-hugging rubber and the vehicle is a competent handler in the corners, with the overall driving experience feeling more car-like than SUV.
The Park Pilot system comes standard, and there’s the option to upgrade to Volkswagen’s Park Assist system. The new generation Park Assist makes use of 12 sensors located around the vehicle to automatically parallel-park the vehicle, as well as assisting with angle parking spaces; removing the anxiety most drivers experience when faced with tricky parking manoeuvres.
Active safety features include Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), Traction Control System (TCS) and Electronic Diff Lock (EDL). Passive safety features including six airbags contribute to the five star Euro-NCAP safety rating.
The 2.0L TSI petrol model kicks off the price list at $48,750 with a few option boxes to choose from and it will save the buyer $5,250 over the 2.0L TDI model.
Competition in this segment is tough with vehicles like Kia’s Sportage, Hyundai’s iX35 and Mazda’s CX-5 all competing for a slice of the action. But for some buyers the classy European styling and solid build quality of the Tiguan will be enough to seal the deal.