Can this new Volkswagen Improve on the old model but also improve Volkswagen as a whole?
Exterior – Front
So, let’s start with the design of the new Tiguan and to start with, overall, it is curvier and bolder than before. At the front you can see this with these sportier and less square headlights. These have HD Matrix technology and a new daytime running light graphic signature that we can see on the upcoming Passat and Golf facelift. The centre bar is also disconnected from the grill, and it houses the Volkswagen logo as well as the light bar. The main grill has moved lower down and has this unique shape that makes the car look like it is smiling on the base models. On the R-Line models the grill and side vents are connected making it look like it has this big wide grill which looks sporty. Let’s go back to the base model though as this will be the most popular. The side vents are next to the main grill and lower down we get a decent sized but discrete central air vent. It’s also nice to see that the Tiguan still has a bit of chrome when some manufacturers are moving away from using it.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side and like I was saying we have a less boxy design. We have some curvy creases just above the rear wheel and we have some creases between the wheels but apart from that we get a minimalistic design. It does look sportier too being less boxy. Wheel designs are also interesting giving this aerodynamic effect to it making it look like it could belong on an electric car. Wheel sizes range from 17 inches all the way to 20 inches. These wheels are 19 inches which are perfect for this car.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back and we get a new design language that we haven’t seen on an ICE car from Volkswagen. We get this black bar, and this houses your 3D taillights with light bar and logo. On the lower spec models though, this is a red bar like what the Touareg has and this isn’t as good in my opinion but you can change this with the £1,820 light package option. You get the Tiguan lettering lower down as well as the number plate and then you get a plain but simple lower bumper. We also get a decent spoiler too. the overall design is more modern which I do like, and it is interesting to look at. Let’s have a look at what engine and gearbox options you can have with the new Volkswagen Tiguan.
Car and engine specs and price
So, for engine options you can either have petrol or diesel. Both fuel types can only be had with a 7 Speed DSG gearbox. This means that the manual in the Tiguan is no longer available. Let’s have a look at the petrol options. All the petrol engines have mild hybrid technology. This means they can manoeuvre at low speeds in electric mode. The first engine is a 1.5 litre turbo unit with 128 bhp. this can do 0-62 in 10.6 seconds which isn’t that quick but will do for most people. It is also front wheel drive, but MPG is quite good at 46 combined. The next engine is the same unit but with 148 bhp. this can do 0-62 in 9.1 seconds and again it is front wheel drive and combined MPG is still 46. Price difference between these engines is £1,000 which isn’t that bad. For the diesel range you can have the 2-litre turbo unit. This has 148 bhp and it can do 0-62 in 9.4 seconds. So it isn’t that bad then and the MPG is quite good at 53 too. There is a plug-in hybrid coming soon in the near future too with a range of up to 62 miles using a 19.7 kWh battery pack. These versions use the improved 1.5 litre engine, and the power outputs will be 201 bhp and 268 bhp. The price of the new Volkswagen Tiguan starts at £34,060. Let’s have a look at the interior.
Interior – Design
So, climbing inside the new Tiguan and you are welcomed with a new interior design not yet seen on any Volkswagen. It is sort of a mash up between the ID7 interior and the Golf interior. Now let’s start with the dashboard. We get this black panel that stretches along the dash, and this houses the side air vents and the instrument cluster. On higher end models it also houses a graphic in front of the passenger with the Tiguan logo and some lines and this changes colour with the ambient lighting. Most likely in the facelift there may be a screen in the position. The instrument cluster has a new graphic from what we are used to on the Golf too. now in front of the black panel is the new infotainment system screen. This is the same one you would find on the ID7. This means it is running the MIB 4 software that is much better over the MIB3 system. It also has Chat GPT too. in front of the driver is the usual steering wheel but with only physical buttons, no touch sensitive here and the indicator stalk houses the wipers too to make room for the gear selector near the steering wheel. The centre console has a minimalistic design to it with plenty of storage and 3 buttons. We get the engine start stop button, parking brake and the multifunctional knob. This can be used for the volume, fan speed, map zoom and driving mode. This is the best feature to be included in a car and it also adds loads of features to one switch still making the interior look minimalistic. A great feature then and I hope it will be included in other new Volkswagens in the future. The door cards are also quite modern with more of this ambient lighting graphic and a 3d effect door handle too. one thing I will sy is that the ambient lighting in this car is very good and it makes the car feel very modern. Finally, the seats are also new and have much more support than before and feel much more premium and are much more comfortable too. they also look thick and high end something we haven’t seen from Volkswagen before. let’s have a look at the rear seats and see how they are.
Practicality
So, considering the wheelbase is the same as the previous car you still get the same legroom. This is no negative though as there is plenty of room and headroom is also good too. you can also fit 3 people in the back too. the door cards also have a similar design to the front doors and you also get your own climate control system, air vents, USB C ports in the back as well as an arm rest. You can also spec heated outer rear seats too. let’s have a look at the boot.
Boot Size
So, opening the boot to the new Tiguan and you are welcomed with a 652-litre boot. This is 37 litres bigger than before, and you do notice it. It is also a good shape so you can get boxy items in easily. The plug-in hybrid model will be less as the underfloor storage will be used for the batteries but we don’t know what this is yet.
Summary
So, what do I think of the new Volkswagen Tiguan. Well, it looks much better than before, and it has corrected the wrongs from the previous generation of Volkswagens. The interior is also more premium than before, and it is even more practical. It is a worthy contender over the Kia Sportage, the best family SUV in my eyes. The engine range is also good and the plug-in hybrid engines are worth considering with the electric only range. The only thing that lets this car down in my eyes is the options list. For example, if you want a tyre pressure monitoring system you must spec it as an option for £200, this may change in the future though. Its just simple things that should be included in the price of the car. Overall though a good car. If you want me to review this against the Kia Sportage then let me know in the comment section below.
Exterior 5/5
Interior 5/5
Practicality 5/5
Total 15/15
Model | Volkswagen Tiguan Elegance |
Engine | 1.5 Litre, 148bhp, Front Wheel Drive, 0-62 = 9.4 Seconds |
Trnasmission | Automatic 7 Speed DSG |
Price | £39,275 |
On Sale | Now |
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