By Ian Strachan.
Volkswagen’s Tiguan is the German company’s most popular SUV, with more than 7.5 million worldwide sales since it was launched in 2007. The third generation of this popular vehicle is now on our roads, with a significant redesign inside and out, more technology and a plug-in hybrid version for the first time.
I test drove the Tiguan in Match specification powered by a 1.5 litre petrol engine assisted by a 19.7 kWh plug-in battery. This 204 bhp unit can manage up to 76 miles of electric only motoring on a single charge, providing you drive with a light right foot.
With muscular and rugged good looks but still unmistakably a Volkswagen, the Tiguan certainly looks the part. The Match spec gives you 18-inch black alloys, silver roof rails, body-coloured door mirrors and handles and body-coloured bumpers with chrome trim.
The latest Tiguan has impressive load carrying capabilities and practicality. There’s plenty of room for luggage with as much as 490 litres of load space which can be increased by folding the split rear seats..
On the road, the Tiguan behaves very well, with no body roll despite its height and comfortable suspension, and excellent cornering. Driving modes can be adjusted at the flick of a switch and the vehicle dynamics are controlled electrically.
The interior is an extremely comfortable and airy place to be, with excellent visibility all round, ambient lighting and pleasant trim and seat materials. Clear, well-lit instruments and easily accessible controls help the overall feeling of well-being inside the cabin.
Specification on the Match trim level which I tested is good, with three-zone electronic air conditioning and a rear air conditioning control panel, touch-screen navigation system via a 12.9 inch display screen, an eight-speaker entertainment system with DAB radio plus MP3 player with Bluetooth compatibility, Apple CarPlay, SMS messaging, VW Connect internet-based service and USB port, and smartphone charger. You also get keyless entry, all round electric windows and door mirrors, adaptive cruise control, parking assist including remote parking, an electronic parking brake with auto hold and rear view camera with front and rear parking sensors.
Extras on my test car included a driver assistance pack (£975) a winter pack which includes heated front seats, windscreen, washer jets and steering wheel (£435), an electric release towbar (£1,095) and a tyre pressure monitoring system (£205).
I test drove the 1.5 litre eHybrid 204 horsepower turbocharged petrol version which gives you a top speed where allowed of 130 mph and a 0-60mph time of just over eight seconds. It’s a smooth unit with adequate power across the range. At motorway speeds it feels comfortable and unfussed. My test car had a smooth six-speed DSG automatic gearbox
The Tiguan has made a significant impression on the market over the last few years and has improved with every iteration. The latest iteration looks good, has a nice driving environment, practicality and good performance.
The Tiguan Match 1.5 204PS automatic which I tested comes in at £42,960 on the road. Expect it to hold its value well.
