REVIEW | Volkswagen Tiguan - VW’s Top Seller Plays it Safe
Shock. New VW Tiguan overtakes Golf.
I noticed that the UK entry for the Eurovision Song Contest has been chosen. It’s a girl group called Remember Monday. I’ve never heard of them, although perhaps I’m the wrong generation. One of the comments I’ve seen from the three girl band is: ”We’re a real risk.”
Another quote I’ve seen is, “No other country is doing anything like this at Eurovision this year.” Oh oh. I’ve got that sinking feeling.
Anyway, the girls are signing ‘What The Hell Just Happened?’ I’ve yet to hear if it’s any good but if our track record is anything to go for, we’ll be hearing a lot of ‘Nul Points’ from the nations which might like the song but don’t like us.
I suppose the only alternative is to play it safe.
Safety first approach from VW
This is precisely what Volkswagen has done with the latest Tiguan. When something ranks as your company’s top seller, you don’t want to mess with a winning formula.
For example, if you’re looking for an all-electric Volkswagen Tiguan, forget it and go and get one of the ID models instead.
In fact, the engine line-up for the 3rd generation Tiguan is quite refreshing because it includes a diesel. Gulp. Of course, diesel is much frowned upon, but if you intend to do a high mileage or regularly carry or tow a hefty load, it’ll make great sense. And if you’re worried about accelerating the pace of climate change, I read an article recently which claimed that the air coming from the diesel exhaust pipe is actually cleaner than the air that was sucked into the engine in the first place. So there we go.
Popular Petrol Power & other choices
Petrol will rule the roost of course. Prices start at £35,105 (March ’25) for the entry level model, which is simply called Tiguan. Subsequent trims are Life, Match (my favourite), Elegance, sporty R-Line and the limited Black Edition. All models, apart from the entry and top-of-the-range trims get a choice of petrol, plug-in hybrid and diesel engines.
The most popular engine will be the 1.5-litre petrol unit. There’s a choice of power…129bhp and 147bhp. Both engines have mild hybrid assistance to help get the car rolling. There are two PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) which use the same 1.5-litre engine but boost the power to either 201bhp or 268bhp. Volkswagen reckons you can manage around 76 miles on battery power alone. Pretty handy.
If you want additional oomph, go for the 2.0-litre petrol engines (not available on the entry-level trim). The most powerful version tops out at 262bhp.
And then there’s the 2.0 litre 148bhp diesel. Whereas the 1.5 litre engine will manage 46.3mpg, the diesel can give you almost 52mpg. It’s also worth noting that the diesel Tiguan can tow up to 2.5 tonnes which is impressive. Horse box and caravan owners will love it.
The PHEV models are seriously impressive if you can make full use of the hybrid system and can keep your battery topped up because VW reckons you can crack the 700mpg barrier. That’s not going to happen, but I brimmed the Tiguan and, with the gauge showing half full, I still had an estimated 290 miles left in the tank meaning 600 miles should be achievable. Impressive.
The 2.0 litre models get 4MOTION all-wheel drive which explains why the consumption takes a hit at 36.3mpg.
As so often happens, it’s a case of doing the sums. The PHEV gives you terrific mileage but, in the case of my favourite Match trim, it bumps up the price by around £5,500. Diesel power only shoves it up by a couple of grand. Go and grab a calculator. I reckon the most popular version will be the lower-powered 1.5 litre PHEV. A 0-60mph time of 8.2 seconds is sufficient for what is designed to be a family car.
Tiguan Design & Driving Experience
The Tiguan still looks like a Tiguan in profile, but Volkswagen has smoothed off some of the previous generations’ creases in the front and rear. It’s a pity, as it has kind of lost a bit of character.
Out on the road, the Tiguan is a thoroughly well-sorted car. The only glitch I found was when pulling away from a junction. You need to anticipate joining any traffic because there’s a worrying pause between hitting the throttle and producing some forward motion. This is probably down to the DSG gearbox which features on all models.
The ride edges towards the firm side but the bonus is that the Tiguan does have a bit of a sporty nature and it’s actually good fun to chuck around.
So, I’d recommend the 1.5 litre 210bhp PHEV TSi petrol model, especially if you’re a company car driver. The 1.5 litre 147bhp model with only slight hybrid assistance will save you around £5k so, if you’re watching the pennies, go for that one.
But what about the trim?
Match trim looks like decent value and is a familiar offering which keeps cropping up on most VW models. It’s the usual story, throw in some extras, but don’t bump up the price….too much. So, with my chosen powerplant, the Tiguan Match PHEV comes out at £42,740 (March ’25). Match trim adds handy stuff like a powered tailgate, keyless entry, 3-zone climate control, tinted rear windows, rear view camera, front and rear parking sensors, and LED headlights on top of the standard trim which includes sat nav, DAB radio, and a choice of 18 or 19-inch wheels.
Tiguan Interior
The interior is seriously smart. The 10.3-inch driver display is crisp and clear, while the dashboard is dominated by a 12.9-inch infotainment screen. It’s good to see that there are slider controls for temperature and there’s also a knob between the seats, which also adjusts volume and the drive modes. The buttons on the steering wheel are easy to use and much better than haptic controls.
The Tiguan is roomy and comfortable, so it’ll be ideal for commuting, school run, or long holiday trips. It’ll become a family friend.
As I said earlier, the Tiguan is Volkswagen’s best seller, so any changes to the third generation were going to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. The biggest changes are to the interior and functionality of the touchscreen, both of which generally work well. The great choice of engines is a plus point and, whisper it quietly, a diesel engine suits this type of car….if you can live with people tutting as you drive past.
Oh, and if you’d like seven seats, have a look at the very similar Volkswagen Tayron which, in effect, has replaced the Tiguan Allspace.
words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Volkswagen
