Taking its design from its Touareg big brother, the new Tiguan is a handsome model, with sharp, muscular lines and good on-road presence. Combine those with VW’s proven 4Motion all wheel drive system, which in normal mode drives the front wheels but as and when needed transfers power to the rear axle as well, and the Tiguan looks a creditable SUV. It is no longer than a popular sized five-door hatchback and its conservative exterior styling doesn’t shout ‘4x4 off-roader’ at you either.The Tiguan scores well where it matters and one of those areas is on-road driveability. It is certainly the most capable of its type on tarmac and it handles more or less the same as a large family hatchback or MPV. The road holding is first class and the vehicle proved to be pretty agile, both on and off road. The 4Motion system gives enough grip to cope with muddy off-road driving and the Escape variants have added underbody protection and a shorter front overhang to assist with such conditions. All the driver has to do is push the off-road button and the computer takes over the traction distribution to all four wheels, adjusts the throttle settings, applies hill-descent and climb control when needed and adjusts the anti-lock braking.
Under the bonnet, power comes from VW’s new common-rail 140psp or 170ps 2.0-litre TDI engine, or a 150ps 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged and supercharged petrol, both units are available with VW’s six-speed manual or DSG twin-clutch semi-automatic transmission. For those that want even more power there is the 2.0-litre petrol turbo engine, developing 170ps and 200ps.
As you would expect from Volkswagen, the interior is nicely styled and well equipped with all the controls logically placed and easy to use. The rear row of seats have a 60/40 fold-down split and slide backwards into the load space to increase rear legroom. They are also mounted slightly higher in the vehicle than the front ones so visibility for rear passengers is good. The base model S, includes air-conditioning, driver’s seat height adjustment, rake- and reach-adjustable steering column, electric windows front and rear, electrically heated and operated door mirrors and an electronic parking brake with auto-hold. The centre console houses a radio/CD with MP3 capability and an AUX socket for external media. The Tiguan is certainly user-friendly and well up to coping with every day life and wear and tear.
