The long-awaited new VW Tiguan SUV has finally arrived, and order books have now opened in the UK.
SUV has finally arrived, and order books have now opened in the UK. The Nissan Qashqairivals' range kicks off from around £22,500, and deliveries will commence this summer.
That entry level price will likely get you a 124bhp 1.4 TSI petrol engine, but you can't order that until at least May. Volkswagen will launch the car in three 'waves', with customers only able to place their order for 2.0-litre turbo petrol and diesel engine variants for now.
For now, the cheapest you can buy is the 2.0 TDI diesel with 148bhp in S spec and with front-wheel drive. That costs from £25,530, and comes with standard safety kit such as Front Assist, City Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Monitoring. It's capable of 0-62mph in 9.3 seconds and emits 125g/km of CO2.
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It can also be ordered with 4MOTION all-wheel drive for an extra £1,600, although CO2 emissions go up by 21g/km. The option of a seven-speed DSG gearbox brings that to £28,730.
SE spec starts from £27,290, with SE Nav, SEL and flagship R-Line completing the range. Also available to order now is the 178bhp 2.0 TSI petrol with 4MOTION and a seven-speed DSG gearbox, from £21,115 in SE trim.
The 114bhp 1.6-litre diesel and 1.4 TSI petrols will reduce that entry point - although it's not clear which will arrive in the second 'wave' in at the start of May, or the final wave on June 2nd.
Revealed at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, the new Tiguan gets a sharp new look - influenced by the latest Golfand Passat- plus more space and more efficient engines, including a GTE plug-in hybrid capable of 149mpg and CO2 emissions of just 42g/km.
It sits on VW’s MQB platform architecture, which is quickly being rolled out across the VW Group’s latest models. This means the new Tiguan is 60mm longer than the outgoing car, but it’s also 33mm lower, giving it a more purposeful, squat appearance.
We were given the chance to have a proper poke around the car in a studio near Wolfsburg, Germany, guided by product marketer for compact cars, Thomas Treptow.
As is always the case for new Volkswagenmodels, the design is more of an evolution than revolution, but the new model has plenty of sharp lines, creases and neat details like LED daytime running lights, larger alloy wheel designs (now up to 20-inch) and deeper front air intakes on higher-spec models.
“The first impression is that this car looks more premium than its predecessor. But it doesn’t lose its core DNA of being compact, dynamic and strong,” Treptow told us.
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The redesigned exterior is fairly conventional in look, with a front and rear-end design inspired by the latest Passat and a chunkier overall profile, thanks to enlarged wheels and the increased size. VW will offer an ‘off-road’ version, with shorter front and rear overhangs and improved approach and departure angles. It won’t get Jeep-style off-road tyres or any extensive underbody protection, though.
The Tiguan’s growth spurt pays dividends inside, where 29mm of extra rear knee room is claimed and the boot increases to 615-litres - 145 litres more than previously. That shoots up to a full 1,655 litres with the seats folded flat. The interior design is, much like the exterior, almost a spitting image of what you'll find in the current Passat and Golf.
“The dimensions of the MQB platform has allowed us to be more compact in the dynamic shape of the car, but in the functional way it is the same - or even better than the previous car”, Treptow told us. “There’s about 10mm more rear headroom.”
Up front, it’s a totally different beast to the outgoing car. Quality has been turned up to 11, with the new Tiguan more than matching cars like the Mercedes GLAand new BMW X1. In fact, it sets a new class benchmark, with VW’s Active Info Display lifted almost unchanged from the new Audi TTand A4. It feels just as slick and easy to use, and come in addition to a large central touchscreen with navigation and media expected on all models.
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Treptow told us to expect updates later down the line to include wireless phone charging and the progressive steering from the the VW Golf GTI.
Engines include the VW Group’s familiar 114bhp 1.6 and more powerful 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel units, with the latter available with single or twin turbos with 148bhp, 178bhp and 217bhp respectively. A pair of 1.4 and 2.0-litre turbocharged petrols are also available, with the option of front of four-wheel drive. The more powerful diesel 4x4s will offer towing capacities of up to 2,500kg.
Alongside this VW is looking at the feasibility of a GTE plug-in hybrid version of the Tiguan. A version was shown at Frankfurt, using the same powertrain as the Passat GTE, it blends a 154bhp 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor to give a total of 215bhp.
“This is still under investigation,” Treptow told Auto Express.
However, the concept version promised a claimed combined figure of 149mpg, CO2 emissions of 42g/km, and an all-electric range of 30 miles. Emissions as low as that would ensure (under current legislation) that the GTE would be free from road tax and exempt from the London Congestion Charge. It’d also qualify for the £5,000 Government grant for Plug-in and pure electric cars.
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Later in 2016, Volkswagen is set to preview a larger Tiguan SUV, designed primarily for China and the US, with a third row of seats in the boot.
“The sub-segment SUV is growing all over the world. We will build up a family around the Tiguan.
“This is the start for the second-generation Tiguan,” he said. “But it is also the start of a new generation of SUVs from Volkswagen. We will start next year in other markets with a longer Tiguan for the American market. It’s planned for Europe as well.”
Treptow told us there would be more information on a Tiguan XL towards the end of 2016. We asked if VW would go smaller as well, in an attempt at toppling models like the market-dominating Nissan Jukeand popular Renault Captur, and Treptow responded by saying: “Yes, for sure.
“We’re investigating that, and it’s also no secret to say we’re having a deeper look into the segment and also at the competitors as well.”
Can the new Tiguan improve VW's standing in the compact SUV sector? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below...