VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN REVIEW: THE BEST-SELLING SUV IS BACK - IS IT BETTER THAN EVER?

Owning Audi, Skoda, Seat and Porsche (to name a few), the VW group is no small player in the automotive world.

Yet, since 2018, it's the Tiguan that has been the best-selling model of not just Volkswagen range but across the entire auto group.

So the arrival of a new one is a very big deal - especially to VW bosses.

Now the third generation model is here, can it be even more universally liked that its predecessor? We test drove the much-loved family SUV on the global launch in Nice, France, to find out...

Why is the VW Tiguan so popular?

There's no denying that Britain's new car buyers are fixated with SUV. Either there's something in the water, or there's a very strong case of people keeping up with the jacked-up Jonses.

But to be fair to Volkswagen, it is one of the trendsetters in this segment. 

In 2007, the German outfit launched its first compact SUV, setting its sights firmly on the market-leading Nissan Qashqai.

That SUV was the Tiguan, arriving as a bigger and more practical family offering than the Golf, while keeping everything smartly refined as per VW's ethos.

Almost 17 years later and with more than 7.6 million units sold globally, it's safe to say VW made a good move back in the mid-noughties.

Last year, the Tiguan was the third most popular new VW bought by drivers. When combined with registrations of the larger Tiguan Allspace, it out-sold the Golf and Polo.

There's no question this is a significant new motor for the UK market. 

First impressions

Judged only by the cover and you can see the Tiguan's looks have evolved with modern trends but not radically - a good thing if you liked the past versions, a bad one if you didn't.

It is more aggressive, sleeker and certainly on the Elegance and R-Line trims more athletic - but that's about as wild as it gets. 

If you want to toughen it up then the R-Line Black Style Package adds (unsurprisingly) black accents and more privacy features.

What's it like to drive?

Top importance for most drivers with a mid-sized SUV like the Tiguan is comfort - for themselves and for passengers.

A range of engines are available for the 2024 model.

These include: a 2.0-litre diesel (TDI), two mild hybrid petrols (e-TSIs), two more powerful turbocharged petrols (TSIs) and two plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).

On the launch in France, we drove the 2.0-litre TDI and 1.5-litre eTSI - both with 148bhp. 

The eTSI has mild hybrid assist which improves fuel economy and performance - covering 0 to 62mph in 9.1 seconds. It's useful when you want a quick spurt of speed to pull out at a junction.

If you've driven the previous Tiguan then you'll feel straight at home and. quite honestly, the driving experience is almost the same – and that's in no way a bad thing. 

Refined, everyday cruising is certainly what you continue to get from VW's volume-selling SUV.

From winding mountain roads to the A8 motorway into Nice, both cars were quiet and smooth. 

You can flick between driving modes, but 'Sport' isn't about to make you appear on Netflix's Formula 1: Drive to Survive series. 

It stiffens the steering resistance a little and the suspension becomes a tad firmer, but the Tiguan generally isn't amazingly communicative.

The seven-speed automatic gearbox made life easy, and the drive selector is now mounted on a stalk on the steering wheel column rather than in the centre console, which we prefer for easy access. 

The option of '4Motion' all-wheel drive will be available later in the UK on the 2.0-litre petrol engines, which is worth opting for if you tow a trailer, horsebox or caravan.

The big change in the Tiguan powertrains are the plug-in hybrids.

The all-electric range doubles the old car's, giving you 62 miles of silent, exhaust-emission-free driving. 

Most cars on average drive 18 miles a day, so you've theoretically got three days of use before you need to charge.

And when you do need to charge, VW has made life easier.

The at-home charging speed has increased from 3.6kW to 11kW – this means you can now fully charge from a wallbox in around 2 hours 45 minutes.

Public charging has also increased – 50kW fast charging is now available, with 10 to 80 per cent top ups in circa 23 minutes.

Interior and practicality

This is where all the new fun happens in the latest interaction of VW's leading family SUV. 

The Tiguan, like the 2024 Passat, has had an interior makeover. And we love it.

The TDI came in the Elegance Trim, and the eTSI in the R-Line trim - there's not loads between them but the R-Line is the most luxurious with sportier details and leather seats.

The headline grabber is the new ambient dash with 30 colourways - VW dubs them 'atmospheres' - and a central 15-inch infotainment touchscreen (12.9-inch on lower trims). 

Depending on your generosity of spirit, you can choose to annoy or appease people with your music taste by coordinating Spotify playlists with particular atmospheres.

The VW system is a bit of personal gripe in terms of usability but it can't be denied it's responsive. 

Of course you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and ChatGPT AI voice command will come as an update.

And, wisely, Volkswagen listened to the masses who wanted analogue back, replacing the touchpads on the steering wheel controls with buttons to work in tandem with the 10-inch digital dials.

Impressively VW has managed to get state-of-the-art right without it being too empty – it's not devoid of emotion like some very clinical minimal interiors. 

Especially if you're a passenger wanting to curl up and feel at home, the comfort level mixed with the smart finish makes you instantly relaxed.

It's not the most unbelievably luxurious interior of any SUV – unlike a Range Rover – but it's still high-quality considering you're paying about £6,000 less than you would for an equivalent Evoque.

The extremely comfortable yet nicely-firm seats made multiple hours of driving very enjoyable and even if the perfect seat is as subjective as the ultimate pillow or mattress, these ought to get approval all-round.

The front massage seats in the Elegance and R-Trims - that can apparently target muscles groups in the spine and pelvic floor - are great for the person who snagged shotgun. 

For the driver, however, this is one for a service station refresh – the sensation is so bewildering it entirely diverts your attention.

I didn't utilise the heated seats in 20 degree sunny Nice, but the ventilation option will come in handy that one week of the year the UK's hotter than every Jet2 destination in Europe.

In terms of practicality, the Tiguan is slightly taller, wider and longer so rear passengers have plenty of head and legroom, and there's easily space for five in the back. 

But the real winner for families is the increase in boot capacity - up 37-litres on the outgoing model to 652 litres. The Qashqai falls far behind with just 504.

Drive safe

For parents, naturally car safety is of paramount importance.

The Tiguan does a very good job here no matter what trim you get. 

Even the base spec gets rear side airbags, plus an additional front centre airbag, and numerous safety assists including lane change assist, emergency braking and a rear view camera.

By the time you get to the R-Line trim you barely need you use your brain.

From succinctly named Park Assist Plus with Park Distance Control (essentially mobile controlled remote parking) to oncoming vehicle swerve support and drowsiness monitoring, you're in very safe hands.

The cars & motoring verdict

It would be hard to imagine VW ever going horribly wrong with the Tiguan, and certainly that hasn't happened with the 2024 model. 

And considering the electric future of VW, it's not surprising that the PHEV is the focal point.

Prices start from £34,060, the Elegance comes in at £39,275 and the R-Line at £39,680. 

That puts it around the same cost as the Audi Q3, and more than the entry level Nissan Qashqai at £27,120.

Volkswagen has without question played things safe by making the Tiguan look, feel and drive familiar, but there's no denying you get a lot more interior for your money than you did in the previous version - and, given its popularity, is there any point in fixing something that isn't broken in the first place?

It's sales success has always been driven by it's neutral characteristics. No-one's up in arms about anything Tiguan-related, and it's less flash than a BMW X1 or Mercedes GLB.

For a driver prioritising comfort and aesthetically-pleasing design, who wants go from the supermarket to the school gates, to the office, to France on holiday, it really will be a very enjoyable and versatile car to own.

And that extra boot space puts it right at the top for practicality. Plus the 62-mile electric range from the PHEVs is a no-brainer for your wallet, if you can stretch your budget to the hybrid drivetrains. 

2024-03-11T09:53:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd