The Tiguan is Volkswagen’s first all-new product to be launched in India in many years, as well as its second SUV in our country after the slow-selling Touareg. Due in early 2017, the Tiguan will likely be priced in the region of Rs.30 lakh, which puts it right in the crosshairs of the Hyundai Santa Fe and the upcoming Nissan X-Trail. Though the car you see here is a five-seater, VW is also developing a longer, seven-seat version for developing markets, and that could be the one that finds its way to Indian showrooms.
Its design seems rather simple – square and upright, with nothing but straight lines making up its bodywork. It takes a little while to get under your skin and there are a lot of details that stand out. The headlights, for example, are all-LED and very intricately designed, as are the chrome strips that make up the grille. The bonnet has two sets of sharp lines that define it, and a strong shoulder-line runs down the sides to meet the tail-lamps. At the back, it’s a familiar sight if you’ve seen modern VWs like the Jetta and new Passat, but even here, the tail-lamps have now been given a boomerang-like shape. It does have presence, but it’s perhaps not as memorable to look at as some of the other SUVs out there.
It’s a pleasure to see VW finally breaking away from its clean but thus far unadventurous interior design language. It’s still very neat, but there are bits of really rich-looking champagne gold trim here and there, and altogether, the switchgear is more modern-looking. This dashboard is all black, but as is the norm in India, expect it to come to our shores with a dual-tone scheme and lighter colours. As ever, there’s no compromise on fit and finish, and everything in this cabin feels solid and high-quality like a German car should.
Equipment is another thing for which we’ll have to just wait and see, but let’s hope for as many of this car’s long list of goodies as possible. It’s got a heads-up display, a digital instrument cluster (like the Audi TT and Q7) surround cameras and sensors, three-zone climate control, heated electric front seats with memory, engine stop-start, the latest VW touchscreen with support for Apple Carplay, Android Auto and Mirror Link (just like the new Skoda Octavia), drive mode selection and a separate off-road mode selector dial for AWD cars.
The space in the new Tiguan is very impressive, and VW claims class-best figures in most dimensions, in Europe. The boot, for example, with the rear seat slid forward (but not folded), can hold a whopping 615 litres of stuff. The second row is spacious enough in this configuration, but when it’s slid all the way back, legroom is at luxury sedan levels. The seats too are incredibly comfortable and generously supportive, be it at the front or the back. The leather used feels rich and nice to touch, and there’s a good amount of it on the door pads as well. There’s actually very little to fault in this cabin, and it scores high in most areas.
The mainstay of the Tiguan will be the 2.0-litre TDI engine, which is available in Europe in 150hp, 190hp and twin-turbo 240hp guises, with the former two likely to make it to India. There are also some petrol engine options, and both motors are available in various configurations with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG dual-clutch auto, front-wheel drive or ‘4Motion’ all-wheel drive.
The driving experience will be very familiar if you’ve driven one of the newer VW Group cars with this same engine – especially the Skoda Octavia or Superb. It’s a little clattery at start-up, but then, it settles down into a smooth rhythm at low revs, only becoming audible again when you rev it past 3,000rpm. You have to hand it to the superb cabin insulation for this, because it does a great job of keeping road and wind noise out, even at derestricted Autobahn speeds. The 150hp motor feels more than strong enough for a car this big, as it gets into its stride really quickly. The seven-speed DSG gearbox is, as ever, brilliant – intuitive and quick. What’s even more impressive is the manual – the slick, light and smooth short-throw lever is a joy to use, and there’s a great feature wherein, if you stall the car, you just have to press the clutch, and the auto stop-start system turns it on again, so you can continue on with minimal embarrassment.
In terms of the ride quality, the suspension has a nice pliancy to it and manages to iron out bumps easily. It’s a pretty tidy handler too, again, feeling like just a taller version of the Jetta. Though the steering is a little light, even in Sport mode, it’s got enough heft and accuracy to make quick lane changes at three-digit highway speeds with full confidence. The Tiguan is even an incredibly capable off-roader, thanks to its Haldex-based AWD system, that helps it sail over obstacles you’d think you’d need a low-range gearbox for.
You won’t be able to buy the Tiguan until mid-2017, and while that does seem like a long time away, there’s not much else going on in the segment to affect your decision until then, save for maybe the new Nissan X-Trail. And it’s a decision you’re going to want to seriously consider, because the Tiguan is an incredible all-rounder. Like most VW cars, it’s perhaps not as flamboyant or exciting to look at (it’s designed with European restraint, of course), but its shape alone gives it a lot of presence. And what Indians love about VWs is the solid German build, the comfortable ride and the latest technology – all of which is in ample supply in the Tiguan. A lot of things remain to be seen in a car that will be locally assembled – the final fit and finish, the ride quality, the interior spec and the equipment list, but VW knows that it can’t compromise on these things in the new and discerning India. The Tiguan has a lot of promise and we can’t wait to see it on our roads.
