What makes the Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI Comfortline R-Line DSGa worthy contender in the Family Car category of the 2017/18 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank? We investigate…

Last year’s winner is back to defend its title! It made a fantastic impression on the team thanks to a combination of excellent road manners, superb refinement and handsome good looks. Can the Tiguan hold onto its champion status this time around?

3 Reasons Why Volkswagen Tiguanis a #CarsAwards Finalist

1. Flexible and efficient engine

Despite the small engine that produces a modest 110 kW and 250 Nm, the Tiguan doesn't feel short on power and the DSG transmission does a good job of keeping the engine in a responsive state. This Tiguan comes with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles for manual shifts and Volkswagen claims a 0-100 kph sprint time of 9.2 seconds, which means it’s flexible enough for both inner city commutes and longer trips.

The 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine that does duty in the Tiguan is claimed to consume just 6.1 L/100 km when paired with the crisp DSG dual-clutch transmission. This makes it one of the most frugal petrol-powered crossovers on the market.

2. Practical family car

Volkswagen’s new Tiguan is lighter, longer, wider and lower than the outgoing model. The extra 60 mm in length and 30 mm in width result in extra cabin space. Apart from the fact that the interior is well-made and trimmed in a plethora of soft-touch, premium materials, the Tiguan is also more family friendly than its predecessor. The level of rear legroom afforded, for example, is good and the fold-down rear trays and cupholders (if specified) are nice to have features.

Meanwhile, the luggage compartment has a capacity of more than 500 litres, the split rear seatback can fold forward at the pull of a couple of levers in the boot and the tow hitch, if specified, deploys remotely at the push of a button.

3. Comfortable & safe

Refinement is one of the VW's strongest suits. On good quality roads, cabin refinement (in terms of NVH suppression) is impressive at the national speed limit, even on the dramatic and optional 19-inch wheels. We think the Tiguan will likely have class-leading comfort on smaller wheels and plumper tyres. 17-inch alloys are standard.

In terms of safety features, the new Volkswagen Tiguan is fitted with driver and front passenger airbags, a curtain airbag system and front seat side impact airbags. The hazard lights will flash automatically under hard braking, while Electronic Stability Control, XDS transverse differential lock and fatigue detection (Rest Assist) are all standard. The new Tiguan also carries a 5-star rating from EuroNCAP.

Watch our video review of the Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 R-Line below!

Have Your Say: Complete our survey!

Do you own a Tiguan? We would love to hear from you! Tell us about your experience by completing ourOwnership Satisfaction Survey. Your input counts for 50% of the final result.

What cars are the Tiguan's rivals in #CarsAwards?

The 2017/18 #CarsAwards finalists:Family CarCategory

Compare the Tiguan's specs with the Mazda CX-5 2.5 Individual and Peugeot 3008 1.6T GT-Line

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