Introduction

In a profession where I have the opportunity to spend time around fancy cars, it is the no-nonsense German cars that have always caught my attention. As I grow older, I have discovered this new found love for SUVs. Ample space and ability to literally go anywhere has probably brought my attention to these large cars. This festive season, when I was loaned the Volkswagen Tiguan, I couldn’t say no to it and at the back of my head, started planning for that secret holiday with my folks!

The one I had for myself was a tungsten silver coloured Tiguan in top spec Highline variant. In terms of appearance, the Tiguan is clearly the most matured of the lot with neat proportions and classy styling elements. The large Volkswagen badge takes a commanding position on the grille. The interior is all black without any striking detailing, but then, it is plush with premium leather upholstery, after all, the Tiguan is a flagship SUV offering from the German car manufacturer in the Indian market.

How is it for the weekend?

This matured-looking SUV is also light at heart and is good for those weekend escapades. There is enough room for five occupants. The Tiguan is a mile munching SUV and a good option for long trips. The seats offer a good amount of lumbar as well as thigh support, while the steering is effortless and well calibrated. There is ample space in the boot, which is 615litres to be precise. The boot is large enough to accommodate one large and one medium sized suitcase along with two/three duffle bags.

Even with five occupants on board and the boot filled to the brim with luggage, the Tiguan does not show any signs of tiring down or loss in performance. The Tiguan has a good suspension set-up and a decent ground clearance that helps the vehicle tide over most obstacles with ease and can also be relied upon for weekend trips to the farmhouse. Moreover, the large panoramic sunroof is good for those stargazing nights or when you want to feel the wind in your hair.

How practical is it?

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a do it all vehicle. This is the SUV that you would want to drive when you need to make a strong impression for that important business meeting or plan for a long weekend road trip with your folks. There is ample amount of storage space that has been well thought of and is quite useful for everyday use.

When seated in the driver seat, one can utilize storage space under the armrest and the dashboard. As for the times when you are driven around by a chauffeur, you can take the back seat, pull down the tray table and enjoy reading an e-book on your kindle. However, the tray table is not too wide to accommodate a regular sized laptop and it is better suited for holding smaller and light weighing objects.

Volkswagen has thoughtfully included a small storage pocket on the side of the rear seat that is wide enough to accommodate your wallet or your lady’s clutch. Although the electric boot lid is a good feature to have, the lid close button on the lower side of the boot can be easily missed by those unaware of this function. Probably, a more prominently positioned larger button would have helped in avoiding this situation.

What’s on the feature list?

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a perfect example of the German approach to practicality. The Tiguan gets more functional features like the eight-way driver seat adjustment that lets you adjust the seating position as per your liking. The large touchscreen infotainment system has been neatly positioned on the dashboard and it features mobile mirroring, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Moreover, the infotainment system has smart proximity sensors that highlight the menu every time you move your finger closer to the touchscreen system. For the convenience of the driver, the details on the touchscreen system are also reflected in the centre of the instrument cluster which ensures that you are not too distracted while driving. The steering wheel controls are neatly organised and can be used with minimal effort.

Good things do not end here, the Tiguan additionally offers heated front seats which are particularly helpful in cold climatic conditions. The SUV also features a panoramic sunroof for a clear view of the skies and the cruise control function lets you coast without losing momentum on the highways. Then there is the three-zone climate control that allows the passengers to customise the cabin temperature as per their individual preference and the ambient light sets your mood for the day. Volkswagen as a brand has always emphasised on delivering safer cars, which is evident in the Tiguan as well. The car comes equipped with six airbags, pedestrian reactive hood (where the bonnet raises by three-inches to soften the blow), ESP and self-sealing tyres (takes care of small punctures).

How does it perform on the daily commute?

The Volkswagen Tiguan is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that produces 141bhp of power at 4000rpm and 340Nm of torque at 1750rpm. This engine comes mated to a DSG transmission, which is indeed one of the finest modern day automatic transmission available.

The Tiguan offers multiple drive modes. In the normal setting, the shifts are soft and seamless, and the gearbox is also quick to react to the pedal inputs. In the Eco mode, the upshifts are pretty quick and it coasts once you move your foot off the pedal to deliver a better fuel efficiency figure. In the Sport mode, the throttle response is more alert and the power delivery is direct, while the gearbox extracts every ounce of power by delaying shifts in this mode. Then there is also the off-road mode that allows the driver to tailor things like the throttle and the steering response, while the drivetrain automatically directs power on-demand to the wheels. The off-road mode serves its purpose with ample amount of torque, which is essential when navigating over tricky terrains. The Tiguan also offers snow and ice mode which essentially dulls the throttle response to ensure that traction is not lost due to uneven throttle input.

The Tiguan is a large car that measures well over four-metres in length. But the moment you step in, its large glasshouse offers you ample visibility all around the vehicle, which is particularly helpful when driving within the city. Moreover, the cabin feels airy and does not leave you feeling claustrophobic during long distance commutes.

In a space starved city like Mumbai, parking can be quite some task. Once you find a reasonably large parking space, the Tiguan has the right amount of driver aids, like sensors and a rear camera that will help you park comfortably.

What’s the deal with the warranty?

Effective from 1 January 2019, Volkswagen offers a four year / 1 lakh kms warranty as standard along with four-year free roadside assistance and three free services for a period of one year or up to 15,000kms, whichever is earlier.

Conclusion

The Volkswagen Tiguan scores brownie pointers in terms of built quality, driving dynamics and safety features. However, given the limited feature list, the Tiguan is an expensive option in its segment. This particular model is a top spec Highline variant that is available at an ex-showroom price of Rs 31.53 lakhs. That said, the Tiguan proves to be a good family SUV backed by a strong safety record. This multi-purpose SUV can be driven to work every day while it can also be used for moving things to a new house. Switch to that off-road mode when you hit the trails and the drivetrain will distribute the power to the individual wheel as and when required.

Photo Credits: Kaustubh Gandhi