32
Tuesday November 1 2016
SELWYN TIMES
Driven
VW Tiguan takes up the SUV challenge By Ross Kiddie FOR THOSE who have long desired a Volkswagen Touareg sport utility vehicle but have found the cost a little prohibitive and its size daunting, Volkswagen still have an affordable SUV in the form of its Tiguan. A completely new Tiguan has just landed and, although it doesn’t measure up to Touareg in any shape or form, it is still a very desirable mid-size SUV which rides and drives very much like sedans and hatchbacks from Volkwagen’s car line. The Tiguan, alongside Ford’s Kuga, has long been my favourite SUV of this size, and the new generation model does little to alter my opinion of it. Sure, it gets a lot more kit and the rounded shape is even more appealing, but it still carries the fundamentals which have made it a popular car here and globally. The newcomer lands in three variants – there’s the entrylevel 1.4-litre TSi at $41,990 and $47,990, depending on specification; there’s a 2-litre TSi at $57,990 and $66,990, interestingly, it gets the highperformance 162kW engine from the Golf GTi; and in the test car’s case the Tiguan lists at $59,990, it gets a 2-litre turbocharged diesel engine.
VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN: Flowing, rounded lines.
As much as I would find the 2-litre TSi interesting, I think the diesel would be the variant for me, this is a driveline that Volkswagen do very well, and somehow the Tiguan lends itself to diesel power, it is powerful yet also thrifty. In terms of figures, the 1968cc diesel pumps out a healthy 110kw at the top end (3500-4000rpm), while it is also rated with a solid 340Nm of torque, available all of the way from 1750rpm to 3000rpm. Drive is sent through a sevenspeed direct shift automatic gearbox. There are only two pedals so it should be treated like a normal auto. The benefits are the quick shifts, and with the number of ratios gear changes are barely detectable and there’s never a
point where you think the wrong gear is selected. I like the way the engine works in conjunction with the gearbox, it is happy to operate at low revolutions, holding a tall gear during slow speed travel and that promotes fuel efficiency. Of course, the gearbox will quickly change down if immediate acceleration is required, the twin clutch system of DSG promotes that, but the entire mechanical operation is designed so that fuel wastage is eliminated. Volkswagen claims a 5.6-litre per 100km (50mpg) combined cycle average for the diesel unit. At 100km/h on the highway the engine is turning over at just 1650rpm registering an amazing 4.7l/100km (60mpg) figure. After a long drive and some use
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on suburban streets the Tiguan’s trip computer was showing a 7l/100km (40mpg) figure. By my reckoning these are good results. The Tiguan is a purposeful family wagon. It has large car comfort packaged into a mid-size vehicle which drives and rides with comfort, along with presenting the driver with an informative driving sensation. In all forms the Tiguan is fitted with Volkswagen’s 4Motion driveline. The Tiguan can’t be classed as an off-roader, there aren’t many SUVs which are, but it is capable in the loose and with 200mm of ground clearance it would accept a hilly incline or two. It also has drive modes suitable for low grip conditions. I took the test car on a shingle track near Hororata. Grip is plentiful while the fully independent suspension absorbs sudden wheel travel so that the in-cabin ride is protected. On the seal, the Tiguan glides through the air with quiet ease and is capable when presented with a quick corner or two. The Tiguan is very car-like, there’s no presence of height and certainly bulk, it feels lithe, nimble and spirited. The Tiguan rides on high quality Pirelli Scorpion tyres (235/50 x 19in) and even though they don’t
• Price – VW Tiguan TDi, $59,990 • Dimensions – Length, 4486mm; width, 2099mm; height, 1643mm • Configuration – Fourcylinder, four-wheel-drive, 1968cc, 110kW, 340Nm, sixspeed automatic. • Performance – 0-100km/h, 9.3sec • Fuel usage – 5.6l/100km
have an aggressive pattern, they are capable in the loose and are certainly up to a cornering challenge. They don’t moan under pressure and combine to give the driver positive information as to what is happening in relation to the road surface. The new Tiguan carries all of Volkswagen’s latest technology, especially for safety where it features an autonomous emergency braking system. It stops short of taking autonomous driving any further, but it’s my guess given the technology already in production throughout the wider Volkswagen/Audi enterprise, it won’t be long before it is advanced further. In the interim, the Tiguan is a tidy package. It is a versatile, innovative all-rounder, and if I was a mid-size SUV buyer it would be top of my list.
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