FORECOURT
VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN R THE KNOWLEDGE Volkswagen Tiguan R
Volkswagen has given its Tiguan SUV the R treatment. Darren Cassey decides if a go-faster engine and racy styling make for a compelling option. WHAT IS IT? This mid-sized SUV takes the usual VW R combination and applies it to the firm’s bestselling model. It should sell like hot cakes, then… WHAT’S NEW? It gets a new-look front end, upgraded assistance systems, new infotainment system, reconfigured all-wheel-drive system, R-specific petrol engine, lowered ride height, sports exhaust system, new ‘progressive steering’ and drive mode selection. WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET? The engine is the latest generation of the EA888 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol unit. It doesn’t feel quite so urgent here as elsewhere on account of being in a heavy SUV, but it’s got more than enough punch to make swift progress. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE? You never feel like you’re in a hot hatch, but covering country lanes at a rapid pace is less intimidating than you’d expect. And if you put it in sport mode and use the paddles to shift manually, the gearbox is almost seamless between shifts. However, it’s let down slightly by its everyday driveability, and the gearbox is sluggish and unresponsive. HOW DOES IT LOOK? The Tiguan is already a handsome SUV, and in R trim this is only amplified. There’s a sleek headlight design that blends into the prominent front grille, while at the back the lower bumper has an aggressive diffuser design that incorporates a quad-exit exhaust system.
Price (as tested): £45,410 Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol Power: 316bhp Torque: 420Nm Max speed: 155mph 0-60mph: 4.9 seconds MPG: 28.5 Emissions: 225g/km CO2
TARGET BUYERS:
Anyone who needs something for the school run that’ll be fun on the way home.
THE RIVALS: Cupra Ateca Porsche Macan BMW X2 M35i
KEY SELLING POINTS:
1. Looks fantastic. 2. Surprisingly capable on a fun road. 3. Engine feels quick despite the Tiguan’s size.
DEAL CLINCHER:
All the practicality you need from an SUV but with a sprinkling of fun, too.
WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE? The cabin is large and spacious, with an imperious driving position. The seats are comfy and the touchscreen is clear and easy to use. However, VW has an obsession with touch buttons elsewhere and they’re quite unpleasant to use. WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE? Prices start at £45,410, giving you – for example – some R styling tweaks plus LED front and rear lights. Other features include a digital instrument panel, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration in the infotainment system, plus sat nav. WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK? Auto Express said it was a ‘good all-rounder’. WHAT DO WE THINK? As an overall package, the Tiguan R is a compelling, fun, stylish and pacy SUV. 36 | CarDealerMag.co.uk
Inside
The cabin is large and spacious with comfortable seats but there are just too many buttons!
