Road Test
Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI
Test date Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Price as tested £22,500
For Classy cabin ambience, mini-Touareg looks, sharp handling, fuel economy
AgainstNeeds more sparkle, diesel engine is unrefined and showing its age
Volkswagen has a surprising dearth of utility vehicles in its locker. The first was the Hitler-commissioned, Ferdinand Porsche-conceived Kubelsitzwagen of WWII. Which, in the late 1960s, became the Kurierwagen (the Thing in the US, or Trekker in the UK).
Then there was nothing until Porsche wanted a large SUV and went into partnership to produce the Cayenne/Touareg from 2003. And now there’s the Tiguan, which has just landed in a market more closely fought than any of those occupied by VW's historic 4x4s.
After all, what are the criteria? Towing potential? Perhaps. Overall family car practicality? Undoubtedly. Off-road potential? Certainly, but to what extent?
Few of today's small SUVs are particularly serious about going anywhere off the Queen’s highway, and on the face of it the Tiguan is little different. It’s largely a Golf-based, 4Motion-enabled device, and the car you see here has 18-inch alloys and is in Sport trim.
Sport? Yes. It’s at the top of the Tiguan range and a moniker that alone suggests this is a car honed for on-road use. Indeed, early indications are that this could well be the best-handling small SUV around.
Which begs the question: has Volkswagen managed to blend a hint of SUV bad-weather confidence with decent on-road dynamics, or would you just be better off with a Golf Plus?
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