Road test: Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI SCR 2WD manual

Volkswagen’s revamped Tiguan is a sizeable improvement, says Mike Stone
Real appeal: the sleek new Tiguan is a well-finished, roomy family car, drives well and comes in a choice of two or four-wheel drive
Mike Stone21 July 2016

Volkswagen’s Tiguan is the company’s third biggest seller (after the Golf and Polo), and we have bought 21,000 of the Golfbased compact SUV since it first appeared here in 2008.

Now VW has reworked the car, which is lower, longer and wider than before, thanks to the company’s versatile MQB platform, and when you look at the old and new models together, the new one is a big improvement. It is better proportioned and looks sleeker.

There is a choice of two or four-wheel drive, seven diesel and petrol engines, with 115 to 240PS, and two gearboxes — six-speed manual or twin-clutch DSG seven-speed automatic.

Driving a fully loaded 4WD 2.0 TDI SCR 150PS auto at £32,810, first impressions are that it is a civilised, well-finished and roomy family car with good grunt, but a slightly bouncy ride with only the driver aboard. But get into a 2WD manual version with the same engine and it feels very different.

Without the extra weight of the 4WD mechanical gubbins, it feels more nimble, and the slick gearbox is a pleasure to use. It may not be what this car is for, but it feels much more chuckable and engaging, and at £28,035 as tested, it represents much better value. It also averaged 52mpg while I was driving it.

New safety features include postcollision braking, optional head-up display, a configurable electronic dashboard and 360-degree aerial view thanks to camera trickery.

Traffic jam assist takes care of the donkey work when you are stuck in a queue, and there is an optional 400-watt sound system to keep you entertained.

Priced between £22,510 and £36,375, the Tiguan was a decent car before, but the changes make the new version more desirable.

Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI SCR 2WD manual
Top speed: 127mph 0-62mph: 9.3 secs 
CO2: 125g/km 
Price: £27,380

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