Facelifted Volkswagen Tiguan: prices start from £24,915
The lower echelons of the tweaked Volkswagen Tiguan range are available to order, but we’ll have to wait a few months for the 316bhp R model and PHEV
Volkswagen’s facelifted Tiguan is available to order in the UK now. The German brand’s best-selling SUV has undergone a thorough cosmetic and technology update, to keep it competitive with the Mazda CX-5 and Peugeot 3008.
In the coming months, the range will also be bolstered by two new powertrains – a plug-in hybrid model and 316bhp R-badged flagship which will square up against the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce and the Cupra Ateca.
From launch, though, buyers will only have access to four trim-levels and six engines. The entry-level Tiguan comes as standard with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and a multifunction steering wheel. There’s a few safety-based systems, too, such as lane-keeping assist, autonomous emergency brake and a front-facing camera.
Volkswagen’s mid-range Life specification replaces the outgoing Tiguan Match, with a starting price of £26,915. Upgrades over the standard car include 18-inch alloy wheels, roof rails and rear privacy glass. Inside, buyers get three-zone climate control, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and velour upholstery.
There’s a significant jump in the level of driver assistance technology, too – buyers get adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and a traffic sign recognition system. Overall, Volkswagen expects the Life model will account for 50 percent of the Tiguan’s sales.
Volkswagen’s comfort-focused Elegance model improves the SUV’s specification again with 19-inch alloy wheels, Matrix LED headlamps, chrome window surrounds, a panoramic glass sunroof and illuminated front treadplates. Buyers also get a couple of convenience features such as keyless entry and a hands free tailgate.
The interior also receives a lift with a 10.25-inch digital instrument binnacle, heated front seats, a 30-colour customisable ambient lighting system and decorative inserts for the dashboard and steering wheel. Prices start from £32,430.
Finally, the sporty R-Line variant carries a starting price of £32,730. It features an almost identical level of equipment as the Elegance variant, but gets cosmetic tweaks including a set 20-inch alloy wheels, more aggressive body kit and sports seats. It also features Volkswagen’s new “Travel Assist” semi-autonomous driving function, which can assume control of the vehicle’s steering, acceleration and braking on the motorway at speeds up to 130mph.
New Volkswagen Tiguan: engines and drivetrains
The updated Tiguan range will launch with its most popular engines first. So, buyers will be offered a turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, in either 128bhp or 148bhp outputs, and a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel unit, with either 148bhp or 197bhp – the more powerful of which will feature a seven-speed DSG and four-wheel-drive.
The entry-level petrol engine has claimed fuel economy figures of between 43.5–44.8mpg, with the least powerful diesel unit can muster figures between 47.1–47.9mpg. Also, thanks in part to its four-wheel-drive system, the range-topping diesel has a 0–62mph time of 7.5 seconds.
Volkswagen’s upcoming Tiguan R is essentially a rebodied version of the recently revised Cupra Ateca. It uses the same turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as its Spanish sibling but, as Volkswagen sits above Cupra in the Group’s pecking order, its output increases to 316bhp – which is 20bhp more than the 296bhp Ateca.
The Tiguan’s R’s range of chassis revisions are similar, though. Buyers get four-wheel drive, adaptive suspension, bigger brakes and a set of unique 21-inch alloy wheels. There’s also an aggressive exterior styling package, an optional Akrapovic exhaust system and a new, seven-stage configurable traction control system.
Volkswagen has also fitted the Tiguan R’s four-wheel drive chassis with a torque vectoring system, which can send up to 100 per cent of the engine’s power to the outside wheels when cornering.
Meanwhile, the new plug-in Tiguan shares the same 242bhp turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor as the Mk8 Golf PHEV, which Volkswagen says will give the SUV a maximum all-electric range of 31 miles. The system also allows the Tiguan to travel at speeds of up to 81mph in electric-only mode.
Volkswagen will also eventually release a less powerful version of its 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which will sit below the flagship R model with 187bhp and 320Nm of torque. Unlike the lower capacity petrol engines, though, it’ll likely only be offered with a seven-speed DSG and four-wheel-drive.
New Volkswagen Tiguan: facelift updates
Cosmetic revisions over the outgoing Tiguan are fairly extensive, as Volkswagen has tried to bring the SUV’s styling in line with the new Mk8 Golf hatchback. As such, the updated Tiguan features the same winged LED headlamps, radiator grille and broad bumper intakes as the hatchback, along with a new bonnet, new LED tail lights and a tweaked rear diffuser.
Inside, there’s a new sports steering wheel with touch-sensitive controls and new capacitive buttons for the air conditioning and ventilation systems. Buyers also can also have a configurable ambient lighting system and a 480-watt 10-speaker Harman/Kardon surround sound system as optional extras.
Volkswagen’s latest MIB3 infotainment system has been added, too, which comprises a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and a central infotainment screen in either 6.5-inch, 8.0-inch or 9.2-inch sizes. The system offers support for natural voice commands, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
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