Volkswagen Tiguan review - Interior, design and technology

The previous Volkswagen Tiguan was beginning to look its age alongside more stylish opposition such as the stylish Range Rover Evoque and Peugeot 3008.

Exterior changes bring the Tiguan into line with the larger Touareg. The nose is taller, with a larger grille feeding into redesigned LED headlights with a new adaptive matrix technology called IQ.Light - standard on Elegance cars.

The rear end also benefits from a refresh, with a new rear panel and updated tail-lights, while there's also new alloy wheel designs to choose from.

The Volkswagen Tiguan comes in four main specifications. Equipment levels in the entry Tiguan models are a bit sparse, but you do get air con, 17-inch alloy wheels, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, automatic lights and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Step up to Life trim and VW will throw in larger 18-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors, three-zone climate control and Park Assist.

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Elegance spec adds an extra inch to the wheel size, chrome exterior trim, upgraded upholstery, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a panoramic sunroof. Opting for the top R Line version means even bigger 20-inch alloys, a sporty body kit, sports seats and keyless entry. On top of the R Line trim, the high-performance Tiguan R gets Matrix LED headlights and special 18-inch wheels, plus sports seats embroidered with R logos.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

The dashboard in the Tiguan is more sensible than stylish, but everything is very logically laid out and simple to get along with.  

There's a new steering wheel with touch-sensitive buttons featuring haptic feedback, and Volkswagen's 10-inch Digital Cockpit Pro set-up - standard on Elegance and R-Line cars.

The central infotainment screen has been updated and includes new touch-sensitive buttons, revised menus and display technology, updated voice controls and screen sizes of up to 9.2 inches. Sitting below, the heating controls have also been upgraded with more modern touch-sensitive switches.