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 in the 202 facelift brought 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 benefited from a refresh, with a new rear panel and updated tail-lights, while there are also new alloy wheel designs to choose from.

The Volkswagen Tiguan comes in four main specifications. Equipment levels in the entry Life models include 18-inch alloys, an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, automatic lights and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. You also get rear privacy glass, sat-nav, front and rear parking sensors, and three-zone climate control.

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Active adds keyless entry and an electric tailgate, plus power-folding mirrors, Driving Profile Selection, ECO function and heated front seats. 

Elegance spec adds an extra inch to the wheel size, chrome exterior trim, upgraded upholstery, a rear view camera and a panoramic sunroof. Opting for the top R Line version means even bigger 20-inch alloys, a sporty body kit and sports seats. On top of the R Line trim, the high-performance Tiguan R gets Matrix LED headlights and special 21-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.