2024 Volkswagen Tiguan R assessment

Australia, you obtain extra Volkswagen Tiguan Rs than anyplace else on the planet final yr. That’s large.

Some 2227 items of Volkswagen’s hotted-up household SUV had been delivered Down Underneath in 2023, making it the best-selling car within the German model’s R efficiency vary, and making Australia the largest market globally for this mannequin.

It was an identical story for the smaller T-Roc R which returned a formidable 1846 deliveries for the yr. Clearly, Volkswagen’s hottest SUVs have discovered favour with performance-hungry Australian new automobile consumers.

Whereas there’s a brand new technology of VW’s mid-size SUV on the way in which, the 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan R stays on sale in the intervening time, with no direct successor revealed as but. Volkswagen Australia says deliveries of the Tiguan R will proceed into the third quarter of 2024.

The Tiguan R stays a reasonably distinctive proposition in market, being a mainstream-branded high-performance SUV that correctly undercuts extra premium competitors by a considerable margin.

Comparable efficiency from an Audi Q3 (RSQ3), BMW X1 or a Mercedes-AMG GLA will price you round $30,000 greater than the VW, and the Tiguan R is arguably extra sensible than all three regardless of its shared DNA with the Audi.

Does it need to be such a robust vendor? Learn on to search out out.

How a lot does the Volkswagen Tiguan price?

Pricing for the Tiguan R has risen by $2600 for the 2024 mannequin yr, now itemizing for $73,790 plus on-road prices.

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan pricing:

• 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan 110TSI Life: $43,990 (+$1100)
• 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan 132TSI Life: $47,990 (+$1100)
• 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI Magnificence: $57,090 (+$2200)
• 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI R-Line: $60,590 (+$2200)
• 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan R: $73,790 (+$2600)

Costs exclude on-road prices

To see how the Volkswagen Tiguan shapes up in opposition to its rivals, use our comparability instrument.

What’s the Volkswagen Tiguan like on the within?

Whereas the Tiguan R is fairly distinguishable from the usual fashions from the surface – particularly within the accessible Lapiz Blue hero paint – the inside variations are way more delicate.

If not for the splashes of blue highlights, there’s not a lot completely different in right here in comparison with the cabin of a Tiguan R-Line. Whether or not that’s a good or unhealthy factor is as much as you.

There’s Nappa leather-based sports activities seats up entrance with extra bolstering than you’ll discover in a traditional Tiguan’s consolation seats, which additionally function a racy carbon-effect accent on the higher bolsters. The blue piping and top-stitching are additionally good touches, and remind you that you just’re within the flagship.

Forward of the motive force is a chunky sports activities leather-based steering wheel with perforated sections at 3 and 9 o’clock, with blue accents and stitching to match the opposite trims within the cabin. Whereas the fats rim is good to carry and the enlarged paddle shifters are extra sporty than different fashions, the touch-capacitive controls are fiddly and at instances innaccurate.

In case you’re driving exhausting you could end up by accident adjusting the amount or turning on the heated steering wheel operate as a result of placement of the switchgear. That is one thing Volkswagen is fixing with new fashions, because of buyer and media suggestions, so the subsequent Tiguan gained’t function this annoying steering wheel design.

Show tech is fairly customary fare for MQB-based Volkswagens, comprising a ten.25-inch Digital Cockpit digital instrument cluster joined by a 9.2-inch touchscreen navigation system, each operating the MIB3 technology of VW’s software program interface.

Whereas not fairly as fairly or configurable as Audi’s benchmark digital cockpit items, the Tiguan’s Digital Cockpit presents a great number of layouts and menus, whereas providing crisp readability and fluid animations. It’s a disgrace it’s reduced in size in recent times, as a 12.3-inch unit would higher fill the house.

The central touchscreen; in the meantime, will likely be acquainted to anybody that has had a high-spec Golf Mk7 or Passat, however operating a more recent interface that additionally facilitates wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s additionally DAB+ digital radio lastly.

Whereas not fairly as flashy as among the newer VW Group infotainment techniques – which include their very own quirks, reality be advised – the older unit presents good response instances, good graphics, and user-friendly menus. Annoyingly; nonetheless, the touch-capacitive shortcuts for quantity and energy are on the left-hand drive aspect.

There’s additionally a little bit flip-up head-up show which is a helpful inclusion however not a benchmark function of its kind. The polariser is a little bit small and doesn’t work effectively for a few of my taller colleagues. It additionally doesn’t enable as a lot adjustment for angle of textual content like another techniques, and the graphics are very fundamental.

Storage is one other spotlight. The present Tiguan is well packaged with an array of huge nooks and crannies to retailer your issues, door pockets able to taking a Frank Inexperienced drink bottle, and a modular centre console in addition to a phone-sized shelf underneath the centre stack. Actually there must be a spot for all the pieces!

If the practicality up entrance impresses, little doubt dad and mom and common individuals haulers alike will likely be impressed by the house on provide within the rear. The Tiguan’s boxy dimensions and intelligent packaging means even taller than common adults can sit behind full-grown drivers, and the rear bench slides and reclines for added consolation and adjustability.

Facilities embrace a 3rd zone of local weather management with directional vents behind the centre console, map pockets, a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders, and enormous bottle holders within the doorways.

The rear seats aren’t heated, however you do get ISOFIX anchors on the outer positions and top-tether factors throughout all three seat backs. The centre again seat can also fold independently to stow longer objects with out interrupting the outer passengers.

The Tiguan R retains the sensible baggage space of the core vary, quoting 615L with the rear seats upright of their forward-most place, increasing to 1655L with the rear seats folded.

In contrast to different fashions within the vary; nonetheless, there’s no spare wheel of any sort – quite a tyre mobility package.

What’s underneath the bonnet?

It’s a well-recognized VW R story underneath the bonnet, with the tried and examined EA888 2.0 TSI turbo petrol engine powering the go-fast SUV.

For the Australian-spec Tiguan R, the two.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit makes 235kW of energy (5600-6500rpm) and 400Nm of torque (2000-5600rpm), with drive despatched to all 4 wheels through a seven-speed wet-type DSG dual-clutch automated.

Native variations of the Tiguan R don’t get the full-fat 420Nm tune of the Tiguan R because of our market receiving a model of the drivetrain that doesn’t function a petroleum particulate filter (PPF) like in Europe. It’s an identical story for the Golf R Hatch.

VW quotes a 5.1-second dash from 0 to 100km/h, which is 0.2s off the tempo of its PPF-equipped European equal. Give it sufficient unrestricted street, and also you’ll hit 250km/h flat out in keeping with world specs.

Nonetheless, it bests the BMW X1 M35i (5.4s) and is line-ball with the Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 4Matic (5.2s). Each of those autos are greater than $90,000 plus on-road prices. In the meantime, the fire-breathing Audi RSQ3 dashes to triple figures in 4.5s with its extra highly effective five-cylinder turbo donk.

Gasoline consumption is rated at 8.8 litres per 100km on the mixed cycle, with CO2 emissions of 201g/km. The Tiguan R requires 98 RON premium unleaded for its 58-litre tank.

How does the Volkswagen Tiguan drive?

As you’d anticipate, it’s like an enormous Golf R that’s been raised barely.

There’s no escaping the Tiguan’s taller physique and raised journey top – in addition to the commanding drive place – however there’s a shocking stage of expertise on provide for keener drivers which have managed to get the Tiguan R over the road with their pragmatic partner over say, a Golf R or a sports activities coupe.

It fires up with the identical muted burble because the Golf R – and a litany of different VW R and GTI merchandise with the identical engine – and you may drive this about in day by day eventualities very like a Tiguan R-Line. That’s typically the fantastic thing about Volkswagen’s efficiency merchandise; that Jekyll and Hyde break up character.

Pop it in Consolation mode and it seems like some other Tiguan with sportier trimmings, save for a barely sharper journey and extra street noise from these huge 21-inch wheels and 255/35 efficiency tyres. The adaptive dampers are correctly comfy in Consolation, and noticeably agency issues up in Sport and Race.

You’re additionally capable of tailor the Tiguan R to your tastes with the accessible Particular person mode. This lets you select from numerous settings for throttle response, engine sound, damping, and even issues like adaptive cruise management response in addition to air con: it’s fairly swish.

Whereas most house owners are in all probability driving these to and from the varsity run or getting groceries (let’s be actual, it’s true), the principle cause you’d choose the Tiguan R over the 162TSI R-Line is due to the additional efficiency on provide.

I took this for a spirited run up via the hills to Kinglake in Victoria’s north east, and I couldn’t imagine how succesful the Tiguan R is when pushed in anger. Regardless of its measurement and 1.7t (kerb) heft, there’s heaps of grip and minimal physique roll, even via tight corners, providing you with the arrogance to essentially push this factor up a B-road.

The steering can also be communicative; although, when it ‘weighs up’ in its sportier modes the suggestions can really feel a contact synthetic. That mentioned, you continue to get a good suggestion of what the entrance wheels are doing and that entrance axle responds to inputs properly.

You get snappy shifts when left in D or S settings too, and the paddle shifters reply as you’d anticipate. VW doesn’t provide the Akrapovic titanium sports activities exhaust in Australia for the Tiguan R, however you continue to get some pops and cracks on upshifts and overrun that little doubt will make you smile.

If I had one grievance it’s that the motive force’s seat doesn’t go low sufficient, as you are feeling you’re perched a little bit excessive within the cabin when driving exhausting and it might probably exacerbate that feeling of lean despite the fact that the automobile is nigh on flat via corners.

Being a top-spec Volkswagen, the Tiguan R is decked out with nearly each lively security and help function VW presently presents, that means it’s straightforward to drive everyday, enjoyable to drive out of city, and in addition stress-free to cruise in on the freeway.

As we’ve beforehand reported, VW’s Journey Help semi-autonomous freeway mode is without doubt one of the greatest within the enterprise, with correct and intuitive adaptive cruise management and lane centring features that take the load off longer stints.

You additionally get blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert to raised handle merging into site visitors and reversing out of tight areas, aided by a surround-view digital camera system and parking sensors all spherical. No excuses for scraped wheels.

What do you get?

Tiguan R highlights:

• 21-inch Estoril alloy wheels
• Efficiency brakes incl. blue brake calipers
• Nappa leather-based upholstery with R badging
• Carpet flooring mats with blue stitching
• R emblem on entrance aspect panels
• R design entrance and rear bumper
• R badging on the grille
• R design rear spoiler
• Encompass-view cameras
• Illuminated R emblem welcome mild
• R flat backside steering wheel with haptic buttons
• Harman Kardon 10-speaker audio system

Options carried over from different grades embrace:

• IQ.Gentle Matrix LED headlights
• Adaptive Chassis Management
  • Adaptive dampers
  • Selectable drive modes
• 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Professional
• 9.2-inch touchscreen navigation system
  • Satellite tv for pc navigation
  • Wi-fi Apple CarPlay
  • Wi-fi Android Auto
  • DAB+ digital radio
• 30-colour adjustable ambient lighting
• Powered entrance seats
  • 12-way adjustment
  • 3-position driver reminiscence
  • Simple entry operate (driver)
  • Entrance seat heating
  • Energy lumbar adjustment
• Heated steering wheel
• 3 x USB-C retailers
• 3 x 12V retailers
• Tri-zone local weather management
• Park Help
• Paddle shifters
• Keyless entry, begin
• Auto-dimming rear-view mirror

Is the Volkswagen Tiguan secure?

The Volkswagen Tiguan wears a five-star ANCAP score based mostly on assessments carried out on the pre-facelift mannequin in 2016; nonetheless, this score has now expired.

The Tiguan scored 96 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 80 per cent for youngster occupant safety, 68 per cent for weak street consumer safety, and 68 per cent for security help.

Customary security gear contains:

• 7 airbags incl. driver’s knee
• Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
  • Low-speed, high-speed
  • Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
• Adaptive cruise management
• Journey Help (adaptive cruise + lane centring)
• Blind-spot help
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver fatigue monitoring
• Lane-keep help
• Parking sensors entrance, rear
• Emergency Help (pulls car over if driver is unresponsive)
• Proactive Occupant Safety

How a lot does the Volkswagen Tiguan price to run?

Volkswagen covers its vary with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee.

You get 12 months of roadside help with buy, with as much as 10 years accessible renewed with a service at a Volkswagen supplier.

Scheduled upkeep is required each 12 months or 15,000 kilometres – whichever comes first. VW presents three- and five-year Care Plans, which cowl scheduled upkeep at a decreased price in comparison with paying as you go.

For the Tiguan R, the three-year Care Plan prices $1700, whereas the five-year plan is $3200.

As for gasoline consumption, I noticed an indicated return of 10.8L/100km after some day by day commuting in high-traffic circumstances, a spirited run via the hills after which an extended freeway stint.

Not fairly what Volkswagen claims, however that’s to be anticipated should you’re liberal with the loud pedal.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Volkswagen Tiguan

It gained’t take you lengthy to see why so many Australian’s discover the new Tiguan so R-mazing.

Even in comparison with the now-defunct Golf R Wagon, the Tiguan presents extra space for individuals and stuff, while additionally that includes the extra in-fashion physique fashion that has been confirmed to search out favour with native consumers.

Australian autos come decked out with luxurious ranges of options and tech, in addition to efficiency and dealing with capabilities that may maintain some sports activities vehicles sincere. If something, the actual fact it’ll shock you with how good it’s in comparison with one thing like a Golf R could have you ever smiling much more, as a result of it virtually feels prefer it shouldn’t be this good.

That’s to not say it’s excellent, although. Some could discover its appears a little bit too common – particularly with out the Lapiz Blue hero paint – and among the cool choices like bucket seats and an Akrapovic titanium sports activities exhaust stay off the playing cards for Australia.

We additionally lament the truth that because of our low grade gasoline Australia misses out on the full-fat Euro tune, which not solely provides extra torque on paper but additionally means our Tiguan R is slower than the one Europe and the UK will get. This is about efficiency, in spite of everything.

But it surely’s in any other case exhausting to knock what is a wonderful all-rounder. It truly is the new Golf R Wagon for the SUV age. Even higher, there’s nothing you may get from rival Euro makes for related cash, which makes the deal even sweeter.

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