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-   -   Volkswagen Tiguan : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/190607-volkswagen-tiguan-official-review-9.html)

I did not consider the Kodiaq for two reasons, I was looking for something more compact and secondly it is completely out of my budget. I had to stretch my budget for the Tiguan comfortline. Regarding the infotainment system, they have made the screen larger and the buttons next to the screen are capacitive touch buttons similar to the Octavia. I tried to upload a picture, but am getting a security error.

Congratulations! Have seen a few Tiguan's on the road and they really look very classy. The symmetry of the SUV is perfect with smooth lines. The interiors also look classy typical German. Draws a vey close parallel to the Audi Q3 in terms of looks, features and design. I had recently seen both, the Audi Q3 & the Tiguan and hence can compare at a high level.

Do post pictures of both exteriors & interiors.

I took delivery of the my Tiguan today. The delivery experience was a delight at Volkswagen Mumbai North. They were all set with confetti cake and champagne. The sales manager Mr Santosh paid personal attention to everything and ensured that it felt like taking delivery of a premium car.

Here is an update post my first 5 days with the Tiguan. I have covered 500 kms over the last 5 days and since car is still in the running in period, it has mostly been eco mode all the way.

Here is what I like

1. Beautifully built, and spacious cabin with very comfortable seats
2. Feels solidly built, with good NVH levels and has a good ride
3. Excellent fuel economy. I am getting 13 to 14 km/liter on my office commute which is 32 kms one way
4. Easy to drive with excellent all round visibility, a smooth and responsive DSG gearbox and light steering

What I don't like

1. The ride though mostly comfortable can be a tad firm over sharp potholes ( I wish VW had given adaptive dampers)
2. My Comfortline variant comes with skinnier 215/65 section types which make the vehicle slightly less agile than the Highline variant I tested ( ride is better though)
3. Lack of keyless entry and reverse camera on a 30 lac plus car is really annoying. I have colleagues who have this on a Grand i10

On the whole I am very happy with it and am looking forward to exploring the car further on long trips including some spirited driving and off road bits.

@shaktisarangi, Congratulations on purchase of Tiguan Comfortline variant.

1. You are in running period. However, did you get a chance to check stability of the vehicle with 215/65 tyres at high speeds say > 120 kmph? Hope there are no issues.

2. How is the performance of LED headlights both low beam & high Beam, especially in highways? If possible, can you post a photo to see the spread of headlight (low and high beam) in dark.

BU Bhandari (Pune) was ready to fit a reverse camera (original VW) with view in the dashboard (same as Highline variant) for a price of Rs 15000/-.

@Simhi I have been traveling out of town and hence yet to complete the running in period. However my experience so far suggests that straight line stability is not a problem at all, but it does roll more and runs out of grip faster than the Highline variant. In hindsight a tyre upgrade to 235 section is recommended.

The low beam is very good in terms of throw and spread. The high beam is good but I would have liked more throw.

The car has sophisticated electronics and I don't want the dealer messing about with the electrical system hence did not fit the reverse camera though the dealer offered it.

Update on my experience with the Tiguan :
I have slowly fallen in love with the car. My initial feelings were mixed, as I really missed my Yeti, but the Tiguan has slowly made a special place for itself. It is more grown up in every way over the Yeti, and is apt for my current requirements. I love the fact that while it seems like a regular car (in a business suit), it has the ability to handle like a sedan and manage the rough stuff with equal ease. This understated quality is what really defines the Tiguan.
I have now completed 2500 kms with a couple of weekend drives thrown in. It has performed admirably, swallowing 4 people and their luggage with ease and delivering them to their destination in supreme comfort.
My initial concerns about the ride quality were addressed once I corrected the tyre pressures. They were insanely high at 45 psi. I believe the dealer did not correct the tyre pressure at time of delivery. Tyres are over inflated when car is in transit from factory and dealer is supposed to correct it during PDI process. Thanks to the tyre pressure monitoring system, I discovered this and corrected the pressure to 33 psi. Post this change the ride and handling has been impeccable.
The life time FE as per the car's MID is 12.5 kmpl which is staggering considering I commute from Thane to BKC daily.!
The experience in sports mode is addictive, though one does pine for a few more horses under the hood, I wish VW had given us the 177 PS engine. Body roll is minimal and the steering weighs up beautifully making it a joy to drive. I love using the paddle shifters on a good patch of twisting road. The shift response is very quick and you feel in control.
So far my experience has been very positive and I look forward to many years of happy driving.

Looking at the Tiguan in India and international markets, one thing that stood out was the "LED Headlights" being marketed in India seem to be LED bulbs in regular reflector housings, compared to the Euro spec models which look like LED Projector headlights. Even looking at the Indian Passat and Kodiaq headlights vs the Tiguan, they look like projectors.
Anyone have more information on this switch-up? Are the Tiguan style headlights technically inferior or superior? Is it a cost cutting measure? Or just a visual difference?

Including pictures for reference:
Tiguan Headlights

Kodiaq

Passat

Tiguan Euro

Tiguan in India has LED lights in a regular reflector housing. This is inferior WRT to a Projector setup, as the light is scattered all round. This setup mainly reduces cost.

Reflectors are designed to avoid glare and supposed to be safe. However switching headlights between main and dipped beam is a must, to avoid glare for the oncoming vehicles. Projector lens help focus the beam in the right areas and therefore superior and safe.

The projector LED's also enable the Adaptive Frontlighting System (AFS) which is standard on the Superb, Passat,Kodiaq and Octavia (barring base model). It is disappointing to see VW omit this great feature in the Tiguan. The Tiguan also lacks Park Assist, which is again standard on top variants of Superb, Octavia, Kodiaq and Passat. Having said that the headlights are adequate for regular use and the auto leveling works well. In addition the dynamic cornering lights help driving around bends at night a safer experience.

Lower spec engine, skimming on real LEDs and pricing it with maximum possible premium for VW.
VW India has ensured that Tiguan remains a halo project and completely miss its potential sales success.
Sadly, VW continue to treat Indian customers in step-motherly way and leave the game open for Hyundai & Suzuki.

As of today I have completed 3 months of owning a Tiguan Comfortline 2018 model. In my experience, the longer you use it, the more you realise why it is the best crossover / soft- roader in the market.

The engine is far better than what the figures on paper suggest, in fact it will surprise everyone with how well it copes with city traffic and highway drives. The way it gathers speed is especially remarkable because of the way it masks insane numbers on the speedo.

On a recent trip to Nashik, I was able to keep up with a Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 and this was with my wife and in laws who did not even realise that the car was doing high speeds for a brief empty stretch. The paddle shifters work very well and give you excellent control when you really want to have fun behind the wheel.

To be able to keep up with a Mustang while traveling in utmost comfort with a full complement of passengers and weekend luggage is a remarkable feat and it summarises beautifully the appeal of the Tiguan.

In addition to the performance, the car averaged 12.7 kmpl with me driving pedal to metal and on the way back it delivered 15.6 kmpl with slightly less spirited driving.

The brakes are very confidence inspiring and help shed speed at an alarming rate, in fact at times the combination of masked high speeds and powerful brakes can catch you unawares if you are not careful ( from perspective of person behind you). I have carried 3 bags, my son's bicycle, and 2 duffel bags in the boot without breaking into a sweat. On one occasion I carried 7 bags of soil ( each bag weighing 50 kg ) for my garden with ease.

The heated seats work really well and my wife loves the feature when she is feeling cold in the car. The 3 zone climate control however ensures that everyone is happy and has their own little zone. The long term FE is 13.2 kmpl despite my daily commute (from Thane to BKC) which has bumper to bumper traffic.

In hind sight, like the Yeti (my previous car) which lacked features, and seemed over priced to most, the Tiguan is something that you will grow to love and adore once you start using it. It is not just about the features on paper, it is about how everything comes together to provide you with a truly special, safe comfortable and economical experience.

I did have my apprehensions while buying it, but now 3 months and 6000 kms later I can confidently say that for the money, unless you are obsessed with 7 seats or have a size fixation (big brutish SUV type) this is the best SUV in the country. Period !!

I have no doubts in my mind that it is a great vehicle and I am sure you are cherishing your decision on it.
My point was: Such a good vehicle deserve more sales numbers but let down by VW by not offering it in real tempting avatar. VW could have easily done it, considering high tune engine & other features such as real LED lights are available on other vehicle from this stable.
But VW :deadhorse

Definitely a great all-round package, which could have been a no-brainer if it wasn't for the renowned "VAG Apprehension". In fact, I was just speaking to a used car dealer about the recent malaise of the Skoda dealership in Kolkata and he voluntarily complained about all the customers being sick of VW/Skoda A.S.S. It's confounding how a global leader in the auto world can let their reputation drop to a point where people who would love to buy their cars, refuse to due to these horror stories.


I personally owned and enjoyed the 1st gen Octavia minus the service centre experiences with parts, delays and exorbitant costs. Loved the Polo, bought a Swift. Extensively considered an Octavia, went with the XUV500. Test drove and enjoyed the Tiguan, yet not able to convince myself to drop 30+ lakhs on a VW.


It is a really unfortunate situation for auto enthusiasts who enjoy the VW/Skoda cars but can't muster the strength to own one in India.



I think one of the primary reasons for going with the lower tune on the Tiguan and Kodiaq is to keep them from completely cannibalising sales of teh Q3 and Q5. If all 4 cars came with the same power outputs, there would be one less reason to go for the marquee brand. Definitely seems to be a conscious corporate decision.

Believe me; It is rather easy for an Auto enthusiast to own a VW, provided he spends some time to understand the car and is willing to apply himself technically. A good FNG can help.


A lower tune Tiguan leads to a lower tune Q3 in their respective categories. Both won't sell.

In the Q3 / Q5 category, competition is coming up with sequential dual turbo, which boosts power/torque to a great extent. VW should look at providing maximum tune that a VGT can deliver, for the Tiguan category.