[Maky]

I started looking for cars about two and a half years ago around February-March of 2021. And with an open mind, I decided that I would try my very best not care about brands or have any preconceived notion about a make or model, go out and see for myself what the Indian market offered across a large price band within and below my budget. After all we are very long term car owners and best to consider everything. The only set guidelines I had in my head were that it had to be bigger than these 'micro' SUVs as I felt they were simply the same size as my Swift but body profiled to make them appear grander than they actually were.

For my vehicle considerations, I will give my blunt opinion here. I tend to speak very plainly, please do not find offense If you happily own any of them. These are just my personal views. Following are the cars I test drove, some once and some as many as 4-5 times before final decision. You will find them to be as previously stated, a very wide price band:

Jeep Compass:

Love at first sight and also the very first car I test drove in early 2021. This is also the only car I went to see with my childhood friend. It was truly marvellous the moment I stepped into the cabin. It really felt like a cabin that belonged in car of a higher segment, atleast the front. The car in the Model S was completely feature loaded. The test drive was satisfactory as well. I test drove this car a total of 5 times. Three times in its Petrol variant and twice in Diesel avatar. It took me the DSG experience to later realise the gearbox in the Compass was dumb. I almost booked this car right away but slept on it and good thing I did, seeing what pitiful state they are as a brand today. Regardless, Jeep is indeed special, I would like to see them continue in India. I wish Jeep all the best.

Jeep Meridian:

Solidly built as compass but solid niggles as compass as well. Besides, It felt no meaningful amounts bigger on the inside compared to the Compass. If anything the slightly larger width made the otherwise lovely interior feel less 'wrap around'.. less cozy.. less special. Finally going by T-BHP reviews and other post sales feedback it seemed almost as if the customer base was the QA department. I crossed this car out right away.

Honda City Hybrid:

I had no desire to evaluate the Honda City. Nothing specific but It just felt like the City's time has come and gone. However upon my friends insistence I went and test drove the Hybrid version of the Honda City. It was alright. Smooth but finite power. I recall the car running out of breath some early-100s kph for whatever reason. Nothing the city did to offend or excite. Crossed it out.

Skoda Octavia:

Of all the sedans I drove this is the only one I truly considered exceptional. It also took my 2.0 TSI virginity and introduced me to the wonderous world of Turbocharged Stratified Injected engines and DSG gearboxes. What a lovely car. Only negatives I can think of is that It felt too small in the rear bench and the noticeable L&K pricing premium for features I couldn't do without was annoying. I shortlisted this car.

Mahindra XUV 700:

Yet another great VFM package. It's really great to see the homegrown manufacturer's now capable of making such vehicles. The only complaints I had was on the plastics and the loud for a petrol engine in-cabin noise. I test drove just the Petrol. The car had body roll as can be expected from this size of vehicle. Shortlisted.

Tata Harrier:

The first impression I got from the Harrier was once again that of a top VFM product. However It just felt a lack of polish on everything, every little thing. Regardless after the Harrier I'm excited to see where Tata goes with Gen 2.

Skoda Superb:

Simply Superb! All the bells and whistles. Perfectly tuned suspension a very good package overall. It was also available with great discounts on certain colours when I went to see it just before discontinuation. It just seemed to add 10 years to my age when I drove it!

Skoda Kodiaq:

The closest thing whether mechanically, buildwise or pricewise to my final choice. A great car but I found it to be just too fat and not nearly as 'chuckable' to drive. No complaints otherwise.

Also, I would like to mention that I was among the crowd who believed VW>Skoda when it comes to parts quality etc. but after some time with the Kodiaq I am not sure anymore, I felt the Kodiaq to be every bit as well built as my Tiguan. I would like to add that the dealership experience at Skoda Worli(Mody India Cars) was not great, I walked away thinking they did not consider me as a prospective client. They were more interested in buying my old car than selling me a new one.

Skoda Kushaq:

I am just not impressed with the VAG 'India 2.0' cars. Interiors were notches down on their 'proper' CKD counterparts, whether design or build quality. The Engine and Gearbox are the only saving grace for this otherwise mediocre package.

Hyundai Tucson:

I was very excited about this release. As a lot of people I found the front end to be very attractive, but I wasn't as excited about the sides and rear. I felt them to be too aggressive looking. Then when I finally saw the car in the showroom I had the opposite reaction, front felt tame and the sides not as offensive as in pictures. I found The Tucson to be a great VFM product. The build is arguably better than the typical Hyundai variety, and features galore. Unfortunately the Tucson in the more reasonably priced Petrol variant was anemic, but phenomenal in Diesel form. While you could put the power down very well with the Diesels explosive 416nm, you couldn't do much with it, the handling was compromised by virtue of its size unfortunately. Finally, in Diesel form it reached uncomfortable heights in pricing for the package. I'm the least brand conscious person you'll ever meet but at that moment I just didn't feel like dropping ~40L on a 'Hyundai'. It also bothered me that Hyundai chose not to release a safety rating for the Tucson sold in India which otherwise has gotten a 5 star rating which caused some 'Indianised' concerns for me. The Tucson did not make the shortlist.

Hyundai Creta:

Aaah the golden child of the Hyundai stable. Again like the Tucson great VFM this car and decent engine. Not sure what I could add about one of the best selling vehicles in India. It ticks all the boxes except safety and for me, size. I also did not care much for the current gen Creta's design language. I shortlisted Creta.

Kia Seltos:

A sportier version of the Creta. Once again similar complaints on the safety and size front. Only saving grace was the design felt more appealing, to my eyes anyways. The suspension also did not feel as harsh as has been mentioned about the Seltos I felt. I shortlisted this.

Volvo XC40:

A friend of my heard I was considering the Kodiaq so he quickly suggested I checkout the XC40. He had bought a XC60 from them the year previous so I got a helpful reference through him. I got a friendly explanation, test drive and offer as a result. Offer which I have shared in the Luxury car price thread. The build quality top tier as expected, but the Volvo XC40 felt really confusing to me. It was way too small in the back and not nearly as posh feeling as its other siblings in the front. The Kodiaq was much more attractive to me at this price point. The drive itself was sedate and not exciting. I quickly crossed this out of contention.

Maruti Grand Vitara:

I found the drive to be very smooth, all thanks to Toyota?. A very different experience compared to what my expectations have been for Maruti's all these years. Unfortunately the cabin space seemed finite and the interiors, both design and quality made it simply feel like a Brezza XL.

Toyota Hyryder:

I would say about the same experience as the Grand Vitara. I really wish Toyota starts better distinguishing their products. The sales people tried very hard to convince me in what meaningless ways their Toyota was better than Maruti's version.

Audi A4:

After realising the sheer amount of deep discounting being offered for Audi's I thought it would be worth to go see this car. The car seemed fine to me, fantastically comfortable suspension and great build quality inside and out, but the family did not approve. The rear was deemed too low for the elderly and overall space as expected was on the lesser side. I would like to thank manson from T-Bhp for his reference : )

Volkswagen Virtus:

A great looking sedan with the fantastic 1.5 TSI + DSG combo! what's not to like?... well the Maruti of it all. Similar to the earlier Kushaq experience. Crossed out after half a test drive.

Volkswagen Taigun:

Similar feelings as Kushaq and Virtus. The Taigun looked decent in pictures but in person It seemed to look more hatchback than a mini-SUV, perhaps it's due to its very rounded off design but at much smaller dimensions? I do not know. For reasons I can't explain I liked the similar sized Kushaq more than I did the VW version. Taigun crossed out.

Volkswagen Tiguan:

While I started looking at cars around Feb-March of 2021, the Tiguan I came across much later in April of 2022. This isn't a car I was seriously considering as I was still very much in love with the Compass. Upon my first visit at the VW showroom in Prabhadevi I found the Tiguan's build quality superb, fit and finish as expected of a CKD Import.. but I thought the much cheaper Compass too is very well built isnt it?

However, when I first test drove the car I quickly realised how night and day different the Compass and Tiguan really were. This felt incredible. It was an SUV being able to switch lanes and take bends as cars much lower. What a well engineered piece of kit I thought. Back to the showroom after the first test drive, I went and sat in the back. Clearly saw the practical advantage this had over my beloved Compass. Also, unlike the Compass the Tiguan did not progressively get cheaper feeling as you went towards the back. After gettting out of the rear seats I popped the dickie and yes once again a very practical car indeed.

I left the showroom with mixed feelings. Here I had decided in my mind the Compass Petrol in the Model S variant was all I ever needed in a car but the Volkswagen Tiguan was just better in almost everyway. I say almost as the interior design felt inferior to the Compass, the design mind you, not the quality.

Over the next few weeks I resumed my vehicle search to some of the above mentioned cars.

However, I found myself back in the VW showroom a month or so later. This time around I took a longer drive, found a more comfortable driving position, pushed the car further to its limits(the most one can safely on local roads anyways!) and felt myself to be very much at home in the car. I would also like to mention that the suspension often mentioned as hard for this car I found to be only mildly on stiffer side, but otherwise perfectly balanced. Perhaps they have worked on the suspension since the initial 2021 MY models or perhaps others might want to play with their PSI.

Over the next 1.5 years I visited the VW showroom 3 more times. Something about the Tiguan just kept pulling me back there. What an engineering marvel!. About a month ago on my final 5th test drive VW had introduced a '2.0' revision of the facelifted Tiguan. Internally labelling it as OBD2. The OBD2 Tiguan came with Wireless charging, Auto-Park, lighter Cream leather interiors, I say cream as its not quite the beige tone we're all familiar with in most cars, and the new BS compatibility. The OBD1 Tiguan still available and now for a lesser price but you had to make do with a Dec' 2022 MY, black interiors and similarly the lack of the aforementioned features.

With the upcoming newer generation Tiguan coming soon I did have some back and forth thoughts on waiting or going ahead. Seeing the super crossover'y camo renders the decision was made easy.

After some 2.5 years of searching I finally pulled the trigger and Booked the Volkswagen Tiguan on Krishna Janmashtami, Thursday, the 7th of September. I picked Nightshade Blue as the colour. I received the vehicle on Ganpati day, Tuesday, the 19th.

It has been quite the journey, from a humble Maruti Swift bought on loan over a decade ago to an outright German CKD. I am very pleased to share our special day with you all : )

Big Daddy Tiguan







The interior is typical VW design to a tee.



An extremely ergonomic and well laid out center console



The infotainment system provided is one of the most detailed I've come across and of the cleanest UI.



If I was to criticise something harshly about this car it would be the AC controls. It isn't as simple as it not being user-friendly. It just looks like an afterthought.



Two Type-C's and a cigarette lighter for your convenience and sin. Wireless charging pad below.



A plethora of buttons in an era of touch. Thank all gods of all religions.



From top to bottom
Left row: Engine Auto On/Off || Auto Park || Parking Camera
Right row: Push Start/Stop || Electronic handbrake || Auto Hold
Bottom: Rotate the rotary dial for Snow, Regular terrain, Rocky terrain, Rocky terrain with twinkle twinkle little star.
Push the rotary dial down to select modes. Offered are Eco, Normal, Sport and Individual driving modes where you can set custom settings for steering, gearbox behaviour, assistances etc.

Choose between Cup holder or storage. With a nice slider to cover it up.





Clean design throughout. Superb build quality across.





The headlight control for the incredible I.Q. Lights, VWs version of 'Matrix' lights. The I.Q. Lights on the Tiguan seem to not be covered in detail in any review I read. I'll try to cover them in-depth perhaps later on





It can't be said enough. The sheer build quality of the cabin. Minor switches or major. No compromise anywhere.





The top of the dashboard with what appears to be a Speaker grill is actually a useful storage bin. I just toss the keyfob in there.





Onto the back. The rear is fairly spacious. I think the passenger seat was set fully back and the drivers seat to my driving position. The rear seats can recline.



The rear passengers may have their own choice of temperature. 3-zone climate control. An additional Type-C and 12V power socket provided.



The dickie is very accomodating. 615L as stated. There are two small sectioned off storage areas on either side. I put the car cover in one and the provided First-Aid kit in the other.



After over a decade wait I am extremely pleased with the choice I have made. Especially so in the colour I chose.



During the ongoing festive period, I closed the Tiguan at 42.08L including SVP and 6th year Extended Warranty and 31k worth of accessories, with Insurance(All Cover Tata AIG) from outside. I got 1.5L for my old car and an out of pocket 40.58L in total for 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan.

Thanks for reading : )

[itwasntme]

Maky, warmest congratulations to you and your family, truly a proud moment! I feel you’ve picked up by far the best vehicle for your needs and at a superb price.

Just like you, I would have looked at including the Kodiaq & Superb in the top three. The Tiguan in this yummy shade would have taken the cake though.

My unsolicited advice in random order:
Take extra care of those seats. VAG seats are especially prone to collecting bluish colour from denims.
Buy skins or cases for your key fobs.
Invest in a set of OEM or 3D Kagu mats including for the boot. They will pay for themselves in the long run.
Stick to RON95 petrol as a rule. Are these OBD2 vehicles E20 compatible too?
Zero in on a technically savvy VW tech and make him your BFF!

[TheFonz]

Congratulations on your new car! It’s a great choice. Thanks for sharing.

[Maky]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Maky, warmest congratulations to you and your family, truly a proud moment! I feel you’ve picked up by far the best vehicle for your needs and at a superb price.

Just like you, I would have looked at including the Kodiaq & Superb in the top three. The Tiguan in this yummy shade would have taken the cake though.

Many thanks itwasntme : )

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Take extra care of those seats. VAG seats are especially prone to collecting bluish colour from denims.

I was told about brand new Denims being an issue with the lighter coloured seats but going by what you said its Jeans in general.. noted!

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Buy skins or cases for your key fobs.

Oh I was not aware that cases and skins existed for keyfobs. I'll look them up.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Invest in a set of OEM or 3D Kagu mats including for the boot. They will pay for themselves in the long run.

I have already placed an order for 7D mats for the entire floor. I hope they will be as good as the ones you mentioned.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Stick to RON95 petrol as a rule. Are these OBD2 vehicles E20 compatible too?

I asked the main service head, GM I think at the VW Service Center when I went there for PDI about this. He said 91 RON is fine now and then but in the long run will cause issues. He said premature corrosion of fuel injectors with 91 RON as I recall. After the car pickup I filled at the nearest petrol pump. There was no 95 RON available but 97 only.




Uff.. That was a pretty penny!
Would you know what 95 Octane costs in comparison? I'll be filling just that as advised unless unavailable.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Zero in on a technically savvy VW tech and make him your BFF!

Will do!
Are you also a VAG vehicle owner? current or former, If you have any other long-term advice for me that would be great.

[ex-innova-guy]

Many congratulations for getting such an amazing car.

You were in the market for 2 years and got this car in 2 weeks flat. The sheer number of test drives and the time taken is something special too. This will pay you significantly in the long run as you seem to hold your cars for a long time.

Wish you many more miles and happy smiles with this beauty!

[AKSarkar1]

Reading your post gave me a major déjà-vu vibe, I too transitioned from a 2007 Swift to a Volkswagen in 2017!

I truly believe that the Tiguan is the only iteration available in India of what a VW ‘truly is’ as it is the only model to inherit the true German DNA of what VW cars are like abroad. Unlike VW’s previous stable with the Polo, Vento, Jetta, Passat, the newer VW models although great just lack that specialness of driving a true European car but the Tiguan is an exception and that just makes it so much more special.

Wishing you many happy miles in this beast, while the common joe might ask you what you had to drink the night before spending 40L on a ‘chotta SUV’ the car enthusiasts will always look up to with admiration!

[Guna]

Originally Posted by Maky

Uff.. That was a pretty penny!
Would you know what 95 Octane costs in comparison?

Congratulations on the new Tiguan!
XP95 (Indian Oil Corporation) is around Rs 109 in Bangalore.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Congratulations. Lovely review of a fantastic, underrated car. It takes a person who knows what he wants to truly appreciate the talents of the Tiguan.


Pls stick to 95 octane and above for this car wherever possible.

Originally Posted by Maky

Here I had decided in my mind the Compass Petrol in the Model S variant was all I ever needed in a car but the Volkswagen Tiguan was just better in almost everyway.

Perfectly summed up.

[vivek.ks]

Congratulations to you.

I have driven the VW Tiguan and apart from the stiff suspension setup there was hardly anything wrong with it. It’s subtle, keeps you in focus and keeps you out of people’s focus.

I own a Skoda and VW and they both have different traits when it comes to design. For example I like the VW steering wheel much better than the Skoda wheel, due to the way steering controls are designed. Both are a hoot to drive though.

[Silverfire]

Congratulations!
The car looks classy in this blue colour, and the new cream coloured seats have brightened up the interior over the previous version. I actually prefer this interior to the upcoming 2024 new model, with that massive tablet screen for all interior controls.
Wish you many kms of enjoyable TSI acceleration

[fhdowntheline]

My observation of the Tiguan is that the useful boot space appears much smaller than its stated dimensions of 615 litres, much like the Creta. I believe 615 litres applies when ypu push ahead the entire second row( not flip down).

[Dr ST]

Dear Sir,
Congratulations on your new drive. Wishing you a million happy miles on your Tiggy. My Allspace is close to 64000 kilometres and it's going strong. If you have excellent aftersales and service, there is no looking back.

Regards

[tristis2008]

Congratulations. The Tiguan has always been a fantastic car and is well priced as well. These cars are enjoyable for a very long time, if maintained well. The DSG is also wet type; so hardly any worries there.

[The Goan]

Congratulations on the newest addition to your family. Incidentally a Tiguan has also joined our family on Ganesh Chaturthi. Will share details when time permits.
Hope to exchange notes on the user experience as we put on miles.
My immediate to do item is Ceramic coating and screen guard for the infotainment.
Still exploring all the features in the car.

Which mats have you ordered? Am researching the same on web these days and can’t decide.

[Maky]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Are these OBD2 vehicles E20 compatible too?

Just noticed I missed answering this query so quoting again.

The sales person mentioned it is e20 compatible but I'm just not sure. Unless they had explicitly put a e20 label on the back(still e10) of the fuel filler cap or VW had come out with an official statement confirming it as some manufacturers have.
As far as I can see OBD2 is just the new Bharat Stage 6.2 compatible.

Originally Posted by Shreyans_Jain

Congratulations. Lovely review of a fantastic, underrated car. It takes a person who knows what he wants to truly appreciate the talents of the Tiguan.


Pls stick to 95 octane and above for this car wherever possible.

Yup. Thankfully there are some 95 Octane dispensing stations not far away from where I live. The 97 full tank felt a bit too rich for my blood : P

Originally Posted by The Goan

Congratulations on the newest addition to your family. Incidentally a Tiguan has also joined our family on Ganesh Chaturthi. Will share details when time permits.
Hope to exchange notes on the user experience as we put on miles.
My immediate to do item is Ceramic coating and screen guard for the infotainment.
Still exploring all the features in the car.

Which mats have you ordered? Am researching the same on web these days and can’t decide.

Many Congratulations to you as well The Goan.

I ordered '7D' mats to cover the entire floor. Black on Black was the colour/theme choice by me. The brand is Auto Tech something and will be made via the same person who I've sent my car to for the PPF treatment.