– The Volkswagen Tiguan is our most important model, explained one of the brand’s representatives on site at the event.
This can be explained by the fact that the model is the brand’s best-seller worldwide, and has been a box office hit for Volkswagen since its introduction in 2007.
In other words, the new generation of Tiguan has a lot to live up to.
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Tiguan now tougher to look at
From the outside, the new Tiguan appears larger than it actually is, and reminds in some ways of the previous generation of the older sibling Touareg.
In true Volkswagen fashion, the look is conservative, but at the same time significantly more exciting than on the previous generation.
The Tiguan now looks tougher than before – Photo: Volkswagen
The conservative lines of thought have been brought to the interior, where the Tiguan, together with the new Passat, is the first to reintroduce physical buttons to the Volkswagen cars, which is welcome.
The instrument housing consists of a 10.25-inch display. The new MMI system lived in the test cars on a 15-inch screen, but the cheaper version of the car has to make do with a 13-inch screen.
The luggage compartment in the new Tiguan holds 652 liters – Photo: Volkswagen
The gear selector is now on the steering column, giving extra space on the center console. There, instead, we find a storage space, as well as a knob that can switch between controlling the music volume and driving modes.
The buttons for the window lifts are also of a traditional type, and a lot of time has gone into creating an interior that feels solid. They have succeeded in this, and every detail you touch feels really robust.
The luggage compartment in the new Tiguan holds 652 litres, and if you fold down the seats, the load volume increases to 1,650 litres.
Neat line of powertrains
At the time of the test drive, we had pretty much the entire range of Tiguan versions at our disposal.
The versions that are expected to be bestsellers in Sweden are the plug-in hybrids, but even the entry-level version appears to make enough sense that it also has the potential to become popular.
According to Volkswagen, the focus of the model should revolve around design, versatility and quality. The new Tiguan should also have a comfort focus and offer more expensive cars, and is equipped with features such as seats with built-in massage and matrix headlights.
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The new bestseller from behind the wheel
The plug-in hybrids, which are the expected big sellers in Sweden, will be offered with either 204 or 272 horsepower and offer a range of upwards of 100 kilometers. According to Volkswagen, this range should cover the daily needs of 99 percent of customers.
There are two plug-in hybrids to choose from – Photo: Volkswagen
Both plug-in hybrids are front-wheel drive as it is believed that four-wheel drive is not in demand by customers, and in terms of driving dynamics there is not much that separates the two models. There is thus no major reason to choose the more powerful version.
The plug-in hybrids can be driven on pure electricity at speeds of up to 140 km/h, and the transition between petrol and electric operation is seamless for the most part. In some situations, however, the transition is a little jerky.
The gear selector is now on the steering column – Photo: Volkswagen
As a driving experience, the Tiguan is mostly quiet, but on the highway some noise finds its way into the cabin.
If you dare to press the plate into the carpet, the steering wheel jerks a bit, especially in the more powerful plug-in hybrid, but that type of driving is not something that the character of the car calls for.
Quiet and refined diesel
After the plug-in hybrids, I jumped behind the wheel of the diesel version of the new Tiguan, with an output of 193 horsepower. Both this and a purely petrol version are four-wheel drive, and have a towing weight of up to 2,300 kilograms.
The diesel engine is quiet and refined, and belongs nicely in this type of car.
The chassis is very well balanced and benefits from Volkswagen’s new two-valve dampers, which means that the suspension can parry bumps much better than before and glide undisturbed over rougher roads.
The diesel engine fits well in this type of car – Photo: Volkswagen
The new dampers also mean that the Tiguan can cope with sportier driving significantly better than expected. At higher speeds, however, the car still appears somewhat wobbly, and sometimes even somewhat bumpy.
The dampers can be adjusted from stiff to extremely soft through the new DCC Pro system, with Comfort, Eco and Sport modes.
It is also possible to choose between a number of “atmospheres” for the interior, which simply explained means that the interior lighting changes color.
Attracted by the base model
I finished the day behind the wheel of the base model for the Swedish market, which is a mild hybrid with 150 horsepower and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
The drivetrain sends power to the front wheels, and appears faster than the numbers suggest.
The engine is also equipped with cylinder cut-off and can run on two cylinders to save petrol, which, however, leads to some vibrations in the passenger compartment.
The mild hybrid is around SEK 130,000 cheaper than the plug-in hybrid, and the choice of the latter is thus somewhat difficult to justify. The entry-level model does exactly what you want, especially for the target group.
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The Volkswagen Tiguan is a given winner
The new Tiguan plays to all of Volkswagen’s main strengths. It comes across as wonderfully elaborate and sensible, while also being fun to drive, practical and doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not.
The allure of the plug-in hybrid is the ruggedly good range and the enormous flexibility between driving on electricity and petrol, while the diesel engines attract with a lovely twist, four-wheel drive, good towing weight, and a range of upwards of 80 miles, and also feel refined.
The new Tiguan has good conditions to become a bestseller – Photo: Volkswagen
The entry-level model also attracts, thanks to a basic price of just SEK 384,900. The cheapest version with four-wheel drive costs from SEK 460,900.
The new Tiguan shows that the Germans still know how to build a good car that appeals to the masses. It thus has good conditions to become a real cash cow.
The plug-in hybrid will go on sale shortly, sales of the diesel will begin this year, and the entry-level model can already be ordered.
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First impressions of the new Volkswagen Tiguan: 4.5/5
Volkswagen Tiguan 1.5 eTSI (2024)
Engine: 2-liter I4, gasoline, 150 horsepower, 250 newton meters
Transmission: 7-speed double clutch box, front wheel drive
Acceleration 0–100 km/h: 9.1 seconds
Top speed: 210 km/h
Weight: 1,684 kg
Dimensions (length/width/height): 4539/1842/1658 mm
Award: From SEK 387,200
Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI 4MOTION (2024)
Engine: 2-liter I4, diesel, 193 horsepower, 400 newton meters
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, four-wheel drive
Acceleration 0–100 km/h: 7.7 seconds
Top speed: 220 km/h
Weight: 1,836 kg
Dimensions (length/width/height): 4539/1842/1658 mm
Award: From SEK 460,900