2025 Volkswagen Tiguan SUV review
Category
🤖
TechTranscript
00:00This is the new generation Volkswagen Tiguan, and I'm here in Germany to tell you what it's like before it arrives in Australia to compete with some of those big-name SUV rivals.
00:09I'm talking Sportage, Tucson, RAV4, Forester, CX-5, Outlander, X-Trail, there are so many.
00:17And don't forget the Honda CR-V, it's bloody brilliant as well.
00:20But should you wait for this car, or should you consider one of the best alternatives, which I'll tell you about shortly?
00:25Well, you'll find out in this review, and just to give you a little hint before we get to the outro, this is very good.
00:31So stick around, if you haven't already, please like, subscribe and ring the bell, and let's get to it, shall we?
00:40Volkswagen Australia says they won't offer a really cheap Tiguan this time around.
00:44That's right, so don't expect a base model with no equipment for $40,000, because that's not what the brand is hoping to bring you with this new generation Tiguan.
00:53Instead, you can expect a model that has a less powerful engine and front-wheel drive, but still with heaps and heaps of standard equipment.
01:02Now, the full details of the standard equipment list is still to be confirmed, but I would expect it to be, yeah, really well-equipped.
01:10Equivalent to what you might be paying $50,000 for in some of the rival SUVs out there.
01:15And that's probably about where the price will start for the Tiguan range.
01:20There'll be the entry-level version, there'll be a mid-spec model with a more powerful engine, but still with heaps of equipment.
01:26And then there'll be one like this that will sit at the top of the range.
01:29It's the R-Line version, and it will have a very powerful engine.
01:33The same engine that you get in the Golf GTI, in fact.
01:36And look, all of the details about what you're going to get for your money are still to be determined.
01:42But, you're going to get things like LED lighting, including Matrix LED headlights for the top-spec version, and this little light strip that runs across the front as well.
01:51This car has 20s, and we can expect 20-inch wheels on the cars that we get in Australia as well.
01:57And you're going to get really great features in the high-end versions, like heated and cooled and massaging front seats.
02:04And all versions will come with that big touchscreen media system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and SatNav and that sort of stuff as well.
02:11So, it seems like it's going to tick all the boxes from the standard tech front and the standard equipment front, and it's going to have heaps of safety tech, which I'll tell you about soon.
02:20But what else could you consider if you're not quite sold on this for whatever reason, or you just don't want to wait?
02:28As I mentioned in the intro, there are some really, really good alternatives to the Volkswagen Tiguan.
02:32If you can't wait for this car, or maybe you're just not quite sure about it, here are some that I reckon you should go and check out.
02:38Firstly, the Honda CR-V. It has a bunch of different variants available.
02:42You can get it with a hybrid powertrain if you want, and you can't get that in a Tiguan.
02:46And hey, it is a very practical, very nice to drive, and very nice inside SUV with lots of space.
02:53And I think that it's one of the best mid-size SUVs on the market for this kind of money, or what this car is expected to cost at least.
03:01And hey, there's also my other favourite, which is the Toyota RAV4.
03:06I know it's getting a little bit old, but it is a hybrid-powered SUV with heaps and heaps of great features.
03:13A really, really usable boot space and backseat area.
03:17And while it isn't maybe necessarily as blingy as some of the new models in terms of the interior design,
03:23I think that it does offer the robustness and the practicality, the reliability in theory as well,
03:29and the biggest dealership network across Australia, which might make the decision easier for you.
03:35And if you're looking for a mid-size SUV like this, and you want to be able to basically choose exactly what you want,
03:41the Hyundai Tucson lineup is one of the most extensive model ranges in this segment.
03:46There's heaps and heaps of variants available across the Tucson lineup, and it comes with hybrid as well.
03:51So, if you are thinking about hybrid as your next step when it comes to buying your new family car, it's a very good one.
03:58There's also turbo petrol versions available too, which are pretty good too.
04:02And hey, I reckon all of those could be really good alternatives to this, but tell me what you think in the comments.
04:07Which one would you pick?
04:11The new generation Tiguan certainly looks a little bit softer and a little bit more approachable than the existing one.
04:16It had pretty sharp edges. This one is a bit more, well, smooth, really.
04:21Look, in person it looks better than it does in pictures, so don't go judging it by this vision.
04:27Hopefully, I think it still looks good in the vision anyway, but I reckon this is a really nice size of SUV as well.
04:34Just on 4.6 metres long, and this one is the R-line version, so it gets a few really nice features.
04:40It gets that big blacked-out front bumper, the different grille finish.
04:44It's also got 20-inch wheels with those black finishes around the wheel arches.
04:49The R badge there, even though it's not an actual R.
04:52And at the back, you can see for yourself, there's been a significant change in terms of the look of this new Tiguan.
04:58This one, as I said, the R-line gets the different-looking rear bumper, and the new taillight design is really quite flash, I reckon.
05:06Okay, let's look in the boot and see what we are dealing with.
05:09As you can tell, this is a practical mid-size SUV.
05:14There's plenty of space in here, and yes, it does have some of the smarts you would expect, including this little storage caddy up on the side here.
05:23It's also got another storage area down here with a first aid kit as well.
05:28On this side, there's more storage stuff, and there's a shopping bag hook as well.
05:33Yes, you've got those remote release levers, so you can lower those seats down very easily.
05:39And underneath the boot floor, well, this one doesn't have a spare, but you can expect a space saver spare wheel to be standard in all versions that are sold in Australia, hopefully.
05:49So, what do you think? I think it could be practical enough for a lot of family needs out there.
05:54Yeah, it's big. Useful.
06:00So, here you have the interior of the new generation Tiguan.
06:02Obviously, steering wheel is on the wrong side for this review, but hey, look at this.
06:06It does look and feel a very different space to the existing model.
06:10Have a crack at the size of that screen.
06:12That's a 15-inch touchscreen media system in the high-grade version.
06:16It's huge.
06:17It does take a little bit of learning, because there's lots and lots of menus available on this screen.
06:22I'm not going to dive too deep into the screen itself for this review, but look, it's relatively easy to get your head around.
06:29Apart from the fact that maybe you might find that you just need a couple of days to learn how things work on this screen.
06:36And also, I'm still not a fan of the fact that you've got this volume slider here, and you've got your temperature controls, which are stuck on a bottom menu bar there.
06:45That's good.
06:46That means that you don't have to dive through menus to get to the temperature controls.
06:49And hey, my whinge about the volume control.
06:52Well, there is a volume knob down here as well, so that's good.
06:55And also, a drive mode controller.
06:58So, you can dial up whichever drive mode you want using this smart dial technology, and it's kind of like what Skoda offers in the Kodiaq.
07:07And hey, I reckon that that is a really nice little piece of design.
07:11And also, I love this thing here.
07:13You've got a little shelf to store things, which goes over the top of these twin wireless phone chargers.
07:20Yes, two phone chargers, wireless, so no more fights.
07:23There's USB-C ports there.
07:25There's heaps of storage.
07:26You've got this partitionable section here, so you can adjust wherever you want things to sit there.
07:32There's a couple of cup or bottle holders down there too.
07:35It's a nice open space.
07:37I'll put that back in there.
07:38And the seats in this high-spec R-Line model are beautiful as well.
07:43Plenty of adjustability and comfort.
07:45Nice trim as well.
07:47And this one also comes with the big panoramic glass sunroof as well.
07:52And these little light-up patches in the dashboard just add a little bit more wow factor to this cabin.
07:59Although I have seen that in some other cheaper vehicles on the market.
08:03This blue stripe and these materials in here, like soft finishes everywhere you put your hands or your knees.
08:10And that is pretty nice.
08:12And there's also a digital instrument display here with a fair few menus available to it.
08:17And the best thing, it's got buttons rather than haptic controls to adjust those things.
08:22That does take a little bit of learning, but you do get used to it pretty quick.
08:26And while you can't see it right now, there is also a head-up display in this spec as well.
08:31Not sure if that will be standard or optional.
08:33And Harman Kardon sound system as well.
08:35So all of the spec details still to be confirmed, as I said.
08:39But let me show you the backseat space and you can see for yourself what the new Tiguan is like when it comes to family practicality.
08:45It's grown up, that's for sure.
08:47Look how much space I've got behind my own driving position.
08:51Six foot, 182 centimetres.
08:52Yeah, lots of knee room.
08:54And yes, I have a very comfortable seating position.
08:57But lots of headroom as well, especially considering this car has the panoramic glass roof.
09:02And yes, you will be able to fit three adults across the back here on this test in Germany.
09:08We've had people sitting in the back and yes, you can.
09:11There's also some nice features here, like this pop-out tray with cup holders, which is very, very handy.
09:17It's a nice armrest as well.
09:19Isofix points in the window seats.
09:21Three top tethers as well.
09:23And also on the seat backs, I just want to call out, you do have these little device pockets, which is great.
09:28Now down here, there's a climate control system.
09:31So yes, you get your own climate zone for the third row.
09:34And yes, you also get heated outboard seats in this spec.
09:37You can expect that to be offered in the high-grade versions of the Tiguan in Australia as well.
09:42USB-C charge ports.
09:44It's a bloody good backseat experience, people.
09:47Very nice.
09:49Any parents with kids out there, I reckon your youngster is going to like this car a lot.
09:56There's going to be a few different options in terms of powertrains when the Tiguan launches in Australia.
10:01So the entry-level version will be a 1.4-litre turbo petrol with 110 kW and 250 Nm of torque.
10:07It'll have a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic or DSG.
10:10And it'll be front-wheel drive.
10:12Above it in the mid-spec model will be a more powerful 2-litre turbo petrol engine.
10:18150 kW from that one, so a pretty grunty thing.
10:227-speed DSG and all-wheel drive as well for the mid-spec model.
10:26And then at the top of the line-up, there'll be the 195 TSI, which will be a very, very punchy powertrain.
10:33It is basically the Golf GTI engine.
10:36195 kW, 400 Nm of torque.
10:39Again, 7-speed DSG and all-wheel drive for that one as well.
10:43So for a lot of people, that will be the one they gravitate towards because a lot of Tiguan buyers choose the top-spec model.
10:50So it's not necessarily an R, and there might not necessarily be another Tiguan R.
10:56But I reckon that that powertrain, I've just driven it in the GTI Golf, could be a really, really good fit for the Tiguan.
11:03Now if you're wondering about towing capacity, I'll put some figures on your screen so you can see what you can expect when it comes to the Tiguan line-up.
11:09But hey, let's go for a drive and see what this engine is like.
11:12Well, not this engine. This is the diesel.
11:14Right, so I can't tell you too much about the drive experience in terms of the engines for the new generation Tiguan
11:22because the one I'm driving right now isn't relevant to our market.
11:26And the other one I drove, the red one, it wasn't relevant to our market either.
11:30It was the diesel. This one's the new 1.5 ETSI mild hybrid 4-cylinder,
11:35which will form the basis of some Tiguans in different markets, but not for Australia.
11:41We're getting the 1.4 litre turbo petrol, which is basically the same as it was before for the entry-level engine.
11:48And look, if it's representative of what you can expect in terms of power and torque, this engine's really good.
11:54It'll be perfectly fine for most people's needs.
11:57But like I said, the 195 TSI might be the one you want to wait for and you spend the extra money for.
12:04We'll have to wait and see.
12:05Now, more generally, the drive experience in this car has been improved.
12:10I already thought that the existing Tiguan was one of the best in terms of the drive experience.
12:14This one, it's just been honed a little bit to be slightly more comfortable,
12:19slightly more, I guess, user-friendly in terms of the way that it handles itself.
12:25It is a bit more quick to react and a bit more nimble feeling in corners and when you're parking and that sort of thing.
12:33And look, I think that even though these roads aren't necessarily like the roads we have in Australia,
12:39this is a pretty good ride in terms of the comfort, in terms of the way that the body controls itself over bumpy sections of road.
12:48This is a bumpy road and it's also a twisty road, so let's just give this car a little bit of a bump around these corners
12:56and stop that from making that noise.
12:59See what it's like in terms of the handling.
13:03It's better than lots of the other cars in this segment in terms of handling.
13:09Let me just say that. This is a fun car.
13:13It does have the grunt you would expect, the handling and the predictability in terms of the handling as well is very, very good.
13:22And the braking response is excellent.
13:25It's got a nice bitey pedal, which I really appreciate.
13:30I'm going to slow down now. I'm in a little village.
13:32So it's definitely going to be the sort of car that appeals to someone who likes to drive.
13:37And in some ways, it's still very, I guess, not vanilla, but still just very predictable in terms of the way that it behaves itself and very Volkswagen.
13:51I guess that's why you buy a Tiguan, isn't it?
13:56This new Tiguan achieved the maximum Euro NCAP safety rating in 2024.
14:01So yeah, it's got heaps and heaps of standard safety technology and equipment.
14:05Things like autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and junction detection.
14:10There's adaptive cruise control with lane keeping assist and a traffic jam assist feature as well.
14:15So it can basically do some steering, accelerating and braking for you in different scenarios.
14:20As well as that, there's blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert,
14:24parking sensors all around the car. It'll park itself as well.
14:27It'll have a semi-autonomous parking system and a surround view camera system is expected to be offered in the higher grades.
14:34Hopefully it's offered in all of them. We'll have to wait and see.
14:37And when it comes to airbag coverage, you've got seven.
14:39Dual front, front side, front centre and full length curtain coverage as well.
14:45Volkswagen Australia offers a five year unlimited kilometre warranty and that won't change with the new Tiguan,
14:50but the brand does offer some pretty good servicing options.
14:53So you can prepay your servicing if you wish with a three year or five year care plan.
14:59What that means is that you've paid for your maintenance without having to get that bill shock every time you go in to get the car serviced.
15:06Or you can just do the cap price servicing thing.
15:08But typically it costs you a few hundred dollars more.
15:11And if you decide to sell your car before the care plan is up with those prepaid services,
15:16you pass that on to the next owner, which could improve your resale value.
15:20When you service with the brand, you get your roadside assistance topped up every time as well, which is good to see.
15:26And there's also a guaranteed future value plan for these vehicles if you finance through Volkswagen.
15:32What that means is you'll be able to know how much the car will be worth after four or five years of repayments.
15:38So that can help you figure out your future before you even get there.
15:43I reckon this car could be one of the most compelling midsize SUVs on the market,
15:47but it really depends on how it's priced for Australia.
15:50Make sure you ring the bell to keep up to date with all of my content,
15:53because then you'll be notified when I review this car in Australia in 2025,
15:57and I'll be able to tell you everything else you need to know about it.
16:00Thanks for watching. If you haven't already, please like and subscribe.
16:03I'll see you in the next one.
16:12Transcribed by https://otter.ai