Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 CRDi
Maxabout Review
Next SUV From Volkswagen India
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Tiguan is Volkswagen's new entry into the ever growing small SUV segment. With European design and sophistication, VW looks to take on the established player's in the market head-on. The production Tiguan was released at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and debuted as a 2008 model for Europe and elsewhere and in North America as a 2009 model. It is expected that Volkswagen India is going to launch Tiguan in coming months to compete with the likes of Honda CR-V, Ford Endeavour & soon to be launched Hyundai Santa Fe.
Power for the Tiguan will come from VW's proven 2.0-liter turbo inline-four cylinder engine which generates maximum power of 200 Bhp and 207 lb-ft of torque and will be sent through either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. This "high-performance turbocharging" significantly reduces fuel consumption and emissions, while delivering respectable performance. Front-wheel drive will be standard with an all-wheel drive system available.
The Tiguan is built on a modified Passat platform with some bits from the Rabbit thrown in on the ends. Interior space is maximized thanks to a car-like 60/40-split folding seat. Tiguan's well-assembled cabin is a handsome combination of soft-touch and textured hard plastics. It is very comfortable, even for larger adults. Tall riders will find ample headroom, even beneath the sunroof housing. Under-seat foot space is also quite good. The rear seat slides fore and aft six inches to favor passenger or cargo room.
The gauges are clear and well marked. The controls are easy to reach and use. Standard climate control system is refreshingly simple with only three knobs and two buttons. The optional navigation system is a new design that has fewer buttons and is easier to learn than the system found in some other VW models.
Tiguan is one of the smaller compact SUVs, but there is good room behind the 2nd row. The split rear seat folds nearly flat to increase cargo room. In-cabin storage is good with numerous cubbies and bins, but most are uncovered. Additional covered storage is found under the center armrest, but that area is largely occupied by the CD changer on navigation-equipped Tiguans.
Available safety features include ABS, traction control, antiskid system, front side airbags, rear side airbags, and curtain side airbags. The new Tiguan benefits from an extremely rigid body structure to afford as much protection as possible for the passenger safety cell. Constructed out of high tensile steel the Tiguan features panels designed to deform in the event of the accident to soak up the energy of an impact. Despite the keen focus on the strength of the Tiguan, Volkswagen engineers also reduced the potential mass of the chassis to bring the overall kerb weight of the vehicle to as little as 1,451 kg.
Inside, the carefully matched interplay of body and restraint systems ensures that passenger impact is kept to a minimum in the event of an accident. Three-point retractable seat belts are standard for all seats. Belt force limiters to reduce impact to the chest are integrated into both front seats and the two outer rear seats. Furthermore, electronically activated belt tensioners in front insure the optimal exploitation of the available safety zone. The front airbags in combination with the belt restraint system provide an optimal protection for the driver and front passenger during a frontal collision.
The completely newly developed front seats and head restraints are designed especially to provide extensive protection from cervical spine injuries during a rear collision. Child safety is rounded out by standard Isofix anchorage for the rear seats. Standard curtain airbags and side airbags integrated in the seat backrests add to the all-round safety of the Tiguan. Other available features include a navigation system with rearview camera, a fold-flat front passenger seat, a sunroof, and a 30-gigabyte hard drive to store data and digital audio files.