Latest images of the next-generation Volkswagen Tiguan SUV spotted in testing reveal a new, more curvaceous body shape set for production in 2024
- Third-generation Tiguan coming in 2024
- Mild and plug-in hybrid powertrains, plus the possibility of a fully-electric model
- Shares parts with Mk.8 VW Golf
Spy shots of a new version of the Volkswagen Tiguan undergoing testing in Austria have surfaced, and we’ve now had the chance to drive a similarly camouflaged prototype, so read on for our first impressions below.
The updated version of Volkswagen’s mid-sized SUV is set to arrive by 2024, and the latest images and our time with the pre-production car have given us lots of insights into the final model, even if some of the car’s most striking features are still obscured by a light camouflage made to resemble the outgoing Tiguan.
What is clear, though, is that many of the upcoming Tiguan’s design features appear to have been inherited from Volkswagen’s ID. range of electric vehicles. These include full-width LED headlights and taillights, a textured cover on the intakes and slightly more curvaceous bodywork. The upcoming Tiguan also appears to have a sportier, more aerodynamic stance than the outgoing model.
Spy shots and our brief drive have provided a glimpse into the interior of the upcoming Tiguan, where the most notable feature is a large infotainment screen sticking out of the dashboard as featured in the ID. models. In the current Tiguan, the infotainment screen is neatly integrated into the dashboard’s design so the screen positioning represents a significant change coming in the new car. If the final design does borrow a lot from the ID. infotainment system, VW’s frustrating touch-sensitive climate controls may make a reappearance, albeit with some enhancements to make them more intuitive.
Specs and powertrains
This third generation of the Tiguan mid-size SUV is set to be the last to incorporate just a combustion engine; however, with the push to electrify our roads by 2030, the Tiguan will probably receive a mixture of mild and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Speaking of VW’s electric range, the release of a new model inevitably raises questions surrounding a possible fully-electric variant. However, the chances of there being a Tiguan EV are small as the family SUV comes very close in size to VW’s own ID.4; the German brand will want to avoid stepping on the toes of this crucial model for the lineup, with it currently overshadowed by the cheaper and mechanically-similar Skoda Enyaq iV.
The new Tiguan will instead sit on the current Mk.8 Golf’s MQB Evo underpinnings, meaning that it’ll likely share many of the same powertrains, too. The entry-level 109bhp 1.0-litre petrol will almost certainly be deemed too gutless for the bulky SUV, with the higher-powered 148bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder expected to kick off the range. This may be available with mild-hybrid technology.
Fans of performance SUVs should not be dissuaded, however, as there will also likely be a sporty Tiguan R variant; this will likely use the muscular 316bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder from the current Golf R.
As for diesel engines, the Tiguan could also use the 148bhp and 208bhp 2.0-litre units from the Golf. Although, due to the dwindling popularity of diesels, it is possible that the range could be petrol-only.
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Company car drivers, or those looking to maximise fuel economy, may be better off opting for one of the upcoming Tiguan’s plug-in hybrid powertrains. There could be several options available, but it is likely that the 242bhp 1.5-litre unit from the Golf will make an appearance. On the Golf, the 13kWh battery provides up-to 37 miles of pure-electric range; however, this figure is likely to be smaller on the Tiguan on account of its added bulk. Of course, in theory, a larger battery could also be fitted, allowing the Tiguan to rival the likes of the Kia Sportage with its impressive 43-mile range.
Volkswagen remains tight-lipped about when we can expect this new model to go on sale, but we predict it to do so sometime during 2024.
Volkswagen Tiguan prototype review – Jordan Katsianis
We’ve driven a camouflaged prototype of the upcoming Volkswagen Tiguan at the brand’s test facility near Wolfsburg. The first thing that struck us was the increased sense of interior space in the new Tiguan, thanks to not only a longer wheelbase, but also a more streamlined dashboard on the inside.
Like much of the rest of Volkswagen’s current lineup, the interior is very digital-heavy, with most physical controls replaced with touchscreen commands. Happily, though, it’s much improved over the glitchy and frustrating systems used on the most recent Golf and ID.3 models. Volkswagen has assured us that the hardware and software should be much better than before on the final production model.
All Tiguans get a 10.25-inch display in front of the driver, with a choice of two touchscreen infotainment systems: a 12.3-inch or 15-inch display. We’re told the new software is the same as that used in the upcoming Volkswagen ID.7, which has been designed following feedback from customers.
The controversial touch-sensitive sliders are still present, but this time they’re backlit and work with static icons on the screen for heating and ventilation, making them easier to use, and there’s even a volume knob which can also be used to toggle driver modes and adjust ambient lighting settings.
We drove both a diesel and mild-hybrid petrol model, and they both had notable improvements to refinement than the outgoing Tiguan. The transmission felt sharper, too. On the move, while the old Tiguan felt very car-like on its Golf-based platform, it now feels much larger than before. The steering is a little heavier, but its power delivery feels much smoother than before, giving it a big-car feel.
This late prototype shows signs that the production version of the new Tiguan will improve on the old car’s formula – it rides well, is good to drive and should be more efficient and refined, while also offering the latest of Volkswagen’s suite of technology upgrades that feels sleeker and more polished than before.
Keyword: New Volkswagen Tiguan: details, design and prototype review