- What does it look like?
- How does it drive?
- How spacious is it?
- How easy is it to use every day?
- How safe is it?
- What’s the tech like?
- How much does it cost to own?
The Tiguan’s boot is a good size with 615L (VDA) of capacity when all seats are in use. (image: Tom White)
Pop the back row down and that jumps up to a healthy 1655L. The rear seats also offer further flexibility/practicality with their 40/20/40 split-fold configuration. (image: Tom White)
The Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI R-Line is a sporty-looking package that combines space, easy-to-use tech and a smooth drive experience. Add the all-wheel-drive and we might have ourselves the combo that a lot of families are looking for! Is it perfect? Well, no (what car is), but it has some great features that are sure to make a family car enthusiast happy.
What does it look like?
The updated Tiguan hasn’t seen a massive design change. It’s still an SUV that carries the classically sharp VW lines and edges. The LED matrix headlights, chrome accents and the addition of that R-Line badge on the seats, scuff plates and grille make this model look modern and sporty.
The interior is pared back but looks polished. The soft touch points, touch pad controls and large media screens create a sense of refinement in the cabin, without being flashy.
The optional head-up display looks a little retro, like it’s been taken off an older Mazda, but I like the way the panel tucks away when the engine is off.
How does it drive?
After a week of driving it with my family of three, I realised that, while it looks sporty, the engine performance doesn’t quite match the looks.
Don’t get me wrong, the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine is powerful for this size of SUV (offering a healthy 162kW/350Nm) but it can feel a bit reluctant at lower speeds when taking off from a standstill.
This could be because of the dual-clutch seven-speed auto transmission. It’s not a deal breaker, though, as the Tiguan is still a cruisy open road car and you do feel confident when you need to overtake or get up a hill.
The steering is direct and the steering wheel feels good under the hands. I love how comfortable the ride is, as the suspension feels forgiving without being floaty. You definitely feel solidly placed on the road and there isn’t a lot of body roll in corners.
The cabin does get some noise but it’s not enough to intrude on chatting until you’re at higher speeds. So maybe save those heart-to-hearts with passengers in the back seat until you’re out of the 110km/h zone.
The Tiguan is a great size and damn easy to park with the ‘Park Assist’ feature, front and rear parking sensors and the optional 360-degree camera view taking out the guesswork on a tight spot.
How spacious is it?
I’m impressed with the space and storage throughout the cabin. All passengers enjoy great legroom and headroom, which is not always the case for this size of SUV.
In the front row, you have a glove box and middle console plus large storage bins in each door. There’s also a roof console that has two storage cubbies for smaller items and two retractable cupholders that give you an extra space, if needed.
The rear seats have cupholders, drink bottle holders and map pockets, plus device pockets, so all passengers should be sorted.
The Tiguan’s boot is a good size with 615L (VDA) of capacity when all seats are in use. Pop the back row down and that jumps up to a healthy 1655L. The rear seats also offer further flexibility/practicality with their 40/20/40 split-fold configuration.
The Tiguan’s boot is a good size with 615L (VDA) of capacity when all seats are in use. (image: Tom White)
Pop the back row down and that jumps up to a healthy 1655L. The rear seats also offer further flexibility/practicality with their 40/20/40 split-fold configuration. (image: Tom White)
How easy is it to use every day?
One of the defining characteristics of this car, for me at least, is how lovely it is to operate. It’s easy to use without feeling basic.
Everything is within easy reach for the driver. The traditional gear shifter makes you feel like you’re driving a ‘real’ car but the operating controls (start engine and park brake buttons) are located in the same spot, making it feel seamlessly easy to use.
The lower profile height of the car makes it easy for children to get in and out, plus the wide door apertures make it simple to install a large car seat.
The optional powered tailgate is always a handy feature, especially when you have you’re hands full wrangling an independent six-year old and shopping bags!
How safe is it?
The Tiguan comes with some of safety features you expect in a family SUV, like AEB with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, driver fatigue detection, lane keeping aids and blind-spot monitoring. It also comes with a park assist feature, to help manoeuvre in or out of a tricky parking spot.
The optional ‘Sound and Vision package’, which includes a 360-degree view camera, was welcome this week and worth considering!
It has the standard airbags, including a drivers’ knee airbag and has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating but it’s based on testing that was done ages ago, in 2016.
What’s the tech like?
The tech is refined and easy to use. The dashboard is headlined by a 9.2-inch touchscreen multimedia system that includes satellite navigation and gesture control (that doesn’t seem to work when Apple CarPlay is in use).
It has wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and it feels pretty seamless to connect your phone to it.
The 10.25-inch digital instrument panel looks fantastic, is customisable and easy to read. The heated front seats and steering wheel give a touch of luxury to the cabin, too.
Both rows enjoy charging access with USB-C ports and 12-volt sockets. I also really like the three-zone air conditioning because it meant I could get my son comfortable without having to compromise my needs in the front.
How much does it cost to own?
The Tiguan 162 TSI R-Line will cost you $56,390, before on-road costs. Which is fairly competitive considering the market, and you get some good features in an already practical SUV.
Some of the highlights are the electrically-adjustable heated front seats with synthetic leather trim, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a heated steering wheel.
Our model has also been fitted with an optional powered tailgate and Sound and Vision package which adds a 360-degree view camera, premium audio system and head-up display for an extra $3200. These are practical features and I think they’re worth adding.
The official combined fuel cycle consumption figure is 8.5L/100km and I achieved 8.2L/100km after a mix of urban and open road driving. That’s impressive given it’s a turbo. It only takes premium petrol though, so expect to still cough up at the bowser.
The Tiguan comes with Volkswagen’s standard five-year/unlimited km warranty, as well as roadside assistance for the first year.
You can pre-purchase either a three- or five-year capped-price servicing plan and services average $590 annually on the five-year plan, which is expensive for this class.
Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.
Keyword: Volkswagen Tiguan 2023 review: 162TSI R-Line