Are you in the market for a European mid-sized SUV? One that has all the trimmings without annihilating your bank account? Well in my opinion it’s hard to walk past the Volkswagen Tiguan, in particular when it’s packaged with the much sort after R-Line goodie bag.
I feel like the Tiguan sails much closer to being a wagon on stilts than being a true SUV, I feel like it doesn’t have that elevated driving position that people seem to like. This particular model scores the R-Line treatment and as a result is the cheapest R-Line SUV in the Volkswagen range. It’s based upon the five-seat Comfortline Tiguan 132TSI which is the gateway to the Tiguan range.
But to spruce things up a little, the R-Line edition is adorned with two-tone race cloth upholstery, 19” alloys and an updated ‘Active’ info display plus tinted windows as standard.
It’s a Tiguan you can boast about basically.
The thing about Volkswagens is that you’re guaranteed flawless interior presentation, whether or not it appeals to you is obviously subjective. But clearly the craftmanship is clinical, the materials used are sufficiently premium and overall it qualifies as a truly European car.
The 2.0L turbo petrol engine up front is perky enough to actually make the Tiguan a reasonably satisfying drive, when the mood takes you. Dynamically the car is sorted very well, it’s well balanced, it’s smooth and offers an easy, comfortable drive. If I was clutching at straws, I’d say the seven-speed DSG transmission still feels a tad unnatural, with the occasional jerkiness to it.
Power is sent to all-four wheels thanks to Volkswagen’s 4MOTION system, which adds an extra later of surety to the already capable drive. Ahead of you is a fully digital dash while an eight-inch infotainment display can accommodate Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Tiguan’s 132TSI engine produces 132kW/320Nm which is more than enough for a day-to-day cruiser. It’s matched to the aforementioned seven-speed DSG transmission. If you’d like a sunroof, that will set you back another $2000m they will also slug you $700 if you have a desire for the special metallic or pearl paint options.
The R-Line package buddles in all the good stuff. Adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, rear traffic alert, traffic jam assist and emergency assist are all standard.
During our week long stint with The Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line I allowed our Dictator Trevor Long to have a crack.
I really love the Tiguan as an overall package. It’s a great looking car, the interior is outstanding quality and a really nice design too.
The Kids LOVED the tray tables which hang off the front seats for them to use in the back, and the overall space is a great.
As a drive I loved it. No doubt it’s a smooth ride on all the short and medium trips I took it on. The digital dash is a great touch, but the infotainment screen in the centre was at times I think a bit too smart for its own good. Enough with prompting me to check the stop/start system status, the forward and reverse sensors would activate in a heartbeat and take over the screen at times when they were just not needed.
But, having attempted to put the car into a car space too small for the car, I appreciated the hard stop it forced upon me rather than letting me do some touch parking.
Overall – I can see a really interesting choice between this and say the Mazda CX-5, personally, there’s something great about a Euro car that would have me taking this one I reckon.
It’s not an Audi, BMW or a Merc. This isn’t a bad thing either, I think the Tiguan is a perfectly legitimate alternative to the big three.
Just 1000 Tiguan R-Line Editions will be built with prices kicking off at $46,990. Although when on-roads and options are taken in account it’s more like a $50,000 proposition. Fuel efficiency is rated at 7.5L/100km, personally I pulled a figure closer to 9.0L/100km. It’s covered by a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
If you want a Volkswagen Tiguan but need not just some extra bling but also added safety tech, the Tiguan R-Line 132TSI is a solid choice. It’s an 8.0 out of 10 for me.
Chris was EFTM’s Motoring Editor for many years, driving everything from your entry level hatch to the latest Luxury cars through to the Rolls Royce.
He has been in the media for 20 years, produced three Olympic games broadcasts, attending Beijing 2008 & London 2012.
Strangely he owns a Toyota Camry Hybrid, he defiantly rejects the knockers.
Chris is married to Gillian and resides in Sydney’s North West. They have Sam the English Springer Spaniel and Felix the Burmese cat to keep them company, and recently welcomed baby Henry to the family.
He has now left EFTM, and writes freelance and runs his own Facebook Page “Bowen’s Garage”
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