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Volkswagen Tiguan interior
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Despite entering the small 4x4 sector when most of its key rivals are on to their second- or even third-generation models, VW still expects the Tiguan to sell in healthy numbers.
Its confidence is based on the car's classiness and build quality. There are plenty of soft-touch surfaces cladding the interior and VW's usual excellent selection of buttons, dials and switches. It's not as off-roader-ish as its Touareg big brother, but the inside of the Tiguan offers decent passenger and boot space, and that important 4x4 high-set driving position.
With prices starting around £19,500 for the entry-level Tiguan 1.4 TSi S, it's more expensive than some rivals, though permanent 4Motion four-wheel drive is available on all models to begin with (a cheaper front-wheel drive-only version will follow, but not for at least another 12 months). To avoid costs spiralling even higher, keep a close eye on the lengthy and tempting options list, which includes touch-screen satellite navigation, VW's Park Assist that lets the car do all the hard work when parallel parking, and leather seats with electric adjustment for the driver.
There will be four trims, with the usual S, SE and Sport versions, plus Escape, a more dedicated off-road version with cut-off front bumper styling to better tackle steep slopes, sump guard, in-dash compass and an off-road button to activate hill descent control. Even so, the Escape has limited off-road ability and VW expects its sales will account for just 5% of Tiguan numbers in the UK.
The road-biased Tiguan is a much better bet. Composed and nimble, it feels more agile than a Nissan X-trail or Land Rover Freelander, with only the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan Qashqai giving the VW a run for its money. Yet the Tiguan's agility is not at the expense of comfort. It deals easily with bumpy country roads or long motorway jaunts and is refined, while wind, road and engine noise are successfully suppressed.
Two engines will come to the UK initially, including an all-new common-rail turbodiesel. The petrol 1.4 TSi provides the entry point and may appeal more than the 2.0-litre turbodiesel as the latter's 189g/km CO2 emissions are only 10g/km better. Factor in the diesel's higher price and its 39.1mpg looks like a slim advantage compared to the petrol's 33.6mpg. The petrol is also quicker and more refined.
Those who want diesel power should consider waiting fore the 170PS turbodiesel, which arrives later in 2008 along with a 170PS version of the 1.4 TSi and a 200PS 2.0-litre petrol borrowed from the Golf GTi. All Tiguans have a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the two more powerful petrol engines and the 140PS turbodiesel can be ordered with a six-speed automatic gearbox.
Whichever Tiguan version you choose, it's a very capable compact 4x4, and even if Volkswagen is at the tail-end of the 4x4 boom, it has every right to feel confident.
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