Volkswagen Tiguan SE 2.0 TDI (170ps) 4MOTION 5dr Car Review - March 2012

This Volkswagen Tiguan’s ride is on the firm side and can wobble over more uneven surfaces, but body roll is kept nicely in check through corners and there’s plenty of front end grip all of which makes the Tiguan is an enjoyable car to drive. There’s very little in the way of road noise and wind noise is minimal which makes for refined cruising on motorways. Its off-road abilities are best described as adequate rather than advanced, but it’ll attack muddy inclines and rutted bridleways with gusto.

The driver’s seat has height adjustment and the steering can be adjusted so most drivers should be able to find a decent position. The dashboard is laid out intuitively and has the feel of being made from quality materials. Forward visibility is good, but the small rear window and chunky pillars hamper the view rearwards making reversing difficult.

The 2.0 litre four cylinder turbocharged diesel engine produces maximum figures of 167 bhp (170 ps) at 4200 rpm and 258 lb-ft at 1750-2500 rpm, which is enough to make this Tiguan feel quite punchy and because maximum torque is available so low in the rev range, it pulls well. A 0-62 mph time of 8.9 seconds and a top speed of 125 mph are respectable figures for a car of this size.

The Volkswagen Tiguan SE 2.0 TDI (170ps) 4MOTION 5dr is a handsome and well-proportioned baby 4x4. Inside, you get climate control, electric windows front and rear, electric door mirrors, rear parking sensors, MP3 connectivity, Bluetooth and a CD player as standard. It also comes with alloy wheels, remote central locking, immobiliser and alarm.

Among the available options are metallic paint at £495, Satnav for £540, cruise control for £235 and leather seats at £1,630.

This Volkswagen Tiguan comes with many safety features including six airbags, ABS, Isofix child seat mountings and stability control.

Volkswagens have above average reliability and this car comes with a three year 60,000 mile warranty.

There is enough space in the cabin for four adults to travel comfortably, but a third person could occupy the middle rear seat as long as they didn’t mind rubbing shoulders with those either side of them. Boot space is reasonable with the rear seats in use – 470 litres – but with them folded flat, it opens up a generous 1510 litres of load space. They also slide backwards and forwards to offer differing load spaces.

At £26,325, the Volkswagen Tiguan SE 2.0 TDI 4MOTION 5dr isn’t cheap, but it comes with a reasonable level of kit, has a spacious and comfortable cabin and with the rear seats folded down it has generous luggage space. It’s a decent drive and has the benefit of four-wheel drive for motoring cross-country or during bad weather. It’s also reasonably frugal and so buyers will enjoy fairly low running costs. A combined cycle of 47.1 mpg and a CO2 emissions figure of 158 g/km means the taxes and running costs won’t break the bank.