Driven: Why the VW Tiguan 2.0 TDI Life 4Motion is the diesel SUV South Africa needs

Volkswagen’s Tiguan has been a mainstay of the company for a while now, with more than 7.4 million units sold globally since its introduction in 2007, and 41 000 of the popular SUV having found homes in South Africa since 2009.

We’re also a nation that likes a diesel engine, and thankfully VW hasn’t pulled the plug on that option yet, which makes the Tiguan 2.0 TDI Life 4Motion introduced earlier this year, which we had on test, rather desirable.

Exterior

Unlike its flashier R-Line sibling, this Life version is more understated, preferring instead to go about its business without attracting too much attention.

Still, LED headlights, a glass-covered horizontal bar with an integrated LED strip instead of the traditional grille, giving it a futuristic look, don’t mean it’s not a looker.

That new front end VW says improves the drag coefficient from 0.33 to 0.28.

At the rear, it’s unmistakably Tiguan with a horizontal LED strip, while along the side, there's a strong shoulder line highlighting the car’s proportions. 

It stands on 17-inch alloys with decent 215/65 R17 high-profile rubber, with black roof rails rounding off the SUV look.

Interior

Having recently had the Golf 1.4TS on test, the interior of the Tiguan again confirms that VW have a knack for putting together a suitably premium interior.

Our test car was fitted with cloth seats, and while most people tick the leather option box, I find that the standard option doesn't get affected as much by extreme temperatures.

As is the norm nowadays, the driver is faced with a digital instrument cluster that’s configurable and a 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system that’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.

Electronic sliding climate control settings are slotted below the screen, and while it’s an improvement over some other VW products, it’s not ideal and a bit of a faff while you’re driving.

The leather-covered steering wheel with shifting paddles is rake and reach adjustable and houses the audio, cruise control and Bluetooth controls and the car also features 10-colour ambient lighting in the dashboard and doors.

Because it’s likely to be family transport 652 litres of boot space and 1 650 litres with the seats folded down provide oodles of space for long holiday trips.

Diesel power

As the name implies, the Tiguan is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine that provides 110kW and 240Nm of torque. A seven-speed DSG transmission sends power to all four corners via VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. 

For what it’s worth, VW claims a 0-100km/h time of 9.4 seconds and a top speed of 207km/h.

Driving

There’s something about sliding in behind the wheel of a Volkswagen.

The driver’s position is always comfortable, and with a few seat adjustments, everything fits just so.

Given that it’s an SUV that will be hauling kids to and fro and taking the long holiday road, the Tiguan provides a well-balanced and refined driving experience.

Its road manners are refined, and it’s surprisingly nifty around tight corners.

The diesel mill provides loads of oomph and suits the car perfectly, striking a good balance of acceleration and handling.

The DSG transmission is equally impressive, with silky smooth changes and not once was I tempted to use the shifting paddles. 

It's not perfect, but the engineers have managed to combine the engine, gearbox, chassis and suspension into something that few of the competitors can hold a candle to.

One of the reasons we like diesels is the fuel economy, and in this regard, it did not disappoint.

We returned impressive figures of 6.3l/100km, just less than the quoted 6.6l/100km, and I wasn’t driving Miss Daisy either.

Safety

There's a comprehensive safety list that includes eight airbags, traction control, ABS, stability control, EBD and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Summary

Clearly, Volkswagen Group Africa knows their customers, which is why we have the Tiguan 2.0 TDI Life 4Motion in a sea of hybrids and plug-in hybrids.

The Tiguan is a pleasure to live with, and while it has a rather lofty price of R774 400, I’d say it must be on your list if you’re buying in this segment. 

The overall refinement, decent driving experience and low running costs would be worth it.