Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

Volkswagen Tiguan review - Engines, drive & performance

“The Tiguan feels stable composed and comfortable, making it a good all-rounder to drive”

Carbuyer Rating

4.0 out of 5

Owners Rating
Be the first to review
Engines, drive & performance Rating

4.0 out of 5

The Volkswagen Tiguan has never been intended as a car to set your pulse racing, but rather as a comfortable all-rounder. As such, none of its petrol and diesel engine options are particularly spicy from launch, but should be perfectly capable of propelling a car of this size quickly enough to keep up with traffic. Later on, Volkswagen introduced two plug-in hybrid models with either 201bhp or 268bhp, though as is the case with most plug-in hybrids, these are likely to feel less sporty than their high power figures might suggest given the added weight of their batteries.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Overall, the Tiguan felt very stable and secure to drive, with good levels of comfort and refinement – even with the 19-inch wheels of our Elegance model fitted road and wind noise was kept to a minimum, but the true test will come when tested on UK roads.

When a model’s focus is on comfort – especially with regards to an SUV – you’d usually expect composure to suffer when pushing it to the max, but we found that the Tiguan felt stable, with minimum body roll on windier roads, though it’s still best driven in a more relaxed manner as it feels more suited to this driving style.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The damping can be adjusted between a staggering 15 levels, but in all honesty we’d stick to the more comfort-focused end of the spectrum, because the trade off in ride quality on the firmer settings doesn’t result in a more engaging driving experience.

Is the Volkswagen Tiguan good to drive in town?

Visibility is good in the Tiguan, which should make manoeuvring around town easier, despite the car’s dimensions. The plug-in hybrids should fit the bill as good urban runarounds as they are capable of up to 77 miles of electric driving – though we’ve not yet driven these, driving in electric mode tends to be quiet and smooth, and saves fuel on more local trips.

Is the Volkswagen Tiguan good to drive on long journeys?

The Volkswagen Tiguan isn’t really a car you’d buy with the intention of thrashing it on a B-road, but if you do, you’ll find it feels very stable for an SUV. The steering doesn’t offer much in the way of feedback, though, and the diesel engine in our test car isn’t really suited to this kind of driving. The car’s Sport mode firms up the dampers and makes the steering feel more weighty, but it doesn’t increase driver engagement all that much, so we’d keep the Tiguan in Comfort mode and stick to driving it more gently. We’re yet to try the 2.0-litre TSI model, but this is likely to be the most rewarding of the lineup for keen drivers on a B-road.

Is the Volkswagen Tiguan good to drive on B-roads?

The Volkswagen Tiguan isn’t really a car you’d buy with the intention of thrashing it on a B-road, but if you do, you’ll find it feels very stable for an SUV. The steering doesn’t offer much in the way of feedback, though, and the diesel engine in our test car isn’t really suited to this kind of driving. The car’s Sport mode firms up the dampers and makes the steering feel more weighty, but it doesn’t increase driver engagement all that much, so we’d keep the Tiguan in Comfort mode and stick to driving it more gently.

Petrol models

From launch, entry-level cars are offered with a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol engine, badged eTSI, with 128bhp – this gets the Tiguan from 0-62mph in 10.6 seconds. There’s also a 148bhp version of the same engine that does that sprint in 9.2 seconds. These engines will be better suited for those doing a mix of motorway and town driving, whereas the diesel will suit frequent motorway driving.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

In August 2024, Volkswagen released a hotter petrol engine for the R-Line trim: a 2.0-litre TSI with 261bhp. The brand says it’s capable of doing the 0-62mph sprint time in 5.9 seconds with a top speed of 150mph. Though the R-Line plug-in hybrid has more power at 268bhp, the added weight means it’s not quite as quick, so this 2.0-litre is the fastest Tiguan you can buy. 4Motion all-wheel drive also adds an extra level of grip to put all that power down. 

Adaptive Chassis Control comes as standard on the 2.0-litre TSI; this is a feature that can react to road conditions and the driving style in a matter of milliseconds to optimise your Tiguan with regard to your driving mode.

Model 

Power

0-62mph

Top speed

1.5-litre eTSI 

128bhp

10.6 seconds

123mph

1.5-litre eTSI

148bhp

9.2 seconds

130mph

2.0-litre TSI261bhp5.9 seconds150mph

Diesel models

Unlike many manufacturers who have turned their back completely on diesel engines, the new Tiguan is available with a tried-and-tested 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine with 148bhp. We drove this version in France and found it to be well refined, though as is expected of a diesel, it’s much more suited to a constant, lazy cruise on a motorway than propelling you through the twists and turns of a B-road, as it’s not the most responsive in these scenarios.

Model 

Power

0-62mph

Top speed

2.0-litre TDI

148bhp

9.4 seconds

128mph

Plug-in hybrid models

Volkswagen later released a couple of plug-in hybrid models with a 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor for the Tiguan, both badged eHybrid. Life trim and above can be had with a 201bhp system, while a higher-output model with 268bhp can be specified on R-Line models. The 201bhp eHybrid can do the 0-62mph sprint in 8.2 seconds, while the 268bhp version does the same a second quicker. The real appeal is in its ability to do shorter trips on electric power alone, which should make for more serene, silent driving around town.

Model 

Power

0-62mph

Top speed

1.5-litre eHybrid201bhp8.2 seconds130mph
1.5-litre eHybrid268bhp7.2 seconds133mph

Carbuyer notes

“The new Tiguan feels a lot like the old one, but that’s more of a compliment than a criticism. It’s still a refined and practical SUV, although it’s far from the best to drive in its class, and in diesel form it’s not as efficient as before." Alastair Crooks, Senior News Reporter

Skip advert
Advertisement

Charlie writes and edits news, review and advice articles for Carbuyer, as well as publishing content to its social media platforms. He has also been a regular contributor to its sister titles Auto Express, DrivingElectric and evo. As well as being consumed by everything automotive, Charlie is a speaker of five languages and once lived in Chile, Siberia and the Czech Republic, returning to the UK to write about his life-long passion: cars.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

New BYD Sealion 7 EV undercuts Tesla Model Y at £44,990
BYD Sealion 7 dynamic
News
12 Dec 2024

New BYD Sealion 7 EV undercuts Tesla Model Y at £44,990

New DS No7 electric SUV coming in 2025 with trademark French flair
DS 7 rear
News
12 Dec 2024

New DS No7 electric SUV coming in 2025 with trademark French flair

Volkswagen ID.5 review – the brand’s electric coupe-SUV
Volkswagen ID.5 review
In-depth reviews
12 Dec 2024

Volkswagen ID.5 review – the brand’s electric coupe-SUV

The top 10 fastest SUVs in 2025
Fastest SUVs 2025
Best cars
11 Dec 2024

The top 10 fastest SUVs in 2025

Most Popular

Jaguar Type 00 concept revealed: a bold electric future for the British brand
Jaguar Type 00
News
3 Dec 2024

Jaguar Type 00 concept revealed: a bold electric future for the British brand

Skoda Elroq review – a great-value compact electric SUV
Skoda Elroq
In-depth reviews
9 Dec 2024

Skoda Elroq review – a great-value compact electric SUV

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
6 Dec 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
21 Oct 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
Charging station
Tips and advice
23 Jul 2024

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
Best electric cars
Best cars
16 May 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024