What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - ronnie boy
Stuck between buying a bmw m340i or new Tiguan R not rline proper R model any advice or comments between these 2 cars most welcome,??
Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - sammy1

Chalk and cheese here, sport saloon verses sport SUV. The BMW has a great 3litre engine and the best torque converter gearbox a lot more powerful than the 2litre dsg of the Tiguan. I suspect that the BMW will be quite a bit more expensive than the Tiguan extras aside and the pedigree that has gone into generations of the BMW 3 means that you will get an excellent car. The R Tiguan is engineered to cope well as a performance SUV and the fit and trim are just as good. I suppose in the end it comes down to what you really need and how you will drive them most of the time. In what I would determine as normal driving both are strong powerful cars and the Tiguan has no problems at all. I have owned and driven a 5series with the 3litre and 8 speed gearbox and can recommend the unit you seldom feel any gearchanges. As to a Tiguan I have only been a passenger in the 1.5 dsg R line and that was not lacking in getting down the road and plenty of torque from only 150bhp and you are doubling this. There is probable more room in the Tiguan and it is a nice place to be very comfortable and plush interior. A higher driving position is favoured by a lot of people but I have always gone for a traditional saloon. I have looked at the 3series and always considered the interior to be a bit cramped.. Both are nice looking cars and I would choose the Tiguan purely on space inside and wonder if the car could ultimately coupe with so much torque for an SUV but suppose you would never get there .I expect the BMW will depreciate less if that is important

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - badbusdriver

Between your two choices, I'd go for the BMW, especially so for the estate (there is just something about a fast estate!). As a 'drivers car', it is just going to be better than an SUV which will always be compromised by its proportions.

But as has been said, they are very different cars, so closer alternatives to the Beemer can be had by similar sized saloons (or estates) from Audi or Merc.

Closer alternatives to the Tiguan R (300bhp+ SUV's) can had be had from lots of different manufacturers, some you may not expect (Vauxhall Grandland X?). If they have to be overtly sporty, that number reduces somewhat, but does include the Cupra Formentor within the VAG stable (possibly a more interesting choice?) along with options from BMW, Merc and Mini.

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - ronnie boy

Yeah I’m looking at longevity I’m buying the car outright, yes I do like the thought of 6 cylinder in the bmw, but it’s that crammed felling over the Tiguan r and service costs/parts thinking the Vw won’t burn a hole in my pocket but could be wrong, and I live on the Isle of Wight where the roads are not very good to say the least, when I look on YouTube about the 340i 95 percent of reviews are in America where they have nice big flat roads, plus I forgot to mention I live on an unmade road which doesn’t help which ever car it is?

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - SLO76
I personally don’t think either suits your location or likely usage. I’d have a lower spec SUV which will have plenty enough performance for most needs.
Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - ronnie boy

Like the thought of 6 cylinder engine, but feel the car feels crammed in front compared to the R and looking to buy the car outright, so thinking the bmw will cost way more to service and parts when warranty wears out, the bmw is a year old what I’m looking at with 6000 miles on clock and the R will be brand new, it’s the longevity I’m looking for I live on the Isle of Wight which are not the best roads, when I look on YouTube on reviews on the bmw 95 percent are in a America where they have big smooth roads which we don’t plus I live on an unmade road which doesn’t help either performance car/suv but that can’t be helped,?

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - SLO76
Both horrid, overpriced things in my opinion. I’d take a long test drive before committing to the usual 3/4yr PCP or lease, the ride quality on both is appalling. If you want a sporty handling car the BMW is the one to have, if you want a high riding SUV the Tiguan makes sense but not in brick hard riding R spec. A sporty SUV makes no sense whatsoever.
Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - RT
Both horrid, overpriced things in my opinion. I’d take a long test drive before committing to the usual 3/4yr PCP or lease, the ride quality on both is appalling. If you want a sporty handling car the BMW is the one to have, if you want a high riding SUV the Tiguan makes sense but not in brick hard riding R spec. A sporty SUV makes no sense whatsoever.

Sporty SUVs may make no sense to you, or me, but they sell well so some people obviously like them.

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - Miniman777

As has been said, chalk and cheese. You need extended drives in both.

I looked at Tiguan R's on Autotrader and felt the interior was lacking compared to a BMW. Neither to I think VW has the reputation it once had, too many problems and lethargic dealers. Thought about an X3 4.0i as a wild card?

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - catsdad

Ronnie your post at 10.36 today gives two key pieces of info. You live on the Isle of Wight and on an unmade road.
I don’t see how either car option fits in with these. Maybe you take a lot of trips to the mainland where you can use the performance and cruising ability? Your call of course but I would be very frustrated having all that performance and nowhere to use it.

Edited by catsdad on 08/11/2021 at 10:55

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - ronnie boy

Hi did look but to expensive that’s why it’s between 340i or tig R.

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - Andrew-T

<< Sporty SUVs may make no sense to you, or me, but they sell well so some people obviously like them. >>

As has been often said, you won't lose money by underestimating the taste of the buying public. There are always people who love showy bling.

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - Cris_on_the_gas

Have you considered a Porsche Macan ?

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - badbusdriver

Yeah I’m looking at longevity I’m buying the car outright, yes I do like the thought of 6 cylinder in the bmw, but it’s that crammed felling over the Tiguan r and service costs/parts thinking the Vw won’t burn a hole in my pocket but could be wrong, and I live on the Isle of Wight where the roads are not very good to say the least, when I look on YouTube about the 340i 95 percent of reviews are in America where they have nice big flat roads, plus I forgot to mention I live on an unmade road which doesn’t help which ever car it is?

Under these circumstances, I wouldn't have either.

For those types of roads I'd be looking at something with supple suspension and tyres of a relatively tall profile. Being an SUV, the Tiguan R might seem like the sensible choice, but that is not necessarily the case. In order to make an SUV handle like a sports car, the suspension tends to be very harsh (unless one of these modern active suspension systems, which I'm pretty sure the Tiguan R hasn't). In combination with ultra low profile tyres, bumpy, ill-maintained, pot-holed roads could be disastrous for your bank balance!.

As for reliability, neither BMW or VW are exactly covered in glory here, though BMW's do seem to be at their most reliable when mated to a 6 cyl engine. Really wouldn't be looking at a DSG gearbox either if longevity is a key requirement. That isn't to say they can't be reliable, and assuming you don't drive like a loon(!), buying one new is giving you the best chance, but I still wouldn't.

One last thing. I've never been to the Isle of Wight, but going by what you've said and what I've seen on Google Maps/Street view, I'm not sure how much use a 300bhp+ car will be to you unless you spend a lot of time outwith the Isle of Wight!.

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - sammy1

The roads on the IOW are hardly suitable for the cars you are considering. The Tiguan 1.5 with R line trim would be far more practical and economical. You could even see over some of the hedgerows!

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - ronnie boy

Hi yes the Tiguan R has active dampers for the suspension also has active suspension to change between comfort sport and race so you can play and mix everything as has the m340i aswell.

Bmw m340i Tiguan R - New car - RT

Hi yes the Tiguan R has active dampers for the suspension also has active suspension to change between comfort sport and race so you can play and mix everything as has the m340i aswell.

Have a good test drive - on my VW Touareg, the difference between Comfort, Normal and Sport is quite small.