Volkswagen Tiguan Review 2024

While it may not be Volkswagen's most iconic model, the Tiguan has cemented itself as the company's best-selling model across the globe. A new version then is a big deal, so how does this latest one stack up? Find out in our Volkswagen Tiguan review.

If you've hit upon such a winning recipe, then you're unlikely to want to mix with the ingredients too much. It comes as no surprise then to find that the latest third-generation 2024 Tiguan isn't a massive step-change from the outgoing model it replaces. Evolution rather then revolution is the name of the game here.

While the design is a bit softer and curved than the sharper looks of its predecessor (and we're not sure if its for the better or not), the Tiguan's underpinnings are a development of the car before it, enabling VW to equip it with more advanced tech.  

It may only be 3cm longer than the outgoing car, but it's still got bags of space inside for a family SUV. The cabin has ample room - even tall and grumpy teenagers shouldn't find anything to moan about sitting in the back, while the huge boot is one of the best you'll find at this price-point. 

Compared to its predecessor, the interior has certainly been jazzed up - the design is much fresher and there's plenty of kit on tap as well. You'll find a large 12.9-inch touchscreen infotainment display (this can be upgraded to 15-inches if you wish) and a 10.25-inch digital instrument display.

You also get a wide choice of engines - there are two mild-hybrid petrol engines with either 130PS or 150PS, while you can also spec your Tiguan with a 150PS diesel if you prefer. The new 2024 Tiguan also gets VW's latest plug-in hybrid engines, with a 1.5-litre petrol paired with an electric motor and a 19.7kWh battery. The two flavours produce either 204PS or 272PS and should see an electric-only range up to 62 miles. Something that will surely attract the attention of company car drivers. 

On the road and the Tiguan delivers a pretty firm ride, especially if you spec it with large alloy wheels - we'd recommend ticking the Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) from the options list to smooth this out. Otherwise, the Tiguan handles well and comes without any nasty surprises. 

The Volkswagen Tiguan isn't the most affordable family SUV out there, but neither is it the most expensive. When you consider the list of standard features and the well-rounded car you're getting for your money, then it looks pretty fairly priced. 

It's not perfect, but the Tiguan is one of the best family SUVs you can buy. 

We've driven two variations of the Tiguan - the Elegance that was on 19-inch alloys and the R-Line that was on larger 20-inch alloy wheels, and found the ride to be quite a bit different on both. However, it wasn't down to the size of the wheels, but the presence of the optional Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive suspension system on the R-Line car.

While you'd expect the larger wheels would deliver a firmer and less comfy ride, the DCC and it's more sophisticated suspension took the edge off the ride compared to the standard car, which felt more jittery and unsettled, especially when driving over less than perfect road surfaces. DCC is an expensive option, and you might find you prefer the ride on smaller 18-inch wheels that are featured lower down the range. 

Otherwise the handling of the Tiguan is pretty sound. There's no four-wheel drive option, but there's a good amount of grip and traction, while body roll is well controlled. Steering is quick and responsive, while wind and road noise are kept in check - at motorway speeds you can happily cruise in a hushed cabin. 

You're spoilt for choice when it comes to engines available with the Tiguan, and all are equipped with an automatic gearbox. 

The engine range for the Tiguan starts with two petrol engines badged eTSI. These two 1.5-litre mild-hybrid four-cylinder turbo petrol engines come with either 130PS or 150PS - expect a 0-62mph time of 10.6 seconds for the lower-powered version, and 9.1 seconds for the more powerful option.  

This is followed by a 2.0-litre turbodiesel that delivers 150PS and a 0-62mph time of 9.4 seconds, while the Tiguan's engine range is finished off with the choice of two plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). You'll find that these badged as eHybrid and they combine as 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor. The 204PS version will hit 62mph in 8.2 seconds, while the more punchy 272PS version is a touch quicker, taking 7.2 seconds to sprint to 62mph. Just as importantly if you're considering a PHEV, both version can officially cover up to 62 miles on battery power alone. 

The level of safety kit offered with the Tiguan is a little dependent on the trim you opt for. However, all versions as standard get airbags all round, plus driver assistance features including a driver drowsiness/attention monitor, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, lane keep assist, a lane-change system, front and rear cross traffic assist, dynamic road sign display, front and rear parking sensors, and a reversing camera.

The Tiguan Life trim adds adaptive cruise control, while Match versions also benefit from more advanced LED headlights and cleverer parking assistance system. Further up the range and Elegance trim enjoys a more autonomous adaptive cruise control as well as a 360-degree camera.  

The latest Volkswagen Tiguan has also recently been tested by Euro NCAP and scored a full 5 star safety rating. 

If you're looking to tow with the Volkswagen Tiguan then its no surprise to learn that the diesel engine provides the most flexibility, with models capable of pulling a 2,500kg braked trailer, while other versions are rated up to 1,800kg. 

The latest Tiguan is actually a touch larger than the car it replaces, measuring 4,539mm long, 1,660mm tall and 1,842mm wide (without door mirrors). Despite the proportions changes, the wheelbase (the distance between the front- and rear wheels) of the Tiguan is pretty much identical to the outgoing car. That means there's ample room in the back even if the front passengers are six-foot-plus. Headroom is also good as well, so large occupants sitting in the back should be nice and comfy. As with a lot of cars this size, things get a bit more cramped if you try and squeeze a third passenger in the rear, but for short journeys they shouldn't grumble too much. 

The rear doors open nice and wide, making it easy to fasten kids into their car seats, though adults might find the small strip of protruding bodywork at the rearmost edges of the rear door a little annoying when getting in and out. 

Round at the back and the Tiguan benefits from a large boot - most version enjoy a huge 652 litres of boot space, though if you're looking at the PHEV version this does drop to a still large 490 litres. 

The Tiguan largely delivers when it comes to quality. Step inside and the dashboard and doors have slick glossy panels that illuminate and enhance the ambient lighting (though this does vary depending on what trim you plump for), while the large central touchscreen and digital instrument display certainly provides a high-tech feel to the cabin. Look closer and you'll find stitched leatherette parts and some metallic trim placed round the interior to enhance the over feeling of plushness. 

Look at little further down and the quality feel tails off a little bit due to the plastics used not having quite the same tactile feel, but that's systematic of most most cars and it doesn't detract from the overall feeling of quality that you get from the Tiguan. 

So as far as the way the Tiguan has been assembled, everything feels like its been put together nicely - during our time with it we didn't experience and rattles or creaks. 

Prices for a new Volkswagen Tiguan currently start at £34,075 for the entry-level model simple called Tiguan. This comes with the lowest powered 130PS petrol engine only. You'll probably want to skip this one though and look further up the range as these come with more desirable features as standard, while your choice of engines also broadens.

The Tiguan in Life trim starts at £35,920 - that's for the same engine, while the more powerful 150PS version will set you back a bit more at £36,720. The diesel version again is a bit more at £37,920, while the PHEV is a significantly bigger investment at £42,525. 

Next up and the Tiguan Match starts at £36,095 and for an extra £175 outlay over the Life version, you get quite a bit more kit as standard, including keyless entry, 3D LED rear lights, LED headlamps with separate LED signature running lights and dynamic cornering light. There's also tinted rear windows and silver roof rails. 

Elegance trim is a significant step up in price, starting at £39,290, but this comes with with luxuries like heated and massage seats, as well as larger alloy wheels and 360-degree camera. 

Top of the range R-Line models starts at £39,695 and for the slightly extra outlay over the Elegance, you get sports seats, larger wheels again and R-Line specific body styling. 

How does that compare to rivals? The Honda ZR-V starts at £39,505 with a great 2.0-litre hybrid engine, while the current Skoda Karoq starts at just under £30,000. That's with the entry-level 1.0-litre engine - you'll have to pay a little over £32,000 for the 150PS 1.5-petrol engine that's also found in the Tiguan.

The two 1.5-litre mild-hybrid four-cylinder turbo petrol engines deliver almost identical fuel economy, with the 130PS promising 45.9mpg and the 150PS 45.6mpg. The 2.0-litre diesel is better still at 52.5mpg and perfect for those doing regular long trips.

The Plug-in Hybrid has an official WLTP fuel economy figure of 712.7mpg - take that with a pinch of salt though as you'll pretty much have to have the battery charged all the time. However, the Tiguan PHEV has a decent electric only range of up to 62 miles, though expect that to be a bit less in real world situations.

The flat rate for petrol and diesel cars is currently set at £190, but with the exception of the diesel, all other Tiguan engines are classed at mild hybrids or plug-in hybrids and as such qualify for a discount of £10. 

While most Tiguans sit below £40,000, some trim and engine combinations creep over, while going crazy with the options list will also push some lower-end trims over this amount as well. That means you're liable for an additional charge of £390 per year for a five-year period between years two and six of the car’s life.

The Volkswagen Tiguan range kicks off with a trim labelled rather confusingly as Tiguan. This comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, climate control air-conditioning, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with gearshift paddles, cloth upholstery, front- and rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, black roof rails and all-round LED lighting. That's not forgetting all the standard infotainment mentioned previously. You are restricted to petrol engines only though.

Move up to the Tiguan in Life trim and not only can you spec it with petrol, diesel or hybrid engines, but you also benefit from 18-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control, ambient interior lighting, power adjustable lumbar support for the front seats, and three-zone climate control (with controls in the rear).

The Tiguan in Match trim adds powered tailgate operation, keyless entry, more advanced ambient lighting, a light strip between the headlights and silver roof rails.

Move further up to Elegance and your Tiguan will sit on large 19-inch wheels, while the front air intake gets some chrome trim. As well as this, you also get a 360-degree camera and the added bonus of a massaging function on the heated front seats. 

Finally, there's the top-of-the-range Tiguan R-Line. The changes are most notable from outside, with extra-large 20-inch alloy wheels, sports bumpers and chrome air intakes. Inside and you'll find sports seats and even snazzier ambient lighting.