VW unveils upmarket Tiguan crossover
Volkswagen has launched the second generation of its Tiguan crossover, boasting an all-new upmarket design.
The new Tiguan debuted with more space and practicality alongside a new range of engines.
The vehicle, expected to go on sale later in the year, Volkswagen claimed would be a big seller to boost the sales of the group, which has witnessed declined over its diesel cheat allegation.
Tiguan, which was the company’s main lineup at the 2016 South Africa Motoring Festival last week is longer by 2.3ins to give a bit of added legroom for those in the back, however, many of its rivals offer an alternative, which may question the stack up of the new Tiguan.
Tiguan offers headroom of about 1.3ins shorter delivering a premium look.
The new version uses Volkswagen’s MQB platform, sharing it with the current Golf and Passat, which it most resembles.
The exterior seems to be inspired by Passat and the high-quality plastics available in the vehicle proved the model as a premium SUV.
In terms of practicality, the new Tiguan is a five-seater and the rearmost pew can move backwards and forwards, prioritising passenger or boot space, depending on variant.
The boot is about 520 litres with the rear seats in their normal position, but can grow to 615 litres if the rear row of seats are pushed forward.
This is comparatively spacious than rivals such as the Nissan Qashqai (430 litres) and Mazda CX-5 (503 litres).
The company said diesel options are the most economical, with each version offering a 2.0-litre four-cylinder.
The entry-level power unit has 113bhp tied to a manual gearbox. Volkswagen claims it can deliver 60mpg on a combined cycle and has its CO2 emissions pegged at 123g/km.
The mid-range option gets 148bhp, although it’s not quite as efficient, with 58.9mpg claimed alongside slightly higher CO2 emissions of 125g/km.
The range-topping diesel engine comes with a 2.0-litre bi-turbo with 237bhp, which can accelerate from 0-62mph in a hot hatch-rivalling 6.5secs before going on to a top speed of 142mph.
There are two versions of the Petro engine. The 1.4-litre TFSI unit offers 123bhp and it is the less powerful. It produces a claimed 46.3mpg plus CO2 emissions of 139g/km. A 2.0-litre TFSI sits above it with 178bhp.
Basic versions of the Tiguan are expected to be front-wheel drive, with four-wheel drive either optional or standard on cars higher up the ladder.
For the diesels, the mid-range 148bhp car can be fitted with a 4MOTION AWD system, as well as a DSG automatic gearbox at a cost, while the range-topping 2.0-litre BiTDi gets these as standard. It’s the same story with the petrol units – the 178bhp 2.0-litre TFSI will be four-wheel drive regardless of how you spec it.
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.