Test drive: 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI CKD

By topgear ,

VW Tiguan 2017 cover

Woohoo, it’s the new Volkswagen Tiguan. Wait, why am I excited?
Because we’re finally getting a new SUV that’s not a Honda CR-V, Nissan X-Trail or Mazda CX-5. And we’re not spewing out household names without good reason. Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is putting the new Tiguan onto its local production line in Pekan, allowing it to finally go toe-to-toe with the Japanese favourites in the price wars as well. The outgoing Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI 2WD which was fully-imported from Germany retailed at RM179k. Meanwhile, the CKD second-generation Tiguan is tagged with a tentative price range of RM149k-169k for two specification levels: ComfortLine and HighLine.

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Sounds affordable. What will I miss if I skimp and go for the ComfortLine?
The estimated RM20k premium the HighLine commands buys you plenty of kit, both aesthetic and functional. Outside, you get 18-inch alloys, silver roof rails, LED headlamps and daytime-running lights with Dynamic Cornering Assist, as well as an electric tailgate.

The differences stack up inside where the HighLine is kitted with leather upholstery, 12.3-inch Active Info Display (VW’s version of Audi’s Virtual Cockpit), three-zone climate control, Park Assist 3.0, ambient lighting and an eight-inch touchscreen which supports navigation and a reverse camera. In fact, the HighLine’s infotainment can be upgraded with App Connect – a RM1,099 option that’s going for a discounted RM699 for a limited time – for greater mobile device connectivity.

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Any differences in the powertrain?
You’ll be happy to know that things are identical under the hood of both variants. Powering the front wheels is a familiar 1.4-litre TSI engine that sends 148hp and 250Nm of torque to a six-speed wet-clutch DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox). Forced induction allows maximum twist to be accessed from 1,500-3,500 rpm, thus helping keep fuel consumption levels down to a claimed 6.7l/100km on a combined cycle.

So the engine is from a Golf TSI and the transmission is from the GTI?
More or less, yes. Although Volkswagen’s six-speed dual-clutch transmission is usually reserved for higher-powered vehicles, most packing a 2.0L TSI up front, it has been widely lauded as one of the company’s more robust gearboxes by owners and critics alike. It’s an indirect selling point that began with the outgoing first-generation facelift which was the first model in Malaysia to be offered with the 1.4TSI-DSG6 combo. The mixing and matching of components isn’t surprising, though, since the Tiguan is also a product of the Volkswagen Group’s modular MQB platform that underpins the multi-talented Golf Mk7.

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Is the 1.4-litre engine sufficient for an SUV?
Despite being 60mm longer, 30mm wider than before the new Volkswagen Tiguan is actually 50kg lighter than before. So if the 1.4-litre TSI worked in the first-gen, there’s no reason it won’t work now. With two on board, the five-seater pulls off like a Golf would – with plenty of urgency and assurance thanks to its class-leading low-end performance. The taller ratios resulting from shaving a gear off the Golf TSI’s transmission helps keep things lively in the Tiguan without hampering the smoothness of power delivery. However, keep the pedal floored and you’ll eventually miss the naturally-aspirated top-end grunt for sustained high-speed cruises of its 2.5-litre rivals.

It’s no deal-breaker, though. In most driving scenarios, the 1.4-litre TSI is still evidently a few rungs higher than its 2.0-litre counterparts where performance is concerned.

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So it’s peppy in a straight line, but how is it around the bends?
The 77mm wheelbase extension over the outgoing model has made the Tiguan a more composed creature around the corners. Steering response is very Golf-like – light, but in a precise and agile way – making it car you can point-and-shoot in and out of the bends. In a car that’s more than five feet tall, body roll is inevitable though. The HighLine leans into corners a little less because of its lower profile tyres. But the 17-inchers on the base model live up to the ComfortLine label by being just a touch more pliant on rough surfaces.

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Is the new Volkswagen Tiguan the go-to SUV of 2017, then?
Hold your horses. There are strong indications that we will be getting the new Mazda CX-5 and Honda CR-V before the year ends. Even if you compare the Volkswagen Tiguan to the Japanese brands’ current crop of SUVs, most of them edge ahead with a lower starting price, which is why the segment is such a tough nut to crack. We haven’t even gotten to the fact that the Malaysian-spec Tiguan has no answer to AWD or seven seats just yet.

Instead of going head-on with the status quo, the Tiguan sticks out with its unique brand of continental charisma and turbocharged performance to woo buyers who want something different. And unlike a decade ago when being different meant taking a risk, this break from the norm is backed by VPCM’s five-year factory warranty and 15,000-km service interval. So don’t be surprised to see the local Tiguan population rise steadily in the coming months.