Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TSI DSG Elegance (A) First Drive Review

Since it was first unveiled in 2007, the Tiguan has been huge for Volkswagen. The firm states that 2,495 units were rolled off Volkswagen's many production lines around the world once every day in 2019. For perspective: That's one new Tiguan brought into this world every 35 seconds.

So, will this new facelifted model live up to the success of its predecessor?

Refined looks

The new car certainly sports handsome new looks that can woo buyers. At the front there are redesigned head lights, which have been narrowed, as well as a new grille, which has been widened instead.

And at the back, the Tiguan has been brought closer to the rest of the latest from the Volkswagen range such as the Golf and the T-Cross, with the Tiguan's model badging now taking centre place beneath the badge on the boot.

Solid cabin

The cabin, meanwhile, gets new touch activated air-conditioning controls as well as an 8.0-inch infotainment system that should be familiar to all those with experience in Volkswagen's previous generation of products.

The new air-conditioning module may be positioned rather low in the cabin, but I found it just sensitive enough so you'll only need to take your eyes off the road for a brief moment, even if you want to make some precise adjustments.

So it's an overall minor change for the interior but one that no doubt adds to the premium impression you get when seated at the driver's seat.

And baring that slight usability issue, all the hallmarks of a premium cabin are still present in the Tiguan: The doors are heavy and shut with a reassuring thud, and there's plenty of soft padding for all the common contact points. Apparent build quality is as high as can be demanded.

If you're still hankering for more changes here, there's always the option to step up to the R-Line Tiguan, which now gets a larger 9.2-inch infotainment system, as well as the R-Line sports steering wheel equipped with capacitive touch buttons as seen in the R-Line Golf and Golf GTI.

Quiet drive

Not that drivers of the 'Elegance' trim cars will be kept awake at night, because both cars are equipped with the same drivetrain, which continues to impress.

The 187bhp 2.0-litre unit is smooth and quiet, and driven lightly, shifts from the seven-speed dual-clutch are practically imperceivable.

Once up to speed, the overall drive in the Tiguan also mirrors the drivetrain's effortlessness. The Tiguan is impeccably quiet right up to highway speeds, with only the wind stirring up a faint whisper from the top of the A-pillars.

The ride is just a touch on the firm side, which is great for instilling confidence when driving over uneven terrain, but is still soft enough to allow the car to round off the sharper edges on the road, so your passengers never need be disturbed.

Speaking of which, those seated at the back will also find plenty of knee, leg, and headroom, which is further amplified by a panoramic sunroof (standard on all trims).

There's generous enough space in the door pockets, and while we are on the topic of practical touches, there are rather nifty pockets above the magazine holders on the backs of the front seats for the rear passengers to store their smartphones.

Confident crossover

The changes for this new Volkswagen Tiguan may have been light, but that really shouldn't matter, given that it already excels so well at the important factors including ride quality and overall refinement.

Volkswagen better be prepared to roll more of these out of its plants.