Facelift (What's New)
Front and rear bumpers, a redesigned grille, and head lights
Infotainment screen and touch-sensitive air-conditioning controls
If you're looking for a well-rounded crossover that delivers on style, pace, and practicality, this new Volkswagen Tiguan will suit you well.
Style
The facelifted Volkswagen Tiguan returns here with quite a few changes on the outside. Most noticeable are the new head lights, although the keener-eyed will also spot a new grille alongside the new front and rear bumpers.
Pace
If you opt for the cheaper of the two variants available in Singapore as tested here, you'll also want to note that the former Tiguan's 1.4-litre unit has been replaced with a 2.0-litre engine across the range.
Yes, that means you'll have to fork out more money when the tax collector makes his yearly visit, but the upside is a 39bhp gain (up to 187bhp) and an increase of 70Nm of torque (to 320Nm) over the old 1.4-litre 'Highline' Tiguan. Volkswagen states that the century sprint is now dispatched in 7.4 seconds, as opposed to the 9.2 seconds that the preceding car required.
However, the sheer sensation of speed here gets blunted thanks to the cabin's high insulation levels.
Likewise, the ride in the Tiguan, a touch on the firm side next to other cars in its class, does a decent job at arresting any unwanted body movement. The setup makes the crossover a rather pleasing thing to pilot through wide sweeping curves and gentle road undulations, but sheer driver engagement is let down by a steering that errs on the side of vagueness.
Practicality
There is a generous level of both knee and head room offered for all passengers, which couples with the standard panoramic sunroof to make the cabin feel properly voluminous for all.
And if your kids are the noisy, rough-and-ready type, you'll find the car's excellent cabin insulation and high apparent build quality a godsend.
Speaking of distractions, the new touch-sensitive air-conditioning module is also sensitive enough so you won't have to take your eyes off the road for long, even with its rather low position on the centre console.
But don't let that put you off, for you still get the option to configure the layout from the 10.25-inch instrument display and, perhaps more critically, there are still a whole lot of colours to choose from for the cabin ambient lighting.
Dedicated pockets for the smartphones of the rear passengers above the regular magazine holders are a nice practical touch, as is the car's tested 8.9km/L fuel economy.
All-rounder
The compact crossover market is awash with rivals vying for a pie of the ever-growing segment. If you're looking at the Tiguan, possible alternatives to cross-shop it against include the more affordable and more radical looking Hyundai Tucson (available from $153,999, as opposed to the Tiguan's $179,900, all prices as of 19 October 2021), while the new and sleek looking Nissan Qashqai is already on its way here, which we are expecting to come with a 1.3-litre mild-hybrid turbocharged petrol engine.
But if it's an SUV with many talents in many different places that you're after, this new Tiguan will still suit you well.
If it is an SUV you're looking for, don't forget to catch our reviews of these popular options:
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid will impress with its sharp design, posh interior, and comfortable drive
There's also the Peugeot 3008 to consider, with its sharp exterior styling combined with a unique cabin layout
