Volkswagen has a new model in its lineup, the 2020 Tiguan. It is a compact SUV with a lot of space and an interior that's surprising nice, especially for the top trim models.
The tiguan is a great car for families, offering plenty of space and lots of tech to keep everyone happy. It also has good fuel economy, though it's not as efficient as the base engines of many competitors.
The Tiguan R starts at around R999 900 in the base FWD trim. The top SE R-Line Black model costs approximately $31,315 (or $34,990 if you opt for 4Motion). Both are equipped with all of the standard gizmos, such as a sunroof that opens up, a sat-nav system and VW's excellent Infotainment System.
The boot is 615 litres, which is a lot of space. The boot is large enough to hold all your flatpacks and, when the third row is folded, you can fit a family of five or four.
As expected from a compact SUV, the driving position is high and visibility is great. Legroom for taller drivers is good.
With its wide doors, this is an easy car to get in and out of. The rear seats can be moved forward and back to adjust boot space or seat position depending on your needs.
But there's a catch: The Tiguan isn't quite as flexible as the third-row seats of some rivals, and it takes some muscle to climb in and out of the second row.
It's not an exciting car to look at either. It's a little disappointing because its interior looks pretty good.
The interior layout is intuitive and there's a lot of available technology worth paying for. The dashboard, for example, has a digital instrument panel and touchscreen controls that make using the infotainment system a breeze.
Thanks to their large wheels and low weight, they make getting around town easy. In our test we got an EPA estimated 24 miles per gallon, which is what you would expect from a small SUV.
If you want a more dynamic driving experience, then the Tiguan's Sport mode will sharpen up the throttle and the steering. Volkswagen should offer adaptive dampers by default.
You can't blame them since it takes a great deal of work to fit the car correctly.
We'd like to see Volkswagen add more active safety features to the Tiguan. This could include a reversing camera that follows the car's route, or some kind of automatic braking.
VW should also bring out a new turbocharged engine with more power. It would give a car more power, making it more dynamic and fun to operate.
You may also want to consider a pluggable hybrid. This option is not available in South Africa but it would be nice to have.