If you absolutely won’t countenance a diesel, the petrol engine is OK – not bad, but not brilliant either. It sounds a bit strained at high revs and never quite feels as punchy as its performance figures suggest. It’s perfectly adequate and shouldn’t be a deal-breaker.
The Telegraph verdict
For all the Tiguan’s success, there was never much to get excited about. Perhaps that was part of its appeal; it blended into family life as innocuously as any car could.
The latest version continues in that vein. There’s nothing to get tremendously excited about, yet this is still a car that will win minds, if not hearts, providing effortless transport for families across the land. Expect to see more and more of them appearing at the school gate before you know it.
The facts
On test: Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI 150 Elegance DSG
Body style: five-door SUV
On sale: now
How much? £40,475 on the road (range from £34,060)
How fast? 129mph, 0-62mph in 9.4sec
How economical? 49.9mpg (WLTP Combined)
Engine & gearbox: 1,968cc four-cylinder diesel engine, seven-speed automatic gearbox, front-wheel drive
Maximum power/torque: 148bhp/265lb ft
CO2 emissions: 148g/km (WLTP Combined)
VED: £255 first year, £570 next five years, then £180
Warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles (no mileage limit in first two years)
Spare wheel as standard: No (optional extra)
The rivals
227bhp, 49.5mpg, £40,630 on the road
