Test drive VW Tiguan: Official photos and first live impressions
At 4,43 meters long, 1,81 meters wide and 1,68 meters high, the Tiguan is actually larger than the Golf Plus (which is exactly 4,21 meters long), but still significantly more compact than its larger Touareg counterpart with Its body length is 4,76 meters. The representative of auto motor und sport had the honor to participate in the final tests of the car in Namibia.
According to the marketing department of the company, the new model belongs to the category of urban multifunctional vehicles, which are fully suitable for use by people who lead an active lifestyle in their free time. The rear seat can be moved 16 to a horizontal position and the trunk holds from 470 to 600 liters. This concept is borrowed from the Golf Plus (by the way, the interior of the Tiguan shows a layout quite close to this model), but from VW they promise significantly more emotion.
Functionality and sophisticated technology
The RNS 500 off-road navigation system is equipped with a 30 GB hard drive and many functions for cross-country navigation. The control of this system is based on a new principle, including buttons for the main menu, two rotary buttons and a touchscreen, and this technology will be used in the future for the Touran, Touareg and Passat models.
The all-wheel drive system is based on a Haldex clutch and technically the car is closer to the Passat than to the Golf: for example, the chassis is borrowed from the Passat 4motion and received a reinforced aluminum subframe. A special pride of the brand's engineers is the new generation electromechanical control, which they first invested in this model. A special technology takes care of reducing steering wheel vibration when driving over uneven bumps or obstacles such as rocks, clods of earth, etc.
On the road, the car should behave like Golf and Turan.
VW promises excellent visibility in all directions as well as impeccable ergonomics in all respects. The basic version of the Tiguan is based on 16-inch Zoll wheels with 215/65 tires, 17-inch with 235/55 tires and 18-inch with 235/50 tires are additionally available, the driving comfort remains good even with the largest wheels, and the behavior on the road practically does not differ from that of Golf or Turan. The new version of the 1.4 TSI engine has a power of 150 hp. from. and more than tolerates the weight of a 1,5 ton machine. The unit spontaneously reacts to gas supply and provides excellent dynamics. It is interesting to note that this model's drivetrain has a shorter first gear than any other VW model.
Special off-road package
Tiguan can also be ordered in a special Track & Field modification, which boasts a 28-degree front angle of attack. Another interesting detail of the off-road package is an additional mode of operation that changes the characteristics of all electronic systems in the car in order to improve the behavior on difficult terrain. There is also an electronic assistant for starting off, but still: the ground clearance of the car is 190 millimeters, so, despite the impressive equipment for a city SUV, one should not expect an unforgettable off-road.
Text: motorcycle and sports
Photos: Volkswagen
