FAMILY FEUD
The Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan are very similar on paper. What sets them apart on the road?
THERE ARE 87,000 WAYS TO CUSTOMISE your drink at Starbucks. Pour over, skinny, hazelnut flavoured, iced or frappuccino; you can have it whichever way you want. The essence of the coffee remains the same, and yet no two cuppas will be similar in the hands of a capable barista.
Picture the VW Group as your barista and a similar pattern will appear. Rapid and Vento, Octavia and Jetta, Superb and Passat; the Volkswagen Group has been delivering multiple iterations of the same coffee under the Skoda and Volkswagen badges over the years. But that changed with the Tiguan. Of course, Skoda followed it up with the Kodiaq but unlike the others that seemed like carbon copies, the Kodiaq and Tiguan are significantly different, at least on the outside. The Kodiaq, with its estateish lines and wider stance, feels like a borderline SUV. The Tiguan, like all Volkswagens, underplays its visual cues and feels more mature and restrained. In terms of pricing, the Skoda with seven seats was costlier by `5 lakh when launched as compared to the Tiguan. However, the gap
has now reduced drastically with the launch of the Kodiaq Scout which retails at `34 lakh (`2.5 lakh more than the top-of-the-line Tiguan). But is the Scout worth the extra money when you know that you’re essentially choosing a Venti cappuccino over a Tall?
Visual cues
The Scout comes with skid plates at both ends, a blackened grille and plastic cladding pushing it towards the SUV side of things. The story continues as soon as you open its heavy doors. The interior is all black with wood and Alcantara inserts on the dash and the doors as well, adding to its rough-and-tough appeal. The well-bolstered seats are superb and can be controlled electronically for both driver and passenger. The Nap package comes standard, which gets you thoughtful features including neck restraints built into the headrests. The Scout is also wider than the Tiguan and that lends it a very roomy feel especially when you jump straight into the all black interiors of the VW. As on the outside, the Tiguan screams sophistication on the inside. The Scout feels like it was meant for an investment banker who loves to get muddy on the weekends while the Tiguan seems to be well suited for the VPs who prefer working from the rear bench.
Both the cabins feel top-notch, and give a sense of longevity, oozing quality like all other cars from the Group. Considering these are executive SUVs and a lot of time is going to be spent in their cabins, it is safe to say you will not outgrow them soon. The Scout has the added advantage of the third row but try as we might, we failed miserably at trying to fit Suvrat (the tiniest chap in the office) into the tiny seat.
THE KODIAQ SCOUT IS FOR THE INVESTMENT BANKER WHO LOVES TO GET MUDDY ON THE WEEKENDS
Driver-centric
Both the Tiguan and Scout share the same 2-litre TDI engine that has been tuned differently. The Scout makes a few more horses but its additional weight of 100kg negates the power advantage, equating to a power-to-weight ratio of 82bhp/tonne, which is exactly the same as the Tiguan. However, the story doesn’t end there. The Tiguan delivers a very strong bottom range but fails to keep the excitement high up in the rev range. The Scout feels happier in the mid and top and if you’re someone who loves paddle shifters (like I do), the Scout will be your ideal brew.
Both the engines sound coarse at high speeds but are devoid of the usual diesel clatter which is acceptable. Mind you, the motor feels underpowered for such heavy cars especially when you consider the Compass and Tiguan cost significantly less and offer almost 30-40bhp more.
However, not many SUVs can boast of car-like driving dynamics. We already were impressed with the Tiguan when we drove our long term from Pune to Shingo-La recently. It feels super stable and planted and wraps itself around you really well. The AWD helps its case further and there’s ample grip at any given instance. The only chink in the armour for me is the super lightweight steering wheel. Despite being direct, it simply lacks any weight and that limits the Thrill of Driving. The Scout does it slightly better, though, with a little more weighted steering. You obviously feel the weight and size around corners but it’s surprisingly agile and planted for an SUV that weighs over 1.7 tonne. It lacks the tautness of the Tiguan around corners but considering the size, it’s highly impressive. The bolstered seats in the Scout are one of the best I have ever sat on (in the sub-`40 lakh space) though and keep you in place when you’re going fast around the bends.
On the highway, both the SUVs feel extremely planted even in the high triple digits, and are absolutely brilliant at masking speed. In the city, the large dimensions of the Scout work against its case but it never feels truck-like (read: Ford Endeavour or Toyota Fortuner).
Your order is ready
The Tiguan is a well-packaged SUV offering a lot of bang for your buck if the driver’s seat is your first priority. It goes round corners like a sedan without compromising on the practicality. But if you are a family man who loves to take the kids and even the dog out on weekends, the Scout should be your ideal choice. It is and feels like a bigger car while offering a lot more for your money in terms of features too. It looks like an SUV now in the Scout iteration and also feels like one on the inside. Add to it the characterful nature, and you cannot really go wrong. Really hung up on the VW? Wait for the 2020 Auto Expo to check out what’s brewing with the Allspace.L
THE TIGUAN IS SUPER STABLE AND WRAPS ITSELF AROUND YOU REALLY WELL