Grocott's Mail

New VW Tiguan

- By SAM SPILLER

There’s no denying that the VW Tiguan is an important car for the German automaker. Having sold more than 19 000 units since its introducti­on into our market back in 2007, this miniSUV has managed to hold up against the competitio­n in its segment, offering VW’s trademark quality and aftermarke­t offerings. Naturally, the arrival of the next generation of Tiguan has come highly anticipate­d.

Those familiar with the previous model would know that in terms of design, finish and offerings, the Tiguan was distinctly similar to other offered VW vehicles. The new model, though a completely redesigned car, takes the same route, offering front and back bumper designs you could swear were taken from its big brother, the Touareg. The new car, though slightly bigger and longer than its predecesso­r, has lost weight in its transforma­tion, losing around 53kg.

The vehicle is offered in the same levels of trim as before, Trendline, Comfortlin­e and Highline. Features standard across the range include manual air condition- ing, cruise control and Bluetooth connectivi­ty package, with listed optional features being an 8-inch infotainme­nt touchscree­n system, heads-up display, and LED headlights.

Safety wise, the new Tiguan comes equipped with six airbags as well as a post-collision braking system, designed to prevent any secondary collisions.

Previously, consumers enjoyed a vast selection of engines to choose from when purchasing Tiguan. This selection has been carried over into the new model, with a choice of three turbopetro­l and three turbodiese­l engines to choose from. The first two 1.4 TSI petrol engines boast a power output of 92kW and 110kW respective­ly, while the 2.0 TDI engines produce 81kW, 105kW and 130kW. The range-topping 2.0 TSI petrol with 162kW (which, along with the diesel engines, we can only expect at the end of this year), along with the other high-powered engines, are offered with VW’s 4MOTION drive system. The 90kW petrol comes available with a six speed manual transmissi­on, with a 6-speed DSG transmissi­on only being available with the more powerful 110kW.

The new VW Tiguan comes standard with a five year/90 000km service plan, and a three year/120 000km warranty and 12 year anti-corrosion warranty. Service intervals are 15 000km. New Tiguan Prices (VAT and emissions tax included) 1.4 TSI 92kW Trendline Manual R378 000 1.4 TSI 92kW Comfortlin­e Manual R419 000 1.4 TSI 110kW Comfortlin­e DSG R457 680

 ?? Photo: quickpic.co.za ?? The new VW Tiguan.
Photo: quickpic.co.za The new VW Tiguan.

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