VW’s mid-sized SUV gets a whole new look

The latest VW Tiguan has an all new look HAVE always thought VW’s Tiguan was a really good car, so much so that I advised ‘Her Indoors’’ best friend to buy one… but it somehow did not quite hit the spot for me in the design department.

However, VW have given their best-selling mid-sized SUV a whole new look, and what a difference. The Tiguan has gone from sensible but dull to cutting edge, with a more angular, squared-off look replacing the old car’s more rounded appearance.

It is lower, wider and longer, meaning more luggage space and legroom for rear-seat passengers – yet surprisingly there is also more headroom all round.

That’s not to say the old Tiguan, launched in 2008 in the UK, has missed the target with more than 100,000 sold here and 2.8 million shifted worldwide.

The new model went on sale a few weeks ago and it is not just in the looks department that things have got better for the Tiguan – as well as being roomier, it is noticeably quieter and better equipped than the outgoing version.

And with the new mid-sized SUV priced from £22,500 on the road, I expect this mark-two model to go even better in the showrooms.

Our test car was the mid-range SE Navigation 2.0 TDI six-speed manual with 2WD. A shade over £28,000 gets you a lot of kit, including three-zone air conditioning, cruise control (but not adaptive), all-round parking sensors, electric handbrake with auto hold, lane assist, an eight-inch colour touch screen infotainment/sat-nav, electronic diff-lock traction control and a raft of safety features for both occupants and pedestrians

Standard across the range, which runs from S, SE, SE Navigation and SEL up to R-Line, are 17-inch ‘Montana’ alloy wheels and there is a choice of seven new diesel and petrol engines.

The bigger boot means total load space rises to 1,655 litres and the new Tiguan is around 50kg lighter so, despite its new dimensions, the petrol and diesel engines are up to 25pc more efficient. A plug-in hybrid with low CO2 emissions is due later in the year, too.

Engines range from a 1.4-litre petrol with 123bhp to a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel with 237bhp, although the lowest powered models come with front-wheel drive and a manual gearbox only.

The best-selling Tiguan will be the 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel model (our test car) as it offers a good blend of performance and economy. The cheaper 115 version (with 114bhp) is a little underpowered and there is also a 190 version of the 2.0 TDI engine which delivers plenty of go power, while the range-topping 240 brings yet more power.

With petrol versions, the base model puts out 123bhp from its turbocharged 1.4-litre engine while the 150 version of the 1.4 is better, but also lacks the low-rev pulling power of the diesels. For real performance, there are 2.0-litre petrol engines, the 180 is quick and the 220 quite fast.

Even entry-level S models have an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, a DAB radio, and USB and SD card sockets, SE Navigation and sat-nav with 3D mapping and traffic information.

SE models and above also get VW’s Car-Net system, which allows you to connect a smartphone and access its features via the Tiguan’s infotainment system. The touchscreen sat nav is easy to use but a good tip is you have to spot the ‘postcode’ message at the bottom of the screen.

The SEL adds a fully configurable digital instrument cluster, LED headlights, adaptive cruise control, different alloy wheels, and a panoramic sunroof, while the rangetopping R-Line has 20in wheels and stiffer sports suspension, as well as small interior and exterior sportier trim touches.

Our test car was pressed into service for a short weekend break to Stow-on-the-Wold and, despite a two-hour motorway delay due to a ‘vehicle fire’ (which we never saw any evidence of), it proved easy to live with and comfortable, cruising effortlessly at the legal limit, although the lack of adaptive cruise control was a bit of a pain (standard fit on SEL and above).

Our test car was also good value at 28k and the range starts at £22,500 for the smallest petrol version. As you go up the ladder, the SEL is from £32,000 and a top-spec R-Line 4Motion comes in at £36,375 – but you do get all the toys and lots of performance with 0 to 62 coming up in under eight seconds.

Our 2.0 TDi 150 returns up to 67mpg on a run and a shade under 59 overall, which is impressive for a mid-sized SUV. Going for 4x4 reduces that by a little and, with the 2WD cars having that diff-lock traction control, is only worth having if you really need it. Top speed is 127 and 0-62 a respectable 9.3 seconds. ● VW currently have special offer deals on the Tiguan including a £1,000 deposit contribution. For more information, see www.volkswagen.co.uk OW quite a lot of people own a classic car but north west businessman Lawrence Whittaker owns a classic car company. The 32-year-old – pictured above with one of his £800,000 (plus VAT) Lister Knobblys and racing legend Sir Sterling Moss – bought the historic Lister marque in 2013 and the Cambridgeshire-based company is now making 10 of the amazing motors.

Based on the car Sir Sterling won with at Silverstone in 1958, Lawrence – who was born in Accrington and has a flat in central Manchester – says it is a ‘continuation’ of that car by the same company which made the original.

The businessman, who is CEO of Accrington-based motor breakdown insurance company Warrantywise, was with Sir Sterling in Florida’s Pebble Beach for the US launch of the car – which sells there for $1m dollars plus taxes – earlier this week.

He said: “While some original Lister Knobblys are still campaigned in historic racing, none of the original ‘works’ cars survive, making this limited run an incredible opportunity for collectors and Lister enthusiasts.” OYCIE’S Jaguar E-Type (above), which starred in the BBC’s Only Fools and Horses TV series, is to be offered at auction. The one-owner car, which has been lovingly looked after and is in largely original condition, will be offered with a sale estimate of between £75,000 and £85,000.

The 1973 Series III Roadster was bought by a successful Swansea businessman, who has cruised his E-Type along the Welsh Riviera with the top down for four decades.

In 1981, it featured in the second ever episode of Only Fools and Horses, titled Go West Young Man, in which Del Boy (David Jason) and Rodney (Nicholas Lyndhurst) ‘borrow’ dodgy car dealer Boycie’s motor but end up crashing it.

The car will go under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions’ Salon Privé Sale at Blenheim Palace this weekend.