Latest news with #Tiguan
Auto Blog
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
I Drove the 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan. Here's My Brutally Honest Review
VW's best seller finally comes into its own The $30,920 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan marks the third generation of VW's best-selling model, but the once two-row, then three-row, and now two-row again compact crossover has had its fair share of growing pains. It couldn't exactly determine what dimensions and row count suited it best, and it has been hindered by quirky in-car tech that made user-unfriendliness its calling card. Its 'Tiger' and 'Iguana' portmanteau name managed to escape the awkwardness of the larger and now defunct Touareg SUV, and the Tiguan has thrived even when it wasn't the best model in the segment. For 2025, a lot has changed for the better, but the Tiguan is far from perfect. We drove the 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line and got to experience all of the model's changes first-hand. The new sheetmetal ups its game but still looks like a Tiguan 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan — Source: Amos Kwon The first thing you notice about the new Tiguan is that it just plain looks better. Eliminating the almost pointless third row allowed VW to shorten the front and rear overhangs, which makes for better proportions. Together with slimmed-down headlights, a bolder grille, a unified taillight bar, a steeper C-pillar slope, and more dramatic body creases, the new Tiguan is both sportier and more refined in its appearance. The new MQB Evo platform, which underpins the Tiguan, allows for efficient use of space and is the brand's most widely used platform to date. 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan — Source: Amos Kwon The front fascia of the last Tiguan wasn't bad-looking, but it wasn't especially memorable. The new one is more vertical and more SUV-like. It features a thinner, single-bar upper grille paired with a larger lower grille, whose shape varies based on the trim level. The headlight clusters are slimmer, similar to those of the Golf and Golf R. The new daytime running lights (DRLs) form a single, unified bar across the full width of the front. It's a cleaner look that's evolutionary but noticeable. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan — Source: Amos Kwon The body is what changes the look of the Tiguan the most. The curved creases over the front and rear haunches contribute to the tidier profile, adding muscularity and character. From the back, the Tiguan's new full-width taillights have a more complex pattern and give the Tiguan a wider stance. The blackened bumper trim and longer roof spoiler add sportiness to the look. Did we mention how much we love the new Sandstone Grey paint on our SEL R-Line tester? It's a subtle color that pairs nicely with the sporty black trim. Power returns, still hamstrung off the line 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan — Source: Amos Kwon The last Tiguan's engine was a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder that made 184 horsepower, which wasn't exactly potent compared to many of its competitors. It lost horsepower from the first generation's 201, but now the revised mill is back to 201 horsepower. While that's not exactly big news, VW will bring a 268-hp turbocharged four to the Tiguan Turbo SEL R-Line trim, replacing the current SEL R-Line. That should shake things up a bit as the power bump has been severely lacking for Tiguan fans. 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan — Source: Amos Kwon As much as we applaud the return of power, we were disappointed by the Tiguan's response off the line. Similar to its predecessor, the 2025 Tiguan pauses on takeoff with a lagging torque response that hamstrings the get-up-'n'-go quotient enough to sully the experience. It reminds us of the last Tiguan, unfortunately. The good news is that the eight-speed automatic transmission is responsive, and it appropriately holds the gears noticeably longer in Sport mode. We dialed that in as often as we could, but it didn't seem to help the lag. Steering is sharp with a bit more effort, and body control is very good. The brakes don't take hold when you first press the pedal, so it's a tad alarming at first. Progression is good once they bite, though, and you get acclimated to their responsiveness after a short while. The interior goes three steps forward and one back 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan — Source: Amos Kwon So much has changed in the cabin that the Tiguan looks like it went to etiquette school. The overall look and feel are significantly better than the previous generation's. Our SEL R-Line tester had rich Amber Brown quilted leather and open-pore wood trim, which looked better than some of its pricier Audi siblings. Materials quality is improved significantly, and the aesthetics are cleaner and more upscale. The first thing you notice is the huge infotainment screen. Our tester came with the upgraded 15-inch touchscreen for higher trims, but the standard screen is still a sizeable 12.9-inch touchscreen. Thankfully, both are much larger than the last generation's 8 and 10.3-inch versions. They're vivid and attractive, but making virtually all controls operate through the screen is frustrating and distracting. 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan — Source: Amos Kwon The shift knob has moved from the center console to the steering column. While this provides more room for storage, we dislike the lack of intuitiveness of the shifting exercise. Climate controls now exist as sliders below the infotainment screen and as a menu selection. We didn't like the old climate control panel, and the change hasn't improved matters at all. We dislike it even more than the old one because using sliders while driving is imprecise and much harder than just tapping. Neither is better than using a physical knob, which we hope VW returns to when a refresh is due. 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan — Source: Amos Kwon The Tiguan's new center console rotary dial is a mixed bag. It's technically a third screen that can switch between the audio system's volume control and the Tiguan's drive mode selector by pressing the dial. Oddly, you can also swipe to choose 'Atmospheres' like Nature, Joy, and Energetic. It alters ambient lighting and audio depending on your choice, and R-Line models get 30 customizable colors and extended lighting locations in the dash and front doors. It's a fancy feature but putting additional controls on the knob screen is an unnecessary distraction when controls for this amenity are already on the center touchscreen. Sometimes, less is more, VW. 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan — Source: Amos Kwon An important note about the interior is the increase in the Tiguan's second-row legroom from 36.5 inches to 40.2 inches, which transforms comfort for rear passengers by adding a whopping 3.7 inches. No longer outdone by the Taos, the Tiguan's second row increase means six-footers can easily sit behind themselves with room to spare. The deletion of the third row and the new platform can take credit for the change, and the Tiguan is far better as a result. Final thoughts The redesigned Tiguan is worth a look for shoppers who want a head-turning compact SUV that won't break the bank. The marginal price increase of $615 provides you with a significant upgrade in terms of style, space, and power. Especially in higher trim levels, the Tiguan looks and feels like a premium product that can nip at the heels of a Lexus NX or a BMW X1, and is quite a bit bigger inside. The issues arise when you have to wait after mashing the gas from a traffic light, when you want to make a simple temperature adjustment, or find an operation buried in the menu. VW needs to get these issues sorted out to make the Tiguan truly great. For now, it's just much better than it ever has been, and that could very well be enough for most. About the Author Amos Kwon View Profile
NZ Autocar
4 days ago
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Latest ANCAP crash testing has four Euros on five stars
Four new vehicles from Europe have recently undergone ANCAP crash testing and passed with flying colours. Polestar 3 First up, the Polestar 3 EV impressed with a very high level of protection offered to child occupants, scoring 94 per cent. It also received top marks for the effectiveness of its child presence detection system (CPD). The set-up offers direct feedback to the driver if child occupants are left in an unattended vehicle. The vehicle was almost as effective at Adult Occupant Protection with a 90 per cent result. Its active safety features include reverse AEB, which prevents driveway and carpark reversing collisions involving children and adults. It received a 79 per cent score for safety assist and also vulnerable road user protection. Volkswagen Tiguan Next up, Volkswagen Tiguan, which also achieved five-star ANCAP status. It scored 83, 88, 84 and 84 per cent across each of the respective Adult, Child, Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist categories. ANCAP said that the five-seat Tiguan presents a safe all-round package. Driver and front passenger protection in the frontal offset crash test was judged as being very good. 'The Tiguan blends a solid crash structure with a well-rounded active safety offering. That makes it a dependable and practical choice for the safety-conscious family,' said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg. Audi A5 Audi's full-size sedan, the A5, achieved an 87 per cent scores for both Adult and Child Occupant Protection. Protection from injury in the range of destructive crash tests was Good overall. Good levels of protection were also observed for child occupants in the side and frontal crash tests. A child presence detection system is fitted, although this system is not as sophisticated as the direct monitoring CPD system fitted to the Polestar 3. The collision avoidance systems fitted to the Audi A5 showed effective performance, with the most consistent performance seen in car-to-car autonomous emergency braking functionality. The A5 achieved solid scores of 78 and 79 per cent for Vulnerable Road User and Safety Assist categories, respectively. Volkswagen Multivan This people mover first arrived in New Zealand in 2022, though did not go on sale in Australia until early 2025. It features a host of airbags throughout, helping it to achieve a 90 per cent Adult Occupant Protection score and 88 per cent for Child Occupant Protection. Strong scores were recorded in each of the physical crash tests. For Vulnerable Road Users, the score was 69 per cent and for Safety Assist Multivan managed 79 per cent. 'For families and businesses transporting people regularly, the Multivan offers reassuring levels of protection throughout its three-rows as well as to those outside the vehicle,' said Ms Hoorweg. Unlike the other three tested here using the latest criteria, the Multivan was assessed using the 2020-2022 crash test regimen.
Mail & Guardian
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Mail & Guardian
The new VW Tiguan: Premium, posh and affordable
Stylish: The new Tiguan includes a LED strip across the front of the vehicle. I did not have the privilege of testing the Volkswagen (VW) Tiguan before it won the award for the best family car at the 2025 South African Car of the Year awards. The one thing I could see was the impressive design the new Tiguan has been given. It looked way more confident than the previous generation as VW dumped the traditional radiator grille for a very neat LED strip across the front of the vehicle. It looked more aggressive, but still held the traditional value of the older Tiguan. When I received the vehicle on test, I took a look around and noticed that the LED strip across the back almost makes the front and back of the vehicle symmetrical. This is a really cool touch from VW because the front and back of the vehicle blend the exterior together extremely well. Some manufacturers usually put a lot of effort into a bold and aggressive front, but often leave the back of the vehicle plain and boring. Interior The Tiguan means business on the inside. It looks and feels comfortable from the second you get into the vehicle. The premium feel of the interior pushes excellence. The new ergoActive Plus leather seats with pneumatic four-way lumbar adjustment and a pneumatic 10-chamber pressure massage function are a perfect match for the high-quality character of this SUV. These leather seats are optional on the Life derivative but come standard on the R-Line derivative. My recommendation is to take them, especially if you drive long distances like I do. Nothing hits better than the 'circles' massage that the seats offer. The large and comfortable leather seats are also heated and cooled. The dashboard is stylish and comes with a fully digital instrument cluster and an infotainment screen that can be 12.9 inches or 15 inches depending on what you choose. The infotainment system is extremely responsive and user friendly. There are also stylish climate and volume touch sliders just below the infotainment system that are convenient but also aesthetically pleasing. My favourite part about the interior is the driving experience dial located in the centre console, which is a unique touch from VW. It looks like a volume dial on the surface, and it is, but if you press it, it allows you to select your driving mode or change the atmosphere in the cabin to fit your mood. I was always feeling energetic when driving the Tiguan, so that option applied to me. The driving experience dial can change driving modes, volume and the atmosphere in the car. The only downside of the interior was the storage unit. The cupholders are hidden and it was just difficult to get my coke can out while driving. In terms of space, the Tiguan remains generous. Both the front and back are spacious and comfortable. The boot also gains an extra 37 litres from the previous generation and now has a capacity of 652 litres. The interior of the new Tiguan The drive The Tiguan we had on test was the Life derivative that has a 1.4 turbocharged petrol engine and delivers 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque. VW has also just released a 2-litre turbocharged petrol and diesel variant of the Tiguan. That is certainly enough power, but it is also important to remember that this is not a performance SUV. Rather, it is the ultimate family cruiser. It provides a smooth, quiet and elegant drive. On the N12 and R21, this car was a dream to drive. The handling was effortless, the suspension was solid and the engine and cabin insulation provided a beautifully refined drive that allowed me to enjoy all the comfort and technology inside the car. It got even better when I looked at the fuel consumption. VW claims 7.6 litres/100km, but I managed 6.7 litres/100km. There was a point on the open road where I was averaging 5.8 litres/100km. German excellence: The new Tiguan handles the roads effortlessly Safety Tiguan has received a 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. This rating signifies excellent overall impact protection and a good level of standard safety features. The new Tiguan comes standard with Park Assist Plus. Park Assist Plus is a system that is already familiar from other Volkswagen models: it allows assisted driving into or out of parallel or bay parking. The Volkswagen models take over control of acceleration, braking and steering for this purpose. Verdict There's a reason the Tiguan beat contenders such as the impressive Jaecoo J7 and Mini Countryman to the family car of the year award. It offers tremendous features, pleasant comfort and an exceptional drive. A Tiguan will cost you from R651 500, going all the way up to R834 400. VW has pushed the third generation Tiguan into a more premium category while still managing to remain affordable. In a world where all the value for money looks like it is coming from Chinese manufacturers, the new Tiguan offers a refreshing option for those who still love German engineering. Pricing Tiguan 1.4 TSI 110kW DSG R651 500 Tiguan Life 1.4 TSI 110kW DSG R702 800 Tiguan R-Line 1.4 TSI 110kW DSG R766 300 Tiguan 2.0 TDI 110kW 4M DSG R755 700 Tiguan 2.0 TSI 140kW 4M DSG R834 800
Motor Trend
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
2026 Volkswagen SUVs: Tiguan Turbo Comin' in Hot
As it did last year, Volkswagen spreads the love across its SUV lineup for 2026, delivering updates for every one of its models. Leading the charge is the Tiguan compact crossover, which adds a new turbocharged variant that brings extra excitement to the range. Keep reading to find out what's new for 2026 Volkswagen SUVs. Volkswagen's 2026 SUV lineup sees updates across all models. The Tiguan adds a powerful turbo variant, while the Atlas, Atlas Cross Sport, ID4, and Taos receive minor upgrades. Notable changes include tech enhancements and styling updates for a more modern appeal. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next 2026 Volkswagen Atlas For 2026, the Volkswagen Atlas three-row SUV carries over mostly unchanged. The only update is the addition of a factory-installed HomeLink rearview mirror on the SE with Technology trim, which integrates universal garage door remote buttons. The Atlas underwent a midcycle refresh for the 2024 model year, gaining enhanced performance, updated styling, and new standard features such as large driver and infotainment displays and a heated steering wheel. That refresh also marked the discontinuation of the V-6 engine, which was replaced by a more powerful turbo-four. MotorTrend Ranked: No. 13 in three-row SUVs (2025 model). Read Our Experts' Full Volkswagen Atlas Review 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Like the standard Atlas, the only update to the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport midsize SUV is the addition of a HomeLink rearview mirror on the SE with Technology trim, allowing drivers to program garage door and gate openers directly into the mirror. The Cross Sport received a significant refresh for the 2024 model year, including updated exterior styling and a more modern interior. The 2025 model brought enhanced technology features and improved overall refinement. MotorTrend Ranked: No. 11 in midsize SUVs (2025 model). Read Our Experts' Full Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Review Every 2026 ID4 model scores a standard ZEV3 2-in-1 charging cable, enabling both Level 1 and Level 2 home charging from a single cord. The ID4 Pro S Plus AWD trim also gains a HomeLink rearview mirror. Volkswagen has announced that a mid-model-year update is coming in early 2026, which will introduce more features for the ID4—including the addition of a built-in NACS (North American Charging System) port similar to Tesla's design. MotorTrend Ranked: No. 5 in electric compact SUVs (2025 model). Read Our Experts' Full Volkswagen ID4 Review 2026 Volkswagen Taos Changes to the 2026 Taos are minimal, highlighted by newly standard rear seatbelt pretensioners, an improved seatbelt reminder system, and updated black badging on the SE Black model. The Taos received a more substantial refresh for the 2025 model year, which brought increased horsepower, a new transmission, and notable upgrades to both technology and styling. MotorTrend Ranked: No. 9 in subcompact SUVs (2025 model). Read Our Experts' Full Volkswagen Taos Review 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan After a full redesign for 2025, the 2026 Tiguan sees a few key updates, including a revised hands-free driving system. This year also introduces a new, more powerful top-of-the-line trim: the SEL R-Line Turbo. It replaces the outgoing SEL R-Line in the Tiguan lineup. The Tiguan SEL R-Line Turbo is powered by a turbocharged engine making 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 67 hp and 51 lb-ft over the standard Tiguan, and it remains compatible with regular gasoline, offering strong performance without the need for premium fuel. Standard 4Motion all-wheel drive and slightly larger brakes enhance the Turbo's handling and braking confidence. Visually, the Tiguan Turbo stands out with 20-inch black wheels, black mirror caps, and a contrasting black roof, giving it a sportier, more aggressive look. MotorTrend Ranked: No. 12 in compact SUVs (2024 model). Read Our Experts' Full Volkswagen Tiguan Review 2026 Volkswagen SUVs: What's New 2026 Volkswagen Atlas: Minor update 2026 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport: Minor update 2026 Volkswagen ID4: Minor update 2026 Volkswagen Taos: Minor update 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan: Significant update
Scottish Sun
17-06-2025
- Scottish Sun
Motorbike driver, 82, killed after horror crash with SUV as cops launch appeal for dashcam footage
The man's family are being supported by specialist officers CRASH HORROR Motorbike driver, 82, killed after horror crash with SUV as cops launch appeal for dashcam footage Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN 82-year-old motorbike driver has died after a horror crash with a SUV. Cops and emergency services scrambled to the scene after a blue VW Tiguan SUV and a blue Honda motorcycle collided in Malton, North Yorkshire, around 11.42am on Tuesday. Sadly, the 82-year-old man who was riding the motorcycle died at the scene The man's family have been informed and they are receiving specialist support from our officers. The driver of the Tiguan, a man aged in his 60s, is assisting officers with the investigation. North Yorkshire Police confirmed he was taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment. Diversions have been in place so the emergency services could work safety at the scene and to allow for both vehicles to be recovered as part of the collision investigation. The road reopened just after 9pm after the highways team cleared debris from the carriageway. We are urging people to come forward if they witnessed or have dashcam footage of the collision itself, or recall seeing either the blue Tiguan or the blue Honda motorcycle prior to the incident.
