Volkswagen Tiguan (2016-2023) Review

If you’re looking for a practical family SUV that’ll make you feel good about yourself, the Volkswagen Tiguan is an excellent choice. Arguably, the closely-related SEAT Ateca and Skoda Karoq do pretty much the same job for less money, but we like the Tiguan’s interior and think it looks sharper, too. There’s an engine to suit most buyers, and most models are pretty comprehensibly equipped.

If you’re considering the Volkswagen Tiguan, you’d be foolish not to consider very similar Volkswagen Group alternatives like the SEAT Ateca and Skoda Karoq, as well as the more expensive Audi Q3 or Audi Q5. We also rate the Peugeot 3008 very highly, and you could even compare the Tiguan to premium alternatives like the BMW X3, Land Rover Discovery Sport or Volvo XC60. More affordable options include the Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage and Renault Kadjar.

You’ll pay a bit more for a Volkswagen over other mainstream alternatives, but generally you’ll notice a step-up in quality to reflect this. That’s true for the Tiguan, which has lots of dense soft-touch materials and thoughtful trim finishes. Sure, if you start poking around you might find a few hard or flimsy plastics here and there, but that’s what separates the Tiguan from the pricier Audi Q3.

Every button or switch you press will feel substantial and nicely damped, with even things like the indicators giving off an impression of quality. Yes, we’re serious.

Of course, exactly how opulent your Tiguan is will depend on its trim level. SEL models come with some appealing Piano Black inserts on the centre console as well as ambient lighting in the front footwell. All models come with a leather-trimmed steering wheel, although leather seats are a desirable option available on most trim levels.

All Volkswagen Tiguan models are sold with an eight-inch touchscreen media system, which includes Bluetooth connectivity (for calls and audio streaming), an SD card reader and DAB radio. S models don’t come with navigation, but that’s not a huge loss as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the range - allowing you to mirror apps from your phone, including third-party navigation apps like Google Maps.

Match models and above get navigation via the same infotainment screen, including preloaded European navigation data and a choice of 2D or 3D map views.

Tech fans should look for a Tiguan with the optional 9.2-inch Discover Pro system. As well as a bigger screen, this includes voice control, fancy gesture control (our words…), a DVD player and a 64GB hard drive.

No matter which system your Tiguan of choice has, all are easy to use with intuitive menu layouts, clear graphics and fast responses. They’re not too distracting to use on the move, too, as the screen is positioned usefully high up on the dashboard and flanked with helpful shortcut buttons.

Measuring 4486mm in length, 1654mm in height and 2099mm in width (including door mirrors), the Volkswagen Tiguan is on the big side when it comes to family SUVs.

There’s loads of space in the front of the Tiguan, with plenty of headroom (even in models with the panoramic sunroof, which can sometimes eat into space) and legroom. You’ll find lots of handy storage space, too, including generous door pockets and a useful cubby under the central armrest. A cooled glovebox is a neat touch, too - as are the drawers under the front seats of Tiguan Match and SEL models.

Rear-seat passengers are unlikely to complain either, unless you try to squeeze three adults in side-by-side (which makes things feel a little cramped). Big windows will help reduce the chances of travel sickness, while most Tiguans come with fold-down tables on the back of the front seats. There’s Isofix points on the outer rear seats, too, making fitting child seats that little bit easier.

If you need more space, there’s also the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace which is slightly longer and adds an extra pair of seats.

The boot is huge - certainly much bigger than the Golf hatchback and alternatives like the Nissan Qashqai and Skoda Karoq. It can lug up to 615 litres of luggage, while access is easy thanks to a large opening and height-adjustable floor. You can slide the rear bench forwards if you need more space, and drop them almost entirely flat for even more room.

Under the boot floor, most Tiguan models come with a steel space-saver spare wheel. This will save time and prevent arguments in the event of a puncture. Having said that, the 2.0 BiTDI 240 model comes with one of those frustrating tyre repair kits instead.

Diesel engines are more popular than petrols in the Tiguan. They suit the car well, with plenty of low-down torque providing a relaxing drive even when loaded with passengers or luggage.

The entry-level 2.0-litre TDI will be grunty enough for most buyers. It packs 150PS and is available with two- or four-wheel drive, as well as a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic DSG gearbox. Cars with the DSG transmission are the most desirable and fetch a little more on the used market (and you’ll pay more in fuel, too) - so you’d be better looking for a manual if you’re on a budget. That said, the DSG gearbox suits the car really well with quick responses.

Higher-spec models are also available with a 190PS version of the same engine. This provides a useful extra amount of power, which makes overtaking and building up speed on motorway sliproads slightly easier. For the ultimate in turbodiesel performance, look for a Tiguan with the 2.0 BiTDI engine which produces a stonking 240PS. This’ll accelerate to 62mph in 6.5 seconds, which is almost hot-hatch levels of performance. It’s a bit unnecessary, really, but it’d certainly make for a very competent tow car.

If you don’t cover many motorway miles and don’t plan to tow anything, you’d be better with a Tiguan powered by a petrol engine. Earlier models were sold with a 1.4-litre petrol, which was replaced by a 1.5 early in 2019. These engines are much of a muchness, really - surprisingly punchy in typical turbocharged petrol manner, although you might prefer the torque of the diesel if you expect to regularly drive your Tiguan with a full cohort of passengers. 

There’s a 2.0-litre petrol available too, but it’s quite a thirsty choice which means it only sold in small numbers and is quite a rare find on the used market.

The Volkswagen Tiguan does a superb job of isolating you from wind and road noise at higher speeds, although you will notice a bit of a rumble from those fitted with 20-inch alloy wheels.

The engines are very quiet, too, even if you opt for diesel power. Sure, there’s the usually distinctive clatter on start-up, but it settles down nicely once up to speed (and temperature). The more powerful diesels are slightly more refined than the standard 150PS 2.0-litre diesel, but that’s largely because they don’t need working as hard to build speed.

If you cover lots of town driving, you might find a hybrid alternative like the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V to be slightly more refined than a petrol Tiguan, but few people will have any complaints about noise levels in the Volkswagen.

The Volkswagen Tiguan is packed with clever safety features designed to prevent you from being involved in a crash in the first place.

These include Volkswagen’s Front Assist monitoring system which combines Predictive Pedestrian Protection with City Emergency Braking, alerting you if it detects vehicles or pedestrians at the edge of the road or on the carriageway. The system can even perform an emergency stop if required.

Lane Assist is also standard. This is a camera-controlled system, which warns you if your car starts to drift from your lane. It can also nudge your steering wheel if it looks like you’re veering from your lane without indicating.

Select models also come with a Driver Alert system. This monitors your driving behaviour and how long you’ve been driving, suggesting you should take a break if you appear tired or distracted.

If, despite all these active safety systems, you are in a crash, the Volkswagen Tiguan’s a very safe SUV to be in. Its comprehensive airbag system includes curtain airbags for front and rear passengers, front seat side impact airbags, driver’s and front passenger’s airbags with passenger’s airbag deactivation switch and a driver’s knee airbag.

When the Tiguan was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2016, it scored a maximum five stars for safety. The independent body gave it an impressive 96% rating for adult occupants, 84% for children, 72% for pedestrians and 68% for its safety assist features.

Volkswagen has a fairly average reliability record – in recent years, its cars don't seem to be quite as dependable as you might expect. This is backed up by the latest HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index, where Volkswagen ranked 10th in the list of least reliable manufacturers. There aren't too many issues with the Volkswagen Tiguan specifically, although the DSG automatic gearbox can be troublesome – as can the 1.5 TSI petrol engine.

If you’re looking for a Tiguan that’s cheap to insure, buy one with the 130PS 1.5 TSI petrol engine. This falls into insurance group 11, which ought to make it pretty affordable.

The most expensive Tiguans to insure are the high-spec four-wheel-drive models. A Tiguan R-Line Tech with the 2.0-litre TSI engine and 4Motion is placed in insurance group 27, as is the same spec with the 2.0 BiTDI diesel. No Tiguan should cost a fortune to insure, unless you’re a particularly new driver, so it’s worth shopping around for insurance.

You’ll pay a flat rate of £150 a year to tax any Tiguan registered since 1 April 2017. Watch out for Tiguans with a list price of more than £40,000 (i.e. the retail price when new). These are subject to an additional premium tax of an extra £325 a year. You’ll have to pay this rate for five years (from the second time the vehicle is taxed), even if you’ve paid significantly less than list price for the car.

The Volkswagen Tiguan range kicks off with the S trim level, which is actually pretty comprehensively equipped. It comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, an eight-inch media system (with DAB radio and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto) and a whole range of driver-assist systems. These include a radar emergency braking system, lane assist and automatic headlights.

Look out for a Volkswagen Tiguan Match for things like 18-inch alloy wheels, extra chrome exterior trim and an eight-inch navigation system. Climate control is standard on the Match, as well as more driver assistance features: adaptive cruise control, driver alert system, high-beam assist and a rear-view camera.

The Tiguan SEL brings a selection of driver modes with adaptive suspension (on selected engines), LED tail lights, Piano Black decorative dash inserts and heated front sport seats. There’s a panoramic sunroof as standard, as well as ambient lighting in the front footwell and a 10.3-inch digital dash display instead of conventional dials.

Topping the range, the Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line Tech looks and feels particularly bling. It comes with 20-inch alloy wheels and sports suspension (with most engines). It gets bespoke R-Line styling, while the interior gets chrome pedals and R-Line logos on the seats. Keyless entry is standard, including a start/stop button, and it comes with an electric tailgate. Finally, it also gets a 360-degree parking camera.