Complete Guide to Buying a Volkswagen Tiguan

Barring the luxury segment, India isn’t home to too many world cars. By world cars, we mean cars with a worldwide spec that aren’t dumbed down, even if only by a little, for the Indian market. The Volkswagen Tiguan belongs to this camp of world cars in India as it affords a premium luxury SUV experience at a much lower price than entry-level luxury SUV cars. 

The most expensive Volkswagen car you can currently buy in India, the Tiguan is a 5-seater premium SUV that offers all the usual German car attributes in the usual German understated fashion. If you’re looking to buy one, here’s a Volkswagen Tiguan buying guide that tells you everything you need to know about the SUV. 

Volkswagen Tiguan Specifications

Why you should consider the Volkswagen Tiguan

The Volkswagen Tiguan is one of the most well-rounded SUVs you can buy in India today. Here are three reasons why that’s the case. 

Classy Exterior and Interior 

The Tiguan is unmistakably Volkswagen in its design, i.e. playing it classy. Right from the headlamps to the tailgate, the SUV is straight-laced with plenty of creases and soft edges. While this does result in a silhouette that’s more crossover than SUV, Volkswagen has added SUVish elements such as the large air dam, numerous chrome garnishes, and large 18-inch wheels with a chunky crease around the well. Overall, the Tiguan’s styling is far greater than the sum of its parts and will age quite gracefully. 

The same can be said of the Tiguan’s interior too. At first glance, it might seem staid given the all-black treatment. However, the way different interior elements are put together screams quality and premium. Volkswagen has used almost entirely soft-touch materials which further adds to the sense of premium in the Tiguan’s cabin. In terms of equipment, there is an 8-inch infotainment unit, a 10-inch instrument cluster, 30-colour ambient lighting, 3-zone climate control, and a panoramic sunroof. Coupled with the Tiguan’s ample space and glass area, well-cushioned and adjustable seats, and excellent visibility, this makes for a very fatigue-free commuting experience. 

Punchy and Refined Engine

The Volkswagen Tiguan, as with other VAG cars, misses out on a diesel engine. But the 2.0-litre TSI petrol mill is more than competent with its 190 PS and 320 Nm of torque. The engine is very refined and you almost can’t hear it thrum at lower revs. But stepping on the gas produces a sporty note which, in tandem with the 7-speed DSG, makes it very hard to step off. In terms of pure performance, the Tiguan does 0-100 kmph in less than 8 seconds with a top speed of over 210 kmph. The engine is in its elements in the mid to high rev range, making the Tiguan perfect for high-speed cruising. But all this performance does come at a cost as the Tiguan has an official mileage figure of just 12.65 kmpl.

Well-rounded Dynamic Ability

Volkswagen cars across the price spectrum are hailed for their impressive ride and handling experience, with the Tiguan doing justice to its Indian flagship status. While the ride is firm at lower speeds, it gets progressively better with higher speeds. The robust suspension is well-tuned and with help from the large-profile 18-inch tyres, dispatches ruts and road imperfections with disdain. This is another reason, apart from the eager powertrain, why the Tiguan is such a joy to drive on fast highways. 

In terms of handling, the same suspension does an excellent job at controlling body roll while Volkswagen’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive ensures adequate traction is available at all times. Overall, the Tiguan is one of the best-handling SUVs in this price range.

Why you should not consider the Volkswagen Tiguan

On the face of it, the Volkswagen Tiguan comes across as the perfect premium SUV. And it indeed is very close to that ideal, save for the two following issues. 

Just One Powertrain Option

Unfortunately, Volkswagen offers the Tiguan with only one powertrain option. Yes, the 2.0-litre TSI petrol is great and the 7-speed DSG gearbox it’s paired with is very quick too. But given the Tiguan’s premium positioning and rival offerings, potential buyers would’ve expected more powertrain options, especially one with a diesel engine. For instance, the Jeep Compass, Hyundai Tuscon, and Citroen C5 Aircross all offer a diesel powertrain option. That the Tiguan’s 2.0-litre TSI engine is rather fuel-thirsty only makes this issue more glaring. 

Expensive

The Tiguan has always had to battle a perception that it’s too expensive for what it offers. However, that perception is somewhat rooted in reality as the Tiguan is priced much higher than the more rugged Jeep Compass while the similarly priced Hyundai Tucson offers a greater choice of powertrains and features. Only the Citroen C5 Aircross is priced higher than the Tiguan but vitally, it offers a diesel powertrain.

Volkswagen Tiguan Variants

Volkswagen offers the Tiguan in just one variant, the Elegance 2.0 TSI DSG.  

Best Volkswagen Tiguan Variant to Buy

As there’s just one variant available, you have to opt for the Elegance 2.0-litre TSI if you wish to buy a new Tiguan. But if you’re open to buying a used Volkswagen Tiguan, there are plenty of affordable options in the market as Volkswagens don’t command a strong resale value. More importantly, settling for a used Tiguan might also fetch you a diesel powertrain or even the larger Tiguan AllSpace, a 7-seater precursor to the current generation car. 

Volkswagen Tiguan Warranty & Service Cost

Under Volkswagen’s 4EVER Care, the Tiguan comes with a standard warranty of 4 years/1,00,000 km. The bundle also includes four years of roadside assistance and three free services. You can also go for an extended warranty of up to 7 years/1,50,000 km. 

As for Volkswagen Tiguan service costs, you can expect to pay between Rs 24,000 – 28,000 for every paid service beyond the first three free services. The Tiguan’s service interval is at 1 year/15,000 km. To make Tiguan’s ownership more affordable, Volkswagen also offers service packages to guard against labour and spare parts cost inflation. 

Summary

When trying to understand what the Tiguan is, it’s important to understand what it isn’t. For instance, though it’s luxurious and premium in every sense of the word, it can’t match entry-level luxury SUVs from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi on those counts. Similarly, while it gets loads of features, it can’t match the VFM quotient of more affordable rivals such as the Jeep Compass and Hyundai Tucson. But the Tiguan’s strength is that it’s a premium SUV that does pretty much everything well, in the usual understated German style.