Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace: Review

Volkswagen’s 7-seater SUV might have a smaller footprint than its rivals, but pampers you better.

Volkswagen has its own loyal customer base in the county. Buyers who value the virtues associated with the brand over current trends. Be it the Polo, Vento or the T-Roc, all of these vehicles are beautifully built, feel agile to drive and the interior quality is usually the best in segment. 

The Tiguan Allspace takes all of these values and dials them up a notch. It’s the most premium 7-seater SUV you can buy in terms of interior feel and features, and the way it drives on tarmac. There are trade-offs, though--that it does not look as big or dominant on road as a Fortuner, won’t be as good off road as the Endeavour, and won't have the third row space of the Gloster. So who is the Tiguan Allspace for, then?

Looks

• Big SUVs make for the most dominant vehicles on the road. However, they are hard to drive in rush hours, park in tight spaces, and in general too big for their purpose. The Tiguan, by having a smaller footprint, gets around this urban issue. It gives you the status of owning a big expensive SUV while being more manageable. 

• The TIguan Allspace looks elegant. It grabs your attention with its sophistication and polished elements like the sleek LED headlamps and DRLs, sporty air dam and the design of the mono-tone 18-inch wheels. It does not need a large aggressive grille to keep your eyes hooked. 

• The wheelbase here is 110mm longer than the 5-seater TIguan and the overall length is 215mm more. This means it’s not just the biggest Volkswagen in the country, it looks like it too. However, from the side it does look more like an estate/station wagon than a traditional SUV. It flies under the radar because of the subtlety in size/style but if you want an SUV with heaps of road presence, this probably isn't what you'd get.

• Details in the tail lamps are something which defines the Tiguan Allspace. Intricate, beautiful and subtle. 

• Color options too won't disappoint, with shades supporting both the flashy and the understated buyer. You have an option to pick from Ruby Red, Habanero Orange, and the Petroleum Blue which we had on test.

Interiors

• In typical Volkswagen fashion, the interior design is minimalist yet full of tech. 

• The cabin feels premium and you get a sense that you have got your money’s worth. The material in the cabin, and especially on all the touchpoints, are well made. Soft-touch trims everywhere, tactile feedback from the buttons and the quality leather on the seats makes it feel plush. 

• The light and dark contrast on the dashboard, and the light leather upholstery on the seats make the cabin feel spacious as well. And to dial this up, the panoramic sunroof stretches all the way back till the second row.

• The display of the infotainment is excellent. The touch response, animations and colors give the vibe of using a premium tablet. It supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and both devices can be connected and swapped on the go. 

• The infotainment also helps customize the digital driver’s display, show the eco performance of the vehicle and many other vehicle functions. 

• The instrument cluster is the famous and highly customizable virtual cockpit. You can have various information on the two digital dials and further customize the middle part to show navigation, calls / audio or drive information.

• Audio quality from the speakers is not audiophile-grade but good enough for most listeners. 

• The front seats are comfortable and the driver gets powered adjustment as well. However, they do have a few misses. The passenger seat is not powered, which is odd given the asking price. Plus, even the recline is adjusted by a rotary knob, which does allow for more precise angle adjustment but also takes more effort. And the seats are heated but not ventilated, which in our climate is the opposite of what’s required. 

• AC performance of the Tiguan Allspace--despite great insulation, heat-insulating glass and a 3-zone climate control--is pretty average. In our AC test, it was the least effective in the company of its rivals. 

Second Row

• The second row is spacious and can accommodate three with ease. It can even slide to open up more legroom for taller passengers. 

• In fact, reclining the second row and sliding it all the way back makes for a very comfortable napping position, making it an ideal chauffeur-driven city SUV. 

• The seats are not as high as the Fortuner or Endeavour and you don't have to climb into the SUV, which makes it more convenient for older people as well. 

• The rear seats get their own climate control, AC vents, picnic table, and cup holders. And don't forget the view out of the large panoramic sunroof!

Third Row

• The last row is best left for occasional use for children below the age of 12. 

• And still, for them to fit in the 3rd row, the second row will have to slide forward, leaving very little knee room for the middle row passengers. Also, the angle of recline will also have to be upright to leave knee room for the 3rd row. 

• If the seats are going to be occupied by adults, they better be flexible as the bench is placed practically on the floor, which will require them to sit in an awkward position. 

• You do not get any 3rd row AC vents. 

Boot Space

• The Allspace has a very well planned boot. With the 3rd row down, there is plenty of space for the family’s luggage. The second row can further fold down in a 40:20:40 split to make room if you are moving large objects. 

• Even behind the third row, the Allspace has space to accommodate a small and medium-sized suitcase, which is impressive.

Engine And Performance

• The Tiguan is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine which makes 190PS and 320Nm of torque which makes it the most powerful Volkswagen in the country. This engine is paired to a 7-speed DSG gearbox sending power to an all wheel drive system. 

• The all wheel drive system comes with terrain response modes, which means that the Tiguan would be comfortable soft-roading over glasslands, snow or gravel. 

• The power delivery is the main character of this powertrain. It's peppy and quick to respond to throttle changes. Acceleration is effortless and the Tiguan Allspace gets to 100kmph from a standstill in 8.67 seconds. Its rivals like the Gloster and Endeavour take about 11.5 seconds to do the same. 

• If you are looking to cruise in the city, the Tiguan will calmly amble around at gentle throttle inputs. Engine is super refined and barely causes any vibration inside the cabin. It only gets audible beyond 2500rpm, that too a good noise. 

• Get on the throttle and its nature quickly changes to a darting SUV. The DSG is quick to downshift and the power comes in at an instant. This lets you make quick overtakes both in the city and on the highway. 

• The Tiguan returned 11.14kmpl in the city and 14.54kmpl on the highway in our efficiency test. 

Ride And Handling

• The Tiguan’s suspension feels firm when it's not loaded up with people or luggage. As a result, you do end up feeling the cracks in the road surface when driving at slower speeds. 

• Sharp bumps, level changes or expansion joints are felt and even heard inside the cabin with a thud. And while the Tiguan won't break composure over a large bump or pothole, the thudding noise will be amplified.  

• The Tiguan’s setup is ideal for well paved highways and it remains flat and well settled at triple digit speeds. 

• Handling of the Allspace is sedan-like. It manages its weight well and turns in sharply with composure.

• The steering feels direct and the feedback is enough to know what the wheels are doing. Dial in the grip from the all wheel drive system and the Allspace becomes quite a fun SUV to be driven on windy roads.

Safety

• Safety features of the Tiguan Allspace are a key in understanding its price premium. 

• Seven airbags, ABS, ESC, and hill descent control, all commonly seen at this price point, are standard. 

• What the Tiguan gets over the competition are dynamic cornering lights, two-way adjustable front headrests, TPS, lane assist, and front assist autonomous braking. 

• We tried the lane assist function on the expressway and it works well. It steers and keeps the car in lane even on long turns. However, if you take your hands off the wheel and keep them away for long, it dabs the brakes for a fraction of a second and sounds an alarm to ‘wake’ you up. This is because the assist is to keep you in your lane, and not an autonomous driving function. 

Verdict

The Tiguan Allspace is a thoroughly impressive SUV. It manages to fulfill all needs that an urban buyer might have from an SUV. Its elegant styling, impressive cabin, long feature list, technology, ample space for a family of 5 with added flexibility of the rear seats and driving dynamics helps it pamper its owners. 

However, the experience is not quite complete thanks to missing elements like seat ventilation, lacking ride comfort and third row experience. The Allspace then is ideal for a buyer who isn’t interested in size, and would much rather make a statement with sophistication than aggression. And what helps this aspect further is the fact that you will see only a limited number of these on the road, so you can continue to have the bragging rights of owning the flagship VW SUV in India.