Tiguan SUV

VOLKSWAGEN tweaked the lines on its popular Tiguan compact SUV in late 2011, giving it the edgy ‘square-jawed’ frontal styling present on the rest of its model range at the time.

The cosmetic tweaks, though relatively slight, were the tip of the iceberg of what could only be called a significant upgrade, including a new front-wheel drive variant, a revised engine range and hefty price cuts.

For the first time, the German compact soft-roader could be had for less than $30,000, with the front-drive 118TSI (powered by the delightful twincharged engine from the Golf) coming in at $28,490 in manual guise.

The previous entry-level 125TSI 2.0-litre petrol became the 132TSI (signifying the engine’s jump in power to 132 kW and 280Nm), while the higher-spec 147TSI morphed into the 155TSI (using the same 2.0-litre engine tuned to 155kW/280Nm).

The sole diesel engine remained a 2.0-litre unit producing 103kW and 320Nm.

Standard features across the Tiguan range ran to electronic stability and traction control, ABS brakes, brake assist, a hill holder, electronic diff lock, six airbags (front, front side and front and rear curtain), remote central locking, 60/40-split folding and sliding rear seats.

Also standard was cruise control, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, daytime running lights, heated door mirrors, air-conditioning, a multi-function display, multi-function leather-clad steering wheel and an eight-speaker ‘RCD310’ audio system with USB connection.

All models bar the 155TSI flagship were fitted as standard with 16-inch alloy wheels while the 155 got 17-inch alloys. A selection of 18-inch alloys were optionally available and the spare wheel was a space-saver.