Volkswagen’s most popular SUV, the Tiguan. Believe it or not, this SUV even outsells the iconic Golf globally now.

Big shoes to fill then, for the new third-generation Tiguan, which promises to revolutionise without causing too many waves.

Let’s be honest, Volkswagen has had a bit of a rocky ride lately. Their ID launch models didn’t quite hit the mark, and some baffling ergonomic choices left us all scratching our heads.

But fear not, the new Tiguan arrives on the spanking new MQB Evo platform. This platform is designed to marry everything we’ve always admired about VW with cutting-edge technology. But, does it succeed?

Cat-A Friendliness

The Volkswagen Tiguan is now powered by a 1.5-litre engine producing 129bhp, meaning this new model can be registered here with a Category A COE.

Obviously, the Tiguan isn’t going to win any drag races. The 220Nm of torque is enough to get you moving, but if you’re running late, the sluggish throttle response and weak performance at higher RPMs might leave you gritting your teeth.

But, dial it back a notch, and the engine is incredibly refined; it’s more than happy to coast along with the engine shut off on the highway. Rocking a 7-speed DSG transmission, the Tiguan’s drivetrain delivers power smoothly when your foot calls upon it.

What About Handling?

With the aforementioned MQB Evo platform, the Tiguan feels nimble, diving into corners with the rear axle obediently following along. Grip is strong, handling is consistent, and body roll is impressively minimal for an SUV.

While it might not offer the thrill of a sports car, it’s one of the sharper handlers in its class.

However, this comes at the expense of comfort. The ride quality, especially at low speeds, leaves something to be desired; the Tiguan can feel quite boisterous over bumps and ruts.

Dialled Back, But Still Full Of Tech

Aesthetically, the new Tiguan has lost some of its predecessor’s rugged charm.

The sizeable grille is gone, replaced by more rounded details like the headlights and a less pronounced shoulder line.

If you’re a fan of the new design language seen in Volkswagen’s ID lineup but not ready to go fully electric, this new look might just win you over.

Have The Buttons Returned?

For those who keenly follow Volkswagen news, you might have scrolled straight to this section, eager for some juicy tea.

Volkswagen, known for its practical and sensible approach, seemed to throw caution to the wind with the Mk8 Golf and its various ID electric models, shoving almost every control, including the air-con, into a touchscreen back in 2020.

Well, the new Tiguan feels like a step towards redemption, albeit a cautious one. Yes, the gigantic 15-inch touchscreen still reigns supreme here. However, VW is now introducing ChatGPT-boosted voice commands to reduce how often you have to glance at the screen.

VW claims it’s learning from customer feedback and plans to reintroduce physical buttons to complement the touchscreens.

But Does It Work?

Well, the huge touchscreen is big enough to be in your field of vision and generally operates without fuss. We might still yearn for physical climate controls, but the illuminated sliders here do the job. Just be cautious not to press too long and accidentally blast the air con to its extremes.

There’s even a new touch-sensitive rotary dial, for easy access to volume, driving modes, and moods control. The screen is customisable, allowing you to keep your most-used shortcuts at the top, handy for quickly turning off overbearing safety systems.

Plus, its large size is perfect for reverse camera footage; if you still aren’t able to see the pillar you bumped into, it’s your fault not the car.

Voice assistant IDA is decent when tasked with a prompt, but we feel it is still a work in progress, promising updates as the technology evolves. For now, it handles simple commands in the car with ease, but more complex queries can be hit or miss.

It can fetch trivia from Wikipedia accurately, but ask it anything beyond cold facts, and it might struggle.

Big Enough For My Family?

Room is aplenty in the Tiguan. It hasn’t grown much from the second-generation, but boot space has increased by 37 litres, now offering 652 litres with the rear seats up, and you still gain an additional 1,000 litres with the seats down.

Leave the seats up, and there’s ample space for two adults, thanks to plenty of room for feet under the front seats and an extra 30mm in wheelbase length.

The bench slides forward and backwards, and the seat backs can recline. The quality is impressive too, with plush materials where your hands and eyes most often land and durable plastics where they don’t.

Sensible Reigns Supreme

It’s been an interesting few years at Volkswagen, but the Tiguan aims to bring the company back on track. It manages well, addressing ergonomic issues while integrating electrification and AI user interaction without making too many waves.

That’s the essence of the new Tiguan; while hybrids and EVs might dominate the sales charts, regular petrol engines remain on the menu, and hopefully, they are here to stay.

This mid-size SUV remains steadfastly sensible, choosing subtlety and practicality in a market where many competitors are vying for attention with bold designs and gimmicks.

If you’re looking for a reliable, no-nonsense vehicle for the family that won’t let you down, the Tiguan might just be the perfect fit.

Technical Specifications

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan Mild Hybrid

Engine: 1,498cc in-line 4 turbocharged, mild hybrid
Drivetrain: Front-Wheel Drive
Power: 129bhp
Torque: 220Nm
Gearbox: 7-speed DSG
0-100km/h: 10.6 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 198km/h
Fuel Economy: 14.9 km/litre (claimed)

Price: S$212,400 (Life), S$222,400 (Life Plus), both with COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: Volkswagen Singapore

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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One of Volkswagen’s best sellers has just made a smashing return, and it’s bringing a lot to the party along with it. 

For those who don’t know, the Volkswagen Tiguan nameplate is a combination of the German words for “tiger” (Tiger) and “iguana” (Leguan).

The German marque now has an easier way for you to remember it, by instilling animal motifs into the rear windows.

Fresh New Design

Its new design is unmistakably Volkswagen yet entirely fresh. The front end stands taller and more commanding, with standard LED headlights nestled within.

The traditional radiator grille is replaced by a glass-covered horizontal bar with an integrated LED strip, adding a modern touch.

The Tiguan features newly developed IQ.LIGHT HD matrix headlights, a high-tech lighting system with 38,400 multi-pixel LEDs derived from the Touareg.

The design also boasts improved aerodynamics, with drag coefficient dropping from 0.33 to 0.28.

The silhouette is dominated by athletic shoulder sections above the wheel housings, and the wheels can be as large as 20 inches. A horizontal LED strip between the taillight clusters accentuates the rear end’s width.

Built on the latest MQB Evo platform, the all-new Tiguan has grown about three centimetres in length while maintaining its height, width, and wheelbase nearly identical to its predecessor.

Despite its modest increase in length, the luggage compartment capacity has expanded by 37 litres to a class-leading 652 litres.

Modern Tech

The interior of the Volkswagen Tiguan has been completely redesigned with the latest modular infotainment matrix (MIB4) components, including a huge 15-inch infotainment screen dominating the centre console alongside a new 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit. 

Other items include a head-up display, and a multifunction driving experience switch with an integrated OLED display.

The new IDA voice assistant allows easy operation of numerous vehicle functions using natural language, enhancing convenience.

For long-distance comfort, the new ergoActive Plus seats feature pneumatic four-way lumbar adjustment, a pneumatic 10-chamber pressure massage function, and ventilation, ensuring both the driver and front passenger stay cool and comfortable.

Singapore-Friendly Power

The all-new Tiguan will be available with a new 48V mild hybrid eTSI system, delivering 129hp and 220Nm mated to a 7-speed DSG. Top speed is rated at 198km/h, and one can rock the century sprint in just 10.6 seconds. Gear changes will be made using a steering column switch, a feature borrowed from the Volkswagen ID. models.

For safety, the Tiguan also features a host of convenience and assist systems, including Side Assist, Front Assist, Lane Assist, Travel Assist, and Park Assist Plus for automatic parking.

Dr Kurt Leitner, Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Singapore, shared his enthusiasm: “The Tiguan has been a global bestseller for both Volkswagen Passenger Cars and the Volkswagen Group. With the eagerly awaited new generation, we’re proud to unveil an SUV that redefines design and technology standards.”

“Now available in Category A COE with the enhanced efficiency of mild hybrid drive, we’re confident that the Tiguan will continue to captivate and offer exceptional value to Singapore’s car buyers.”

For a limited time, the all-new Tiguan is available in two variants, Life and Life Plus, with a choice of seven colours, including new shades like Persimmon Red Metallic and Cipressino Green Metallic.

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Category A COE cars are all the rage these days in Singapore. With soaring petrol prices and astronomical COE premiums, these wallet-friendly city runabouts are just the sort of thing a budget-conscious buyer wants – practical, fuel-efficient, and versatile.

For those of you reading outside of Singapore, here’s how we classify Cat A vehicles being registered here:

• Non-fully electric cars with engines up to 1,600cc and Maximum Power Output up to 97kW (130bhp).
• Fully electric cars with Maximum Power Output of up to 110kW (147bhp).

However, as we can see from the figures above, in traditional cases owning a Cat A vehicle means sacrificing performance and oftentimes driving fun in exchange for a cheaper set of wheels.

But, with the advent and advancement in new engine technology alongside innovations like electrical assistance, engine capacity is no longer the defacto indicator of performance.

So that begs the question, can Cat A cars be any fun? Well, to find out, I went on a road trip with Volkswagen Group Singapore (VGS) to Desaru, in order to answer this with four wheels and a steering wheel.

What four wheels you might ask? VGS has very kindly offered their existing range of Category A Volkswagen and Škoda cars. Despite our end goal being Desaru, the gang opted to travel in a 500km U-shaped route instead, savouring some of Malaysia’s best B-roads along the way.

The cars accompanying us on this journey included the Volkswagen Golf 1.5 eTSI (Life and Life Plus), Volkswagen T-Cross 1.0TSI, Škoda Scala 1.0TSI Monte Carlo and the Škoda Octavia 1.0TSI. Nothing over 1.5 litres of engine block goodness.

My group were assigned to the Škoda Octavia first, our vessel to cross into Malaysian tarmac. Once the speed limits turned into suggestions, I placed my foot down and started hunting.

Yes, it might only have a 1.0-litre 3-pot heart, but having access to its 200Nm of torque at low RPMs coupled with mild-hybrid assistance meant that it could hold its own both on the straights and the corners. It could easily keep up with its Octavia RS sibling driven by the support crew, bar brief moments of harsh acceleration.

To keep costs down, Škoda opted for a torsion rear beam instead of the usual multi-link setup. I loved this setup, as it makes the car more predictable around corners. The car feels settled even at speed, and any bouts of oversteer can be mitigated as easily as letting your foot off the throttle.

Plus, you get to do that in a spacious and practical family sedan with tons of room. The Octavia has always been dear to my heart, and this road trip bolstered additional gratification towards it.

After a spot of brunch at Yong Peng’s famous Sunroast, we were on the road again – this time in the Volkswagen Golf Life. The new Life variants are meant to distinguish the Cat A models from their more powerful brethren. With the same engine, the boffins at Volkswagen have managed to detune the 1.5-litre engine to make it fall nicely under Cat A.

Externally and internally, it’s business as usual from the regular Cat B Mk 8 Golf. But, what lies in its engine bay is what truly matters, and boy does this Golf live up to its famed reputation.

With the same torsion beam setup as most of the other cars on this trip, the Golf was effortlessly dancing in the bends. It just so happens I was in the Golf for a particularly twisty bit of road, and it couldn’t have been a better combination.

Keeping up momentum in the corners, any understeer sensations were quickly sorted out as the Golf soldiered on, and shifting through its 7-speed DSG gearbox whilst keeping its revs high was riveting. All of this, even as it started to pour and visibility became limited.

Our little chihuahua gave us a blast all to way to Jemaluang Emerald Lake, and we were sad to part ways with it at Jason’s Bay Beach.

But, this meant we could hop into another ride, and this time it was the biggest of the group – the Volkswagen T-Cross. Now, you take one look at these cars and probably think to yourself, “How can the T-Cross keep up with this pack?”

Yes, I will admit the T-Cross can be a little more tricky to wrestle in the corners, with its taller stature and waftiness. But, despite its SUV proportions, it could just as easily keep up on the highway bits and back roads. It was also arguably the most comfortable of the bunch as well, with tall cabin headroom and ample leg space for toe wiggling.

Turning in for the night, I awoke bright and early for our return journey to Singapore, and the Škoda Scala was there to greet me for the ride home.

This was the Monte Carlo edition of the Scala, fitted with a bunch of extra trinkets like 18-inch alloys, soft bucket seats and a panoramic moonroof. There weren’t many B-roads left to enjoy on the return leg, but the Scala was extremely competent blasting down the highway at legal speeds. Plus, I don’t know about you, but the Scala looks gorgeous in that shade of red.

Our final car swap saw us crossing the border back into Singapore in the Volkswagen Golf Life Plus. Much like its aforementioned Golf Life sibling, it has all of the charms of the Golf, but is now packaged in a bite-sized wallet-friendly form. Plus, with the Life Plus, you get the added advantage of 3-zone HVAC and cooler rims on the outside.

Overall, this was obviously a fun-filled trip, but it was mainly fun because of these Cat A gems. These cars invoke a unique charm behind the wheel and beckon you to just keep driving whilst savouring every last bit of tarmac.

These are not just machines; they’re companions. Companions that can munch up the miles and take you to your next destination, with a big grin plastered on your face.

It’s more fun driving a slow car fast than a fast car slow, right? Just like getaway cars.

Big shoutout to Volkswagen Group Singapore for making this trip possible!

Photo Credits: Horizon Drivers’ Club (@horizondriversclub)

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