Volkswagen Tiguan, Hidden Precision

SOME vehicles are like presents during birthdays or Christmas. The packaging excites you, what is in the car surprises you and the full appreciation of it comes when you start to use it.
That's the impression Volkswagen’s Tiguan gives, where you would only experience its full potential with each step of appreciation.
The result in our test drive surprised us, in a good way.
From the outside, the Tiguan spots the usual sport compact crossover SUV design. For one thing, it isn’t bulky and has the length of a normal sedan.
Seeing is one thing but taking a seat is another. Once inside, you will undoubtedly note its interior spaciousness with enough leg room for all passengers, even with the front seats pushed all the way back.

Now comes the part where the Tiguan shines most - being in the driver’s seat.
Power on paper – with the Tiguan’s 207hp, 2-litre TSI turbocharged engine along with its seven-speed direct shift gearbox DSG and 4MOTION all-wheel drive – gets drivers from zero to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds.
When tested, this was done within five to six seconds, factoring in the slight kickback – around a second – as the accelerator was stepped on.
The ride was smooth and stable at which ever speed you dare take the Tiguan to.
Even with its towering ride height, the Tiguan's handling was surprisingly sharp and capable despite its height and weight.
Where safety is concerned the Tiguan is loaded with a full range of safety features like ESP (electronic stabilisation program), ASR (anti-slip regulator), EDL (electronic differential lock) and EDTC (engine drag torque control) to keep things in check.
Thankfully with the PDC (park distance control) system and rear view camera, parking the 4.4-metre long Tiguan was done with ease.
Life in the cabin was comfortable too as it comes with dual-zone climate control, while its on-board entertainment system is fully loaded with Media-In multimedia interface for iPod, USB drive and aux-in, RCD 510 radio with MP3 replay function, six-disc CD changer, and eight front and rear loudspeakers.
While the Media-In multimedia interface was straight forward to use, to fully operate all its offerings required a look at the car manual book. The six-CD changer appeared to be more of a six-CD holder while the default radio channels tended to switch mid-way.
If your first impression of an automobile’s performance is judged solely by its size, with the smaller ones being nimbler and the larger ones bulkier, then you might be missing out on a must ride SUV.
It is one of those rides where you won’t know if you don’t try.

Specifications of the Volkswagen Tiguan
Engine: 1,984cc four-cylinder TSI turbocharged direct-injection engine
Max power: 207hp @ 5,300-6,200rpm
Max torque: 280Nm @ 1,700-5,200rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch, four-wheel drive
Features: ESP, ABS, ASR, EDL, EDTC, six airbags.
Price: RM238,121 (excluding insurance)