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OPVW
28-05-2008, 01:51 PM
I was fortunate enough to drive the Tiguan home last night. TDI Tiptronic. Absolutely awesome! I was surprised that the 125kw version didn't make it's way into the car but having driven it, it would seem the CR version of the 103kw TDI power plant is a little bit special. Smooth, quiet, more responsive. The 4motion system works great with the car and the gearbox is a good choice...I like DSG but haven't felt comfortable driving with it in a TDI powered vehicle. Body roll is very minimal, visibility is sensational...all in all... I was suitably impressed...far more than I thought I would be. :cool::cool:

sporran
28-05-2008, 02:43 PM
Took one for a spin this morning and was also impressed with the mating of the TDI and 6sp Triptronic. Seating position and visibility also good. Rear seating is great for a car of this size, but rear cargo area is a bit limited. On the downside $43,000 D/A with no Fleet discount, no room to move on O/R costs, and $790 for Metallic is a bit rich for what is the base spec model. The Passat with current D/A deal is starting to look good.

Mischa
28-05-2008, 02:50 PM
i'm sure its a nice car but really, what purpose does it serve? less space than a passat, more cumbersome than a golf, limited (if any) off road capabilities. is this just another house wives' car?

DAN682
28-05-2008, 03:15 PM
I was fortunate enough to drive the Tiguan home last night. TDI Tiptronic. Absolutely awesome! I was surprised that the 125kw version didn't make it's way into the car but having driven it, it would seem the CR version of the 103kw TDI power plant is a little bit special. Smooth, quiet, more responsive. The 4motion system works great with the car and the gearbox is a good choice...I like DSG but haven't felt comfortable driving with it in a TDI powered vehicle. Body roll is very minimal, visibility is sensational...all in all... I was suitably impressed...far more than I thought I would be. :cool::cool:

I would almost trade the CX-7 on one Iain.... hrmmmm ponders the idea..

Looks like an awesome car. What is the towing capacity and when are you taking it to Lancelin to give it a real test?

OPVW
28-05-2008, 04:20 PM
Not capable off-road driving?!?!?! I've heard people try and say the same thing about the Touareg. I'd say a little over half of the sales consultants from Volkswagen have recently tested these cars off road down in Torquay. The feedback I've heard from most of them is that if you scored a Landcruiser as 10/10 for offroad the Tiguan would be a comfortable 7/10. Everyone has said it was FAR more capable than they imagined.

What purpose does it serve? What purpose does any car serve ultimately??

In terms of where it fits in the market....its up against the Captiva, Forester, CRV, CX7, those sort of cars and I've gotta say...it stacks up very well.

Yeah come on Dan, we can even try the wheels from your CX7! We've got a Tiguan in a similar colour to the CX7... ;)

Mischa
28-05-2008, 04:32 PM
fair enough... i guess my dislike of it is just reflected hatred from housewives driving 4wd's in general :)

in regards to your question:

my mk5 golf serves the purpose of being sporty, practical, nice to drive and frugal on diesel; an all rounder

my mk2 will serve the purpose of being stupidly fast and entertaining me

a land cruiser serves the purpose of going off road

a porsche serves the purpose of goign on a track.

so then is a tiguan designed to be a golf that has more off road capabilities without going the whole hog and buying a touareg? or is its purpose to compete for the love of housewives and snootie types?

not bagging the tiguan just wandering what its designed to ultimately do/be :cool:

phaeton
28-05-2008, 07:44 PM
Small AWDs IMO have/are slowly replacing the family wagon or sedan.

While it isn't the complete size of an Aussie car, the is boot generous it will seat five and is the perfect weekend driving vehicle aka going to the mountains, beach & dirt tracks etc.

Also the Dualcab Pickups are also very similar except they're used for hard work during the week.

In all I'm happy with my boxer 4 cylinder lol :D

OPVW
28-05-2008, 08:00 PM
Having a look at our sales...I can't remember one 'house wife' in the mix...ultimately a great weekender car but I guess it's a Golf with better visibility and off-road capabilities.

me and what I drive..

Volkswagen Tiguan: Drive Car - gets me to and from and around work and I don't have to pay for it or the diesel it uses.

Nissan Skyline R34 GTR Vspec - Weekend play toy :D

Suzuki SV650s - Race bike - competition spec track bike for everything I want to do that the GTR doesn't let me get away with legally ;)

For those purists asking the question.

Yes...if/when I leave the dealership I'll be buying a Volkswagen for daily use. Tough thing is choosing which one. If the Scirocco makes it here..I'd be HIGHLY tempted. If the budget allows it...the R36 Wagon. If it doesn't...Passat 125kw Wagon.

sheckster
29-05-2008, 12:15 PM
got a question regarding Park Assist with the Tiguan. Do you need to opt for then RNS510 to get Park Assist?, or can you have Park Assist without it?. I know that the reverese camera turns on if you activated Part Assist, but what if I just want Park Assist and not care about the the reverse camera?

OPVW
29-05-2008, 01:59 PM
Yes you can get park assist (auto parallel parking) by itself...ie without sat nav and camera. It uses the front and rear sensors and some other weird voodoo magic to do it :)

sheckster
31-05-2008, 12:25 AM
Yes you can get park assist (auto parallel parking) by itself...ie without sat nav and camera. It uses the front and rear sensors and some other weird voodoo magic to do it :)

great, that's what i thought. i'd probably get the park assist but not the rns510, a bit pricey, might just go for the avc9000 aftermarket. A VW dealer here in brissy will unveil the Tiguan this weekend. I currently have the Freelander 2 HSE to test drive over the weekend, will compare the Tiguan with it. I'm pretty sure the Tiguan is smaller than the LR2 but we'll see if it scores well on other areas.

sheckster
31-05-2008, 10:02 PM
had a look at the tiguan today, my initial concern is unfortunately true, nterior space is too small, might have to go for the LR2 after all. now just have to get my deposit back

drex
01-06-2008, 12:27 PM
After waiting months and months to finally see one of these in the flesh, I finally got to take one out for a short (15 minute) test drive. I'm actually interested in the petrol which isn't going to be available for a little while but I just had to go and have a drive.

This was my first time driving a VW and also my first Diesel so there were a couple of surprises. The first thing that surprised me was the accelerator pedal was attached to the floor (I'm used to the pedals coming from above). Obviously no big deal, just took some getting used to. The diesel was noisier than I expected and the gearbox did seem to pull a little when I was slowing down (I definitely had it in D!) but again not really something that bothered me. The build quality and ride was spectacular. The engine was even more powerful than I expected. The interior was great, this particular Tiguan had leather seats and Sat Nav (although they hadn't yet received the disc). I was very impressed and most importantly so was the Mrs. I just have to wait until the petrols start arriving. Anybody have an idea when we'll see these? I've heard anywhere from 6-12 months.

The price is a little concerning, I'm looking at a fully optioned 147TSI and have worked out that it's going to cost around $68k on the road (I'm in NSW), of course I'll try and haggle with the price but I think the chances of trying to get it on the road under $65k are slim. Saying that, for the price, there's not too much out there that really takes my fancy apart from the Tiguan at that price point.

sheckster
01-06-2008, 06:23 PM
drex, i actually put a deposit down for a 147TSI a few months ago. but after having seen it in the flesh, I will be getting my deposit back and not going ahead. mainly because of the interior space, or lack thereof. Everything but bi-xenon and sunroof I was quoted $56k driveaway, which isn't bad at all.

Dzl_Dubba
02-06-2008, 10:14 PM
Hmm...given the 6 speed auto is the convential type (ZF??) i wonder what power the TDI can be taken to since the DSG had a torque restriction of 380Nm just to be on the safe side, surely this auto could take more, and tuned maybe 143Kw 420Nm?? Hmmm...yummy

Sharkie
04-06-2008, 08:22 AM
Read today that VW is seriously considering a GTI version of the Tiguan, based on the fact the Golf GTI is the most popular model of the Golf range.

Please remember that the models available now are only the ones planned for the 08/09 model years and the from July 2009 more models may make it into the mix. Specifically the 125kw TDI and a manual 147kw 2.0 TSI.

My wife is happy with her 3 year old RAV4 and we will wait to see when a manual 2.0 147 kw becomes available. In GTI spec, I'd buy one for me.....;)

So, sorry VW until you get your product mix right I won't be buying one.

RhysQ
04-06-2008, 09:12 AM
i'm sure its a nice car but really, what purpose does it serve? less space than a passat, more cumbersome than a golf, limited (if any) off road capabilities. is this just another house wives' car?

this is a true statement, but this car (unlike its competition), has the option of an off-road pack with some trick features.

just remember, this car is heading into the market against the Rav 4, Forester, CR-V, X-Trail etc. where (apart from the X-Trail) off road capabilities are also limited.

i personally love the look of them and will be seriously considering one in about 12 months or so....optioned 147TSI FTW (those 18" New York wheels look hot)

Does any know of chipping capabilities?? i'm assuming the 147TSI(what i am interested in) would be a similar program to that of the MKV Golf GTI :?

Sharkie
04-06-2008, 10:01 AM
Ah yes, chipping ..... a bit of a problem there ..... :mad:

The Tiguans all use new model ECUs and are as yet not able of being chipped.....

I have been bugging Guy for ages and the answer at the moment is no, cannot be done.....

He will have to see them all in the flesh 1st. The 125kw 2.0TSI apprently is not possible at all whilst the 147kw is only a maybe.

Are you converting to auto now Rhys? the 147kw is auto only ATM.:mad:

Sharkie
04-06-2008, 10:03 AM
Also, the only small SUV actually capable of really going ofroad is the Suzuki Grand Vitara with proper low range. All the others, including the X-Trail is not.

OilBurna
04-06-2008, 10:16 AM
ironic just got the vw aus email as I was reading this re Tiguans now in showrooms.

Two Dogs
06-06-2008, 03:34 PM
Was looking at the Tiguan and waiting for the Octavia rs tdi. I liked the look of the Tiguan and the 4wd capability but the boot is to small.

When I mentioned this at the dealership the sales guys all agreed, they thought that would be the achilles heel. With the spare in the rear it chews up a large amount of space. I think this will be the main reason VW will loose sales of this car.

But then again they probably don't care. If you read most posts on here if they don't get one VAG product because it dosn't quite suit they seem to choose another.

Two Dogs

AJD
06-06-2008, 04:07 PM
I have scored a test drive of the Tig and was happily surprised. Good visibility, acceptable road manners AWD and sharp pricing are all welcome. Obviously this is never going to be all things to all people but it does have a reasonably practical application around our cities....especially Sydney where speed humps are designed to tear out suspensions and exhaust systems and pot holes are not repaired until after the 3rd family sedan is lost without a trace.
VW claim this will be their 2nd biggest seller behind the Golf, but only if they can supply the stock...dealers are quoting delivery times from 6 to 12 months depending on spec levels?

SPEEDCORE
07-06-2008, 09:26 AM
Please remember that the models available now are only the ones planned for the 08/09 model years and the from July 2009 more models may make it into the mix. Specifically the 125kw TDI and a manual 147kw 2.0 TSI.


How reliable is that source? Because I am wanting a diesel but also wondering if I should wait if there will be the 125kw version...... so frustrating. :mad:

Sharkie
20-06-2008, 12:45 PM
2 things ...

1st .... The asst sales manager at my closest VW today told me that the current model mix is set for at least a year. Other models (125kw TDI and 147kw manual) may very possibly join the mix later .....

2nd ... I'm VERY dissapointed with the boot space. Had a good look today and to be honest is not any bigger than a Polo's .... :frown: May be longer but is much shallower..... This alone will make it impossible to convince my wife that she really needs one.

DionM
21-06-2008, 12:32 PM
The boot space is a bit of a killer.

Then again, what is their target market? If it's DINKs (or even those with just 1 kid), it will probably suffice.

Our old Freelander V6 had a pretty small boot (wider than the Tiguans, but not as deep) and we managed okay. When it was just my wife and I it was fine - we could tumble the back seats and fit most stuff in. With 1 kid it was pushing it - a weekend away resulted in a wall of luggage in the boot (to the roof) and on the back seat. Had we kept it, I would've been thinking about a roofbox ...

Funnily enough, recently when heading over to Stradbroke Island we had our Jeep loaded to the brim (kid stuff, holiday stuff and 4WDing stuff) and a new Freelander was parked beside us. Even with just two people they had to have the back seats folded to fit their stuff in :biggrin:

syncro91
21-06-2008, 11:40 PM
We have now had our Tiguan 103TDI Manual for a few weeks and put it to the first real 'boot space' test today.

Cargo = Husband, Wife, Child in Car Seat + Phil & Ted Pram + a large mix of boxes, large bags, new kids easel / chalkboard A-frame, small esky and large lowepro camera bag.

We 'knew' it wouldn't all fit just look at it. Then we put the Tiguan sliding split-fold rear seats to work and it safely soaked it all up without too much re-arranging (ie, everything pretty much stayed where it was put on the first load).

The backrest just folds down without removing headrest and can slide forward like front seats do - a small flap folds over to make the load space flat and without gap between the sliding seat and the rear load area.

Very Impressed!

If we had 2 children, 1 not requiring a separate pram, it would still work well. The rear seat has plenty of space.

Note - the comments about the lack of rear space should be carefully evaluated also when sliding the rear seats forward.

hkogti
26-06-2008, 01:20 PM
how good does it handle?

It got 4 motion + turbo!!

popeclement
27-06-2008, 09:56 PM
Hello Iain

Still waiting for a reply for my weekend trial request and yes I would give it a whirl at Lancelin.:)

Would also wonder why a supposed SUV does not have the electrically folding mirrors - on this score the Freelander 2 rates better as well as bigger mirror glass - its a pity the local importer dropped the manual option on both fuel types.

A question-is the rear suspension self levelling for loads?

John

golfmeup
17-07-2008, 11:11 AM
Wife and I test drove a 103TDi on tuesday and I have to say I was quite impressed.

Space didnt seem to small
(ok we have a MK2 golf at the moment and I have managed to fit a bar fridge in the back seat!! not running of course / that would be too neat!! :drinkbeer:)

The little 2 Litre diesel is a winner!

Plenty of torque, i couldn't believe the power!
It really pulls along its 1 1/2 tonne weight with little difficulty.
I'd imagine even with a full car, it would still be pretty neat.

Fuel efficiency was great, sitting on 100 kms i hit the instant fuel read out and it hovered between 4.5 and 5 lt/100km.

The VW guy let us drive around for a bout 15 mins before we all realized it was about to bucket down and might be close to closing time!!
Ha cheers derek.

I'd wait the 12 months and fit it with xenons, panoramic sunroof, satnav, fog lights and maybe the off road kit.
:driver:

DJY
18-04-2009, 08:07 PM
I mad (possibly) the mistake of driving a 125TDI DSG Passat straight after I drove the 103TDI Auto Tiguan.

Tiguan engine was nice - but understandably I played more with the DSG in the Passat. Not sure which made the bigger difference though - either the extra Kw, the DSG, or even the car itself.

I'm keen to drive a TSI as well though - shame no one has any around to test drive!

Now I'm on the "adult" side of 40 I'm leaning towards the AUTO, as I don't do alot of long distance driving, and am mostly in cities.

Sharkie
19-04-2009, 05:38 AM
DJY, I'd order a 147 Tiguan in if I was you. Its got the auto, the "upspec" engine and a host of goodies the other Tiguans miss out on.

Personally I'd have gone for the 147 if it was available in a manual. It has got some real nice inclusions as std.

Pullstarter
19-04-2009, 07:22 AM
DJY, I'd order a 147 Tiguan in if I was you. Its got the auto, the "upspec" engine and a host of goodies the other Tiguans miss out on.

Personally I'd have gone for the 147 if it was available in a manual. It has got some real nice inclusions as std.

I would have gone for one had they offered a manual too, very silly decision not to offer them IMO.

DJY
22-04-2009, 09:28 PM
DJY, I'd order a 147 Tiguan in if I was you. Its got the auto, the "upspec" engine and a host of goodies the other Tiguans miss out on.


I'd love to!!!!
Just struggling with the $7000 difference!