Volkswagen Tiguan review: It’s easy to see why it’s so popular

Since its launch in 2007, more than 7.5 million Volkswagen Tiguans have been sold worldwide. It is VW’s best-selling car – beating even the mighty Golf – and regularly features in the UK’s top 10 best-sellers. This third generation version was introduced in 2024, including a long-range plug-in hybrid version called eHybrid.

With a range of 90 miles, it’s far more capable than earlier iterations, and will be a great first experience of long-range pure electric motoring for many. The fuel-efficient petrol engine is there to get the job done on longer journeys, while the Tiguan eHybrid’s ability to use DC rapid chargers means topping up on the go can also be an option.

There are two flavors of Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid, either 204hp or 272hp. You don’t really need the full-fat version, at least it costs more than £48k. The regular model is quite powerful on the whole.

It’s better to spend your money on the desirable range-topping R-Line trim instead. It looks really sporty on the outside and inside, which adds to its desirability. Having said that, there is no shortage of equipment in any Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid; The range opens with the high-value Match trim, moves up to the Posh Elegance and then the R-Line. Standard goodies include 3D LED rear lights, electric tailgate, multi-colour interior ambient lighting and three-zone climate control. The illuminated VW roundels at the front and rear also attract attention.

Compared with the previous Tiguan, the design is more shapely and air cheating. Volkswagen says it’s 15% more slippery in the air, which helps boost both the EV and overall hybrid range. It’s taken a little getting used to, but now you’re seeing more Tiguans on the road, it comes across as a classy, ​​expensive-looking machine.

How we tested

I drove a Volkswagen Tiguan through the sleeping Cotswolds. I logged many miles on winding, challenging roads with extensive EV driving, and then experienced how it maintained ample battery capacity by defaulting to electric mode even with a nearly discharged battery as I crawled through the always-busy town of Burford.

Independent Rating: 8/10

volkswagen tiguan specifications

Battery, range, charging, performance and drive

The Volkswagen Tiguan’s healthy 19.7kWh battery gives an EV range of up to 90 miles. For such a family-friendly SUV, that’s fantastic. As long as there is enough charge, it will start each trip in EV mode, so if you want to conserve battery power for later, you’ll have to manually switch it into hybrid mode. User-friendly controls mean it’s straightforward; You just have to keep this in mind if you’re planning to limit battery usage during long trips.

DC rapid charging is a welcome addition. This means the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid can fast charge from 5-80% in just 26 minutes. That’s plenty fast, even using a high-power wall box, courtesy of the standard 11kW AC charger.

If you can’t charge, the engine is generally quite smooth and refined, so it won’t spoil the peace and quiet too much. The 0-62mph performance of 8.2 seconds feels keen, although it feels more gruff when pushed harder.

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a very mature and premium-feeling car to drive. It has that sense of relentless engineering you’ve come to expect from a VW, making it feel safe in all conditions. The ride is a little firm, but generally it copes really well with broken British roads, and settles for a cruise on the motorway with impeccable refinement. You can also opt for an optional DCC Pro adaptive suspension with fancy two-valve dampers. It’s a really effective system, no matter how enthusiastically you’re driving, with Audi-like excellence.

Interior, practicality and boot space

The Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid has that solid, well-built feel you’ve come to expect from VW. The dashboard has tactile touches and multicolored ambient lighting means it looks particularly attractive at night.

However, you will have to get used to placing the gear selector on the steering column; It’s on the right side, where the wiper control is usually located. Instead it is integrated into the indicator stalk. VW believes this saves space and creates a more practical center console.

I like the seating position in the Volkswagen Tiguan. It is commanding and gives a good view of the outside. The seats are good – especially in the top-spec model with the optional ‘Ergoactive’ seats, they’re heated, cooled and include a neat massage function. They’re expensive, at over £2,200, but if you value comfort, they’re definitely worth considering.

There are no issues with rear seat space or comfort, which is plentiful. The Volkswagen Tayron is the Tiguan’s seven-seat sister car, but you can’t get it with seven seats in eHybrid plug-in hybrid form, so you’re missing out.

The regular Volkswagen Tiguan has a huge boot of 652-litres. Unfortunately, this is smaller in the eHybrid version, due to the need to accommodate the plug-in hybrid battery. However 490 liters is still a good size, and with the rear seats folded down this increases to 1,486 litres. The load bay is nice and flat and the rear seats also fold down, adding to its practicality, and all Tiguan eHybrids get a power tailgate as standard.

It’s a pity that the panoramic sunroof has been removed from the options list – and, at over £1,400, it’s an expensive option. The much cheaper BYD Sealed U DM-i gets it as standard.

Technology, Stereo and Infotainment

All Volkswagen Tiguans come with a 12.9-inch touchscreen display as standard. The 15.0-inch screen is optional, but both run on the same MIB4 Volkswagen modular infotainment matrix. The name is a bit vague, but the system itself is excellent, with greater clarity and ease of use than earlier VW infotainment systems. The customizable bar at the top of the display is useful, and climate controls are permanently shown below in lieu of physical buttons.

If you upgrade to the larger screen, you can speak commands through the ‘Hey IDA’ voice assistant, which is supported by ChatGPT. Its greater user-friendliness means there’s less need to rely on it, while the extensive steering wheel buttons are back as physical buttons rather than hideous touch-sensitive controls. I also like the contextual driver experience switch on the center console, which has its own little color display – it has even more configurability than currently. Perhaps Volkswagen will develop it further through over-the-air software updates.

The standard stereo is good enough, and you can of course stream music from your favorite smartphone app via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. However, I like the optional Harman Kardon premium sound system, which helps make the most of the Tiguan eHybrid’s refinement. Although it costs a bit of a premium, around £1,500, it needs to be powerful to fill the Tiguan’s spacious interior with sound.

Prices and operating costs

Prices for the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid start at around £43k, and rise to around £46k. This seems pretty steep when you consider that the BYD Seal U DM-I costs less than £10k. Its 78-mile range is not far from the Tiguan. Having said that, the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid is closer in price to more established rivals like the Skoda Kodiaq, Kia Sportage and Peugeot 3008.

The longer electric range of a plug-in hybrid battery will mean plenty of net electric miles for those who can charge regularly. The 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine is also efficient, which will help with running costs. The Volkswagen Tiguan also enjoys very strong retained value, although the insurance rating is five or six groups or so higher than the non-hybrid eTSI versions.

volkswagen tiguan rival

questions to ask

How long does it take to charge?

The Volkswagen Tiguan can charge from 5-80 percent in just 26 minutes using a 50kW DC rapid charger. It will take about two and a half hours to reach 100% via 11kW AC charging.

How much does it cost – is it worth it?

Each Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid costs more than £40,000, but the long electric range and premium experience help justify it.

Does Volkswagen replace batteries for free?

The Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid’s high-voltage battery comes with an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

Why trust us?

Our team of motoring experts has decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are tailored with every type of driver in mind. We thoroughly test every car we recommend, so you can be sure our judgments are honest, fair and authentic.

Decision

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a much-loved family SUV that is regularly a top 10 best-seller in the UK. The latest version offers an impressive eHybrid plug-in hybrid version, one of the pioneers in the competitive field. This could be the ideal introduction to electrified motoring for many people.