Volkswagen Tiguan new vs old price, performance, features, design

Volkswagen India has launched the third-generation Tiguan R-Line, its flagship model, at an introductory ex-showroom price of Rs 49 lakh. In addition to exterior and interior updates, the new Volkswagen SUV is more powerful. Keep reading to discover how different the latest Tiguan is from its predecessor. 

Volkswagen Tiguan new vs old: price

About Rs 11 lakh pricier 

The last recorded ex-showroom price of the old Tiguan was Rs 38.17 lakh, making the new SUV more expensive by nearly Rs 11 lakh, a nearly 30 percent hike. This may also be due to the Tiguan R-Line now being a full import, while earlier, it was brought in via the CKD route. At the new price point, the Tiguan R-Line competes with the likes of the BMW X1, Audi Q3, Mercedes GLA, Jeep Meridian, Citroen C5 Aircross and Nissan X-Trail. The price list of the new-gen Skoda Kodiaq, which is expected to join this list, will be revealed on April 17.

Volkswagen Tiguan new vs old: powertrain specs

2.0-litre turbo-petrol makes more power

Like the previous-gen model, the Tiguan R-Line continues to displace 1,984cc (or 2-litre), but the turbo-petrol mill generates a superior 204hp, an increase of 14hp, and the 320Nm torque figure is unchanged. The output is sent to all four wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT), enabling a 0-100kph sprint in just 7.1 seconds – a significant improvement over the previous SUV’s sub-8.5-second time.

Volkswagen Tiguan new vs old: design and dimensions

Dimensions

Unlike the last Tiguan SUV, which was based on the MQB A2 platform, the Tiguan R-Line is underpinned by the advanced MQB Evo base. While VW India is offering the Tiguan with a turbo-petrol powertrain, the same modular architecture also underpins diesel, mild-hybrid petrol and plug-in hybrid variants in international markets. Design-wise, the overall silhouette looks similar, though the R-Line SUV is both longer and wider but slightly shorter. 

Exterior

Volkswagen has entirely reworked the design of the new-gen Tiguan, which looks sportier now. The sleeker Matrix LED headlights, derived from the Touareg SUV that’s sold overseas, no longer have a sunglass-like design. These headlights are bridged by a closed glass nose, which also features a thin LED strip and an ‘R’ badge. Also, the bumper’s radiator grille has a criss-cross pattern and gets a chrome lip. The plastic cladding on the wheel arches is finished in gloss black, and the alloy wheels are an inch larger, at 19 inches, and feature a new design along with a dual-tone finish. The carmaker claims that due to the exterior tweaks, the drag coefficient (Cd) has come down to 0.28 from 0.33.

The refreshed tail-lights are now connected by an LED strip enclosed in a glass panel, just like at the front. The ‘TIGUAN’ nameplate is placed below the number plate, and the rear bumper receives the familiar mesh pattern treatment and an angular chrome strip. 

Colours

VW India is offering the Tiguan R-Line in six monotone colour options: Persimmon Red, Nightshade Blue, Grenadilla Black, Cipressino Green, Oyster Silver and Oryx White.

Volkswagen Tiguan new vs old: interior

Features

Excluding the three-spoke steering wheel, everything else is new inside the Tiguan R-Line. A gloss black panel on the dashboard houses pixel graphics that illuminate in multiple colours. The design for AC vents has been redone, and while the second-gen Tiguan marked a shift from rotary knobs to touch panels for the AC controls, the next gen SUV shifts them to a larger 15-inch touchscreen system; it also houses controls for the new front massaging seats. This infotainment unit comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Ventilated seats, however, are still not offered.

Other new features on offer include sports seats with ‘R’ inserts, bigger 10.25-inch driver’s display, drive mode selector knob with a round screen, shift-by-wire gear selector stock behind the steering wheel and VW’s Dynamic Chassis Control Pro for adjusting the stiffness of the vehicle’s shock absorbers. It also features Park Assist Plus, which can autonomously park the SUV in a suitable space. Nine airbags (previously six) take up the safety quotient, along with a Level 2 ADAS suite and a 5-star Euro NCAP crash-safety rating.

Also, see:

New gen Volkswagen Tiguan India price starts at Rs 49 lakh

Volkswagen Tiguan R Line India launch on April 14

Volkswagen Tiguan R Line India-spec features revealed