2023 Volkswagen Tiguan 110TSI new car review

The medium SUV segment is one of the most competitive in the nation but this high-rider shows the others how it should be done.

2024 Volkswagen Tiguan.

A new generation is due in 12 months but Volkswagen’s ageing Tiguan still shines in the medium SUV class. We evaluate the entry-level 110TSI Life.

VALUE

The second-generation Tiguan’s clocked up eight years of service, but its all-round class has barely diminished. Recently updated rivals such as the Nissan X-Trail and Honda CR-V look sharper and can be had with in-demand hybrid drivetrains, but Volkswagen’s kept the Tiguan fresh with style, safety and feature upgrades over the years.

A new Volkswagen Tiguan is due in the next 12 months.

The front-wheel-drive 110TSI Life is the range entry point. It’s never been cheap, but looks better value now MY23 versions have $43,990 drive-away pricing. That’s $6000 less than the more powerful all-wheel-drive 132TSI Life with identical specification.

The Life has 18-inch alloy wheels, LED head and tail lights, 8-inch infotainment with navigation, a 10.25-inch digital driver display, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto and three-zone climate control.

An auto tailgate’s an extra $600, while a $5300 Luxury Pack brings leather upholstery, power and heated seats and a panoramic sunroof.

Ownership costs sting. It needs 95 unleaded and a prepaid five-year service plan’s a chunky $2850.

Prices start at $43,990 drive-away.

COMFORT

An abundance of black and silver makes the cabin a clinical affair, but it’s hard to fault the intelligent layout and spaciousness. Exciting it’s not, but tech itches are scratched with the digital dashboard’s smart customisation, excellent bird’s eye map view, user-friendly (but small) infotainment screen and wireless connectivity. We found the latter glitchy, so favoured plugging in to one of three USB-C ports.

Manual-adjust cloth seats have a nice sponginess, although head rests are way too firm. There’s a premium feel to the soft plastics, leather flat-bottom steering wheel and gear shifter. Climate control is the main bugbear. Altering fan speed and temperature with touch sliders or through the screen is a fiddle. Just give us dials.

The cabin is roomy and functional.

Rear occupants have massive headroom and individual climate controls. Back seats recline and slide on runners to improve versatility, offering up best-in-class luggage space. The front passenger seat cleverly and quickly folds forward for lugging flatpack furniture or surfboards.

SAFETY

VW’s kept active safety kit high from entry level, but its seven airbags (no front centre one) lag behind newer rivals. Its five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2016 has expired.

Key inclusions are adaptive cruise control, front and rear auto emergency braking (including cyclist and pedestrian), driver attention monitor, front and rear parking sensors and rear camera.

It has plenty of active driver aids but its crash test score has expired.

Its lane-keep assist is impressively non-obtrusive and radar cruise control’s class-leading.

Points are lost for no blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree camera or head-up display, while the spare wheel’s just a space saver.

DRIVING

Despite the 1.4-litre four-cylinder’s lowly 110kW, its turbocharger delivers a healthy 250Nm of torque from low revs – great for squirting around town or quickly getting up to highway speeds.

It’s mated to a six-speed dual-clutch auto transmission that is smooth and polished when up to speed, but slow to respond from standstill. If you have the budget, a 132kW 2.0-litre turbo or ever-popular Golf GTI-derived 162kW version boost driving thrills, but for daily duties the Life’s refined 1.4-litre’s perfectly ample. It’s thirsty, though, at 7.7L/100km, and our test returned closer to 9L/100km.

It’s one of the best driving SUVs on sale.

Cornering balance and overall comfort remain compelling reasons to pick a Tiguan. With independent rear suspension it’s poised and confidence-inspiring on twisty roads, while handling bumps in town and on the highway. Few medium SUVs rival it for refinement and an easy, fun-to-drive nature.

VERDICT

Three and half stars

Older styling and some missing features expose its age, but the cabin and driving class still show newer offerings how it’s done.

ALTERNATIVES

VW Tiguan 110TSI Allspace, from $46,990 drive-away

The same car but longer, with third-row seating and a bigger boot.

Nissan X-Trail ST 2WD, about $42,000 drive-away

All-new generation is a big improvement in style, cabin comfort and features. Smooth, quiet and family friendly.

Honda CR-V, $44,500 drive-away

Entry-level VTi-X shines with a classy and spacious cabin, decent ride quality and strong features and safety.

VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN 110TSI LIFE VITALS

PRICE $43,990 drive away (current offer)

WARRANTY/SERVICE Five years, unlimited km, $2850 over five years

SAFETY Seven airbags, adaptive cruise control, front and rear auto emergency braking, driver attention monitor, lane-keep assist.

ENGINE 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol, 110kW/250Nm

THIRST 7.7L/100km

BOOT 615 litres

Originally published as 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan 110TSI new car review