VW Tiguan R

Before the hotly anticipated Golf GTI makes it to India, Volkswagen has launched the Tiguan R-Line. In the past, we have had it with the diesel engine, then came the three-row Tiguan Allspace and finally was reverted back to being a five-seater with a petrol engine. The new model comes in as a CBU (Completely Built Unit), gets a 2.0-litre, 204hp TSI engine, a five-seat layout and a Rs 50 lakh price tag. It is a unique offering, but is it worth the money?

VW Tiguan R-Line exterior design and engineering (8/10)

Longer and wider than the outgoing Tiguan SUV

Where the previous Tiguans were all angular, the new one embraces curves and bold lines. Dimensionally, it is longer and wider but gets the same wheelbase as before and has shortened in terms of height now. The front gets a simple and clean look with Matrix LED headlamps up top along with a DRL strip that stretches the width of the car. The bumper low down features blacked out treatment for fake mesh and large air dams to channel air around the car. Also a chunky chrome strip at the bottom adds some bling to an otherwise sporty look.

Matrix LED headlights are bridged by a closed grille, which also features an ‘R’ badge.

The side features dual-tone 19-inch wheels that look sporty along with gloss black wheel arches. There are two sharp creases on the shoulder line and a chrome strip surrounding the windows. It gets 176mm of ground clearance and roof rails to add some height to the look. However, it does miss out on keyless entry.

At the rear, the IQ LED taillamps stretch from end to end and the upright design gives it that typical SUV look. No exhaust tips here seems to be a missed opportunity for the R-Line but it does get some more chrome. Overall, it is a design typical to VWs. Restrained but widely acceptable.

VW Tiguan R-Line interior space and comfort (7/10)

Buttonless dashboard, 15-inch touchscreen

The Tiguan R-Line features a completely new interior apart from the steering wheel which shares a lot with the India 2.0 cars with the only difference being an ‘R’ on the steering base. The layout is simple and minimalistic and as a result the dashboard is completely buttonless. The only physical buttons are low down on the centre console where you have the electronic parking brake, the engine start stop and you have a knob which when you touch and press can change the settings from volume to drive modes.

Minimalistic interior with most functions in the touchscreen.

The rest of the features have been incorporated by the massive 15-inch touchscreen. Good news is the UX UI which is very simple and uncluttered. The menus and functions are intuitive and despite having the climate controls on the screen, it isn’t complicated. What it does miss out on is a 360-degree camera, which is a feature available on cars in much lower segments. Also, the resolution for the reversing camera is poor and in the dark it struggles for clarity.

The screen otherwise is smooth, gets wireless connectivity and even ambient lighting with multiple themes. In terms of overall quality, it is a bit of a mix. While the build is good and on the top half of the dash and the doors you have soft touch material with exposed stitching, the lower half gets hard scratchy plastic that takes away some of that premium quotient. Amenities include a flip open cubby hole that reveals two wireless charging pads along with two type-C ports. There is more space lower down and then it also gets a large big cubby hole again with two cup holders.

Manual controls for adjusting front seat; lumbar adjustment is electric.

In terms of comfort, the sport seats are very comfortable and get plenty of support with broad bolsters and even multiple massaging functions. Cooled seats are missing and instead it features seat heating, which for buyers in the north will come in handy once every year.

The big miss though, is the absence of electric controls for the seat adjustment. In 2025, manually adjusting the seats on a Rs 50 lakh SUV is simply unacceptable. The lumbar adjustment is electric, but everything else requires arm twisting.

Space is good, but no recline for the backrest robs some comfort.

Since the wheelbase is similar to the previous version, space in the rear is good for two adults. However, the high transmission tunnel with the protruding AC vents means the middle passenger will have to suffer. What also robs away some comfort is the upright backrest that cannot be reclined. The seat can move further ahead to open up more luggage room, and the centre back rest flips open for easy access to the boot. Headroom, however, is impressive despite featuring a panoramic sunroof.

652-litre boot; seats can be flipped down and slid ahead for more room.

Practicality wise the Tiguan R-Line features a huge 652 litre boot along with a space saver spare wheel under the boot floor. There are seat flip switches too but an electric tailgate is missing.

VW Tiguan R-Line performance and refinement (7/10)

204hp-2.0-litre TSI engine; 0-100kph takes 7.1 seconds

Powering the Tiguan R-Line is a 2.0-litre TSI engine putting out 204hp and 320Nm and mated to a 7-speed DSG gearbox. Performance, however, is nothing to boast about.The power delivery is linear and it lacks punch, especially in the bottom-end of the rev range. 0-100kph is a respectable 7.1 secs but the overall drive won’t excite you. It gets drive modes and ‘Sport’ does offer some more eagerness, but apart from that there isn’t much to look forward to. It prefers being driven sedately on the highways.

204hp engine is refined but lacks bottom-end punch.

What is nice, however, is the response from the paddle shifters. Even though the gearbox does not hold the gears till the 7,000rpm redline and upshifts around 6,000rpm, you can control a fair amount of the shifts, especially during downshifts. And while on the topic of redline, there isn’t a sweet exhaust note to speak of. The engine instead sounds coarse at high rpms so its best to upshift a bit early.

VW Tiguan R-Line mileage (7/10)

12.58kpl (claimed by Volkswagen)

VW claims 12.58kpl according to European approval methods and there isn’t an ARAI figure yet. However, it does get cylinder deactivation which means two of the four cylinders can automatically shut off to save fuel. Once we get the car for a longer duration we will put it through a proper fuel efficiency run according to Autocar Test Standards.

VW Tiguan R-Line ride comfort and handling (8.5/10)

New DCC Pro system adjusts damping in real time

While the powertrain is relaxed and unassuming, what is very impressive is the ride and handling. The major contributing factor here being the DCC Pro (Dynamic Chassis Control), which can adjust the damping based on various factors. It works seamlessly and you can notice the difference between the stiffer Sport mode and the softer Comfort mode. On a winding section with smooth asphalt, the suspension takes into account the road surface, steering angle, and even throttle position to alter the damping. It stays flat and composed through corners and once the road gets bumpy, the firmness is exchanged with more absorption.

Driving it in the twisties is fun, mainly thanks to adaptive dampers.

What also changes character according to the modes is the steering heft. It is light and breezy in Comfort and weighs up in Sport. Add to that the well-bolstered seats, and the overall experience from behind the wheel is better on a ghaat section. Grip levels are good too courtesy the 4MOTION AWD system.

VW Tiguan R-Line features and safety (7/10)

Panoramic sunroof, Level 2 ADAS

There is plenty of kit on the Tiguan R-Line since it is a CBU. It gets Matrix LED headlamps, 19-inch wheels, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a panoramic sunroof, massaging front seats, three-zone climate control, heated seats, 9 airbags, and Level 2 ADAS among others. What it misses out on, are ventilated seats, an electric tailgate and an electric adjust for front seats.

VW Tiguan R-Line price and verdict (6/10)

What works for it is its ride and handling balance, which is leagues ahead thanks to DCC

At Rs 49 lakh, the Tiguan R-Line is expensive for what it offers. The engine isn’t too exciting, some features are missing and the rivals like the Skoda Kodiaq and even the Audi Q3 offer better value and brand strength respectively. What the Tiguan has in its favour is the ride and handling and a bit of exclusivity as it is a CBU and you won’t be seeing many out on the road. For the small pocket of buyers that don’t have the need for an extra row of seats and don’t care for the badge, the Tiguan R-Line is an SUV worth checking out.

Also see:

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Skoda Kodiaq RS review: Big Bear