New 1.4 TSI FWD variant for Volkswagen Tiguan
In Europe, Volkswagen pits the Tiguan as a competitor in the mid-sized crossover SUV segment against the likes of the Honda CR-V and Nissan X-Trail. That positioning is not possible for the Malaysian market because of a price tag that places it well north of the RM200k mark.
A new variant of the Tiguan was introduced today to rectify that discrepancy, and although RM179,608 (OTR without insurance) is still not cheap, it puts the Tiguan within striking distance of models such as the CR-V 2.4 and the Mazda CX-5 2.5. It even undercuts the recently-launched Renault Koleos 2.5 2WD.
In conjunction with its reduced pricing comes a downsized engine and the removal of AWD. The 1,984cc EA888 engine makes way for the award-winning 1.4-litre twincharged engine, though with outputs of 158hp and 240Nm, it’s not what we would call a significant downgrade. Mated to the engine is the 6-speed wet clutch DSG transmission.
Being fitted with auto stop/start and regenerative braking, the engine manages commendable consumption of fuel at a rated 7.1 l/100km in the combined cycle. Performance numbers are a not too shabby 8.9 seconds for the century sprint and a top speed just shy of 200kph.
Typical of Volkswagen products, the new Tiguan 1.4 TSI comes comprehensively-equipped on the safety front, being fitted with ‘Rest Assist’ drowsiness detection, electronic stability control, six airbags, and anti-whiplash headrests. Other standard equipment include ‘Milan’ Alcantara upholstery, electronic parking brake, split-folding rear seats with sliding function, and eight-speaker audio system.
Customers can additionally specify their vehicles with the RM10,000 ‘Tech Pack’ option that adds a reverse camera, dual-zone climate control, RCD510 colour touchscreen with MP3 and 6-CD changer, Bluetooth, cruise control, and enhanced frontal illumination in the form of bi-xenon headlamps, LED daytime running lights, auto-leveling, and dynamic bending lights.
