Stylish: The new Tiguan includes a LED strip across the front of the vehicle.
I did not have the privilege of testing the Volkswagen (VW) Tiguan before it won the award for the best family car at the 2025 South African Car of the Year awards.
The one thing I could see was the impressive design the new Tiguan has been given. It looked way more confident than the previous generation as VW dumped the traditional radiator grille for a very neat LED strip across the front of the vehicle.
It looked more aggressive, but still held the traditional value of the older Tiguan.
When I received the vehicle on test, I took a look around and noticed that the LED strip across the back almost makes the front and back of the vehicle symmetrical.
This is a really cool touch from VW because the front and back of the vehicle blend the exterior together extremely well. Some manufacturers usually put a lot of effort into a bold and aggressive front, but often leave the back of the vehicle plain and boring.
Interior
The Tiguan means business on the inside. It looks and feels comfortable from the second you get into the vehicle.
The premium feel of the interior pushes excellence.
The new ergoActive Plus leather seats with pneumatic four-way lumbar adjustment and a pneumatic 10-chamber pressure massage function are a perfect match for the high-quality character of this SUV. These leather seats are optional on the Life derivative but come standard on the R-Line derivative.
My recommendation is to take them, especially if you drive long distances like I do. Nothing hits better than the “circles” massage that the seats offer. The large and comfortable leather seats are also heated and cooled.
The dashboard is stylish and comes with a fully digital instrument cluster and an infotainment screen that can be 12.9 inches or 15 inches depending on what you choose.
The infotainment system is extremely responsive and user friendly. There are also stylish climate and volume touch sliders just below the infotainment system that are convenient but also aesthetically pleasing.
My favourite part about the interior is the driving experience dial located in the centre console, which is a unique touch from VW. It looks like a volume dial on the surface, and it is, but if you press it, it allows you to select your driving mode or change the atmosphere in the cabin to fit your mood. I was always feeling energetic when driving the Tiguan, so that option applied to me.
The driving experience dial can change driving modes, volume and the atmosphere in the car.
The only downside of the interior was the storage unit. The cupholders are hidden and it was just difficult to get my coke can out while driving.
In terms of space, the Tiguan remains generous. Both the front and back are spacious and comfortable. The boot also gains an extra 37 litres from the previous generation and now has a capacity of 652 litres.
The interior of the new Tiguan
The drive
The Tiguan we had on test was the Life derivative that has a 1.4 turbocharged petrol engine and delivers 110kW of power and 250Nm of torque.
VW has also just released a 2-litre turbocharged petrol and diesel variant of the Tiguan.
That is certainly enough power, but it is also important to remember that this is not a performance SUV. Rather, it is the ultimate family cruiser.
It provides a smooth, quiet and elegant drive.
On the N12 and R21, this car was a dream to drive. The handling was effortless, the suspension was solid and the engine and cabin insulation provided a beautifully refined drive that allowed me to enjoy all the comfort and technology inside the car.
It got even better when I looked at the fuel consumption. VW claims 7.6 litres/100km, but I managed 6.7 litres/100km.
There was a point on the open road where I was averaging 5.8 litres/100km.
German excellence: The new Tiguan handles the roads effortlessly
Safety
Tiguan has received a 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. This rating signifies excellent overall impact protection and a good level of standard safety features.
The new Tiguan comes standard with Park Assist Plus. Park Assist Plus is a system that is already familiar from other Volkswagen models: it allows assisted driving into or out of parallel or bay parking. The Volkswagen models take over control of acceleration, braking and steering for this purpose.
Verdict
There’s a reason the Tiguan beat contenders such as the impressive Jaecoo J7 and Mini Countryman to the family car of the year award.
It offers tremendous features, pleasant comfort and an exceptional drive.
A Tiguan will cost you from R651 500, going all the way up to R834 400.
VW has pushed the third generation Tiguan into a more premium category while still managing to remain affordable.
In a world where all the value for money looks like it is coming from Chinese manufacturers, the new Tiguan offers a refreshing option for those who still love German engineering.
Pricing
Tiguan 1.4 TSI 110kW DSG R651 500
Tiguan Life 1.4 TSI 110kW DSG R702 800
Tiguan R-Line 1.4 TSI 110kW DSG R766 300
Tiguan 2.0 TDI 110kW 4M DSG R755 700
Tiguan 2.0 TSI 140kW 4M DSG R834 800