The Tiguan’s dynamic exterior styling, generous dimensions and fresh interior have been matched up to both TDI and TSI technology offering benefits in performance, fuel efficiency and low emissions. The Petrol and diesel engines are combined with 6 speed manual and automatic transmissions, and Volkswagen’s latest generation 4MOTION all wheel drive system.

The recent awarding of the prized five star Euro-NCAP safety rating highlights the safety credentials of the Tiguan, which includes 6 airbags and Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) as standard. Safety is complemented by a number of the most desired styling and convenience features such as alloy wheels, roof rails, cruise control and multi-function steering wheel, also standard across the entire model range.

The Tiguan also introduces a number of innovative new options such as 'Park Assist' technology, an electrically operated panoramic glass sunroof and Volkswagen’s new RNS510 satellite navigation system with Rear View Camera (RVCPlus).

With recommended retail pricing from $33,990, the Tiguan offers a very competitive European alternative to a familiar field of Japanese and Korean branded vehicles.

To the Point - The New Tiguan

Redefining the expectations of an SUV

The Tiguan is a completely new development from the ground up and will be appreciated by anyone who enjoys the individual visual appearance and versatility of an SUV, but also expects a premium level of comfort and agility. The Tiguan chassis sets high standards in the world of SUV’s with its dynamic properties and high level of active safety. In terms of safety, the European consumer protection organisation Euro-NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) tested the safety of the Tiguan and the results are first class. The Tiguan earned five stars for passenger protection, four stars for child safety and two stars for pedestrian protection. With this result, the Tiguan continues the good tradition established by the Golf, Passat and Touareg in the past.

Three engine specifications are available locally, two petrol with TSI technology (125 kW & 147 kW) and one TDI (103 kW). Although, only the diesel (TDI) is available immediately. The two petrol variants (TSI) will be available later in the year. All are 'charged', delivering thrust just above the engines idling speed. Today, the new and remarkably quiet common rail TDI combined with Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) already satisfies the Euro-5 standards that do not go into effect in Europe until 2009.

The Tiguan is an all-round talent. This characterisation not only describes its powertrain properties, but also the multivariable and very spacious interior. The rear bench seat is split with a 60:40 ratio, it can be adjusted 16 centimetres in the longitudinal direction, and the rear seatback has multiple tilt adjustment settings. This provides either more legroom in the rear or additional space in the cargo area.

Also available on the Tiguan is a folding front passenger seat, so that very long objects and awkward objects can be stowed. With regard to the seat position, the passengers travel in exceptional comfort, not only in the front but also in the rear. The reason for this is due to the rear passenger seats being somewhat higher than the front seats and therefore more relaxed.

Design & Dimensions - The New Tiguan

Front end

A typical, trusted, friendly Volkswagen. And yet everything is new, everything is different. The radiator grille was further developed and its design was significantly reduced. The headlights are distinctive; they form an integral unit with the grille and bumper.

The engine bonnet is cut into the contour of the headlamps and lends a very concentrated look to the car’s face. Shaped to be broad and powerful is the bumper beneath the headlamps and on the sides the fog lamps complete the image in their own frames. The actual character of the front end, however, is generated by the interplay of all design characteristics. And in the process, the 1.81 metre wide and 1.68 metre tall (with standard roof rails) Tiguan exhibits a clarity of form and proportion that make the approx. 4.43 metre long SUV stand out distinctively from the crowd in the big city.

Side profile

In its side profile, clarity and power also dominate the forms. Viewed from the side, except for the small Volkswagen symbol in the wheel rims, there is no logo that “gives away” the Tiguan as a Volkswagen. And yet, there is no doubt that it can be made out as a Volkswagen at first glance.

Clarity and power also form the unique wheel arches, a window line that rises from the front to the back, the door and guard surfaces are designed with strong modulation, as well as new, 16-inch “San Francisco” alloy wheels.

Rear end

Typical of Volkswagen is the design of the rear end. However, here too, it is both typical and yet entirely different. Typical, because the basic layout of the taillights follow the pattern of the Eos and the Passat Wagon and are part of the powerful shoulder section. It is different, because the overall design takes new paths, the steep tailgate extends far into the bumper and is part of a design and the classic, pure SUV elements are combined with contemporary, urban forms.

Interior - The New Tiguan

Multivariable interior

Attention to detail is evident right down to the last detail in the Tiguan giving it a decidedly ergonomic and very spacious interior. In all five seating positions on board, the Tiguan occupants are just as comfortable. The rear bench can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction and has asymmetrically split folding sections.

Front seats

The seating system in the Tiguan is available in two configurations, depending on the equipment level. The TDI and 125 kW TSI both come fitted with comfort seats that already offer good comfort and height adjustment. Positioned above this is the 147 kW TSI equipment line, which will arrive later in the year. Here the seats are sports seats with integrated adjustable lumbar support.

Rear seats

The three-part rear seating system is a bench split in a 60:40 ratio; in addition the centre section of the seatback can be folded down to be used as a centre arm rest, drink holder or cargo pass-through.

The individual seat elements can also be adjusted by 16 centimetres in the longitudinal direction. Independent of this adjustment, the rear seatbacks can be adjusted over a reclining range of 23 degrees.

Cargo area

Neat, variable, functional and level – these are key words that accurately describe the cargo area of the Tiguan. With five persons on board it can stow 395 litres. Up to 1,510 litres and 650 kilogrammes payload can be stowed in the Tiguan when the rear seats are folded down. This moves it right next to genuine mid-class station wagons. So-called gap flaps close the gaps that occur when the seat unit is folded away, thereby forming a level cargo floor. Chrome-plated tie-down eyes, a 12-Volt accessory plug and other functional elements make this a truly multivariable cargo area.

Engine & Transmissions - The New Tiguan

Charged engines

The Tiguan will be the first SUV in the world to arrive on the market exclusively with charged TDI and TSI engines. The advantage: Greater power and torque, better fuel economy and lower emissions. The new Tiguan SUV debuts on the Australian market with a TDI engine.

The TSI engines on offer, during the third quarter, will be two four-cylinder engines: 125 kW and 147 kW. In the diesel area, there will be the powerful 103 kW 2.0 TDI. The goal here was to offer the quietest diesel engine in its class. The direct-injection turbo-diesel engine with Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) will already fulfill the Euro-5 standard that does not go into effect in Europe until 2009.

Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions

The 103 kW 2.0TDI and 125 kW TSI are delivered with six-speed manual transmissions as standard equipment. As an option, the Tiguan may be ordered with a six-speed tiptronic automatic, which is standard in the 147 kW TSI model. The manual transmission can be driven at an engine speed of 1,000 rpm or vehicle speed of just 6.69 km/h, for example; this practically equals the crawler gear of a reduction gearbox. The automatic transmission has gear level pre-select; in off-road use, it prevents shifting to the next higher gear.

4MOTION - The New Tiguan

Latest generation of 4MOTION

In 1998 Volkswagen presented the highly advanced 4MOTION system as the successor to the fulltime “syncro” all-wheel drive. Over nearly a decade, the all-wheel drive concept has been continuously further developed in various technical configurations.

An important design property of the 4MOTION systems installed in car segments up to the Passat V6 FSI is the very quick reacting Haldex clutch. The latest version of this technology operates on the Tiguan. The defined development goal was an all-wheel drive that satisfies the highest standards for driving dynamics and driving safety on the road, while simultaneously offering optimal traction off the paved trails.

Standard & Special Equipment - The New Tiguan

High level of standard features

Even the entry versions of the Tiguan have extensive convenience and safety features. When it comes to safety, these include a protective network of six airbags, ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme), child seat anchorages on the rear bench and electronic parking brake with AutoHold function.

Standard on-board convenience features also include a multi-function leather steering wheel, cruise control and a Radio/CD player with MP3 compatibility, Aux input and eight speakers, semi-automatic air conditioning system, four electric windows, electrically adjustable and heated outside mirrors, Multifunctional Display ‘plus’ (trip computer), remote central locking and various storage compartments and bins.

Some of the features of the Tiguan with 147 kw TSI engine are: 17-inch “Boston” alloy wheels with 235/55R17 tyres, chrome roof rails, tinted windows starting at the B-pillars (up to 65 percent light absorbing), sport seats with height-adjustable lumbar supports, folding front passenger seat, storage drawers under the front seats, folding table and storage pockets on the rear of the front seats and sports seats in upgraded cloth with Alcantara appliqués and low tyre pressure indicator.

Options for the Tiguan include an off-road switch, which at the press of a button awakens an entire array of assistance systems for making all-terrain drives especially safe. Specifically, in one fell swoop this switch activates the hill descent assistant (optimal control in descents), modified driving pedal characteristic (finer metering of engine torque), EDL adaptation (Electronic Differential Locks are activated at the slightest slip), ABS adaptation (improved braking on loose substrates), hill ascent assistance (support in ascents and clutch protection) and – together with an automatic transmission – gear level pre-select (including optimal engine braking effect).

Park Assist function

The numerous high-end technologies of the Tiguan include the first Park Steering Assistant in the world to be implemented on an SUV. The optional Park Assist function enables automatic reversing into a parking space parallel to the road. The driver just controls the accelerator pedal, brake and clutch while the Tiguan steers into a pre-measured space under sensor control. As soon as the driver manually intervenes in the steering process, the Park Assist function is de-activated.

Radio and navigation systems

The Tiguan is being offered with the option of two new radio and navigation systems. The RCD 510 radio (including integrated 6-disc CD changer) and RNS 510 radio-navigation system are controlled, in part, via a touch screen (6.5 inch). Also part of the RNS 510 hardware is a Power-PC processor running at 400 MHz and a dedicated graphics processor. The navigation and entertainment data are saved on a 30 gigabyte hard drive. Another SD card slot (included for MP3 files) is located below the display on both devices. All audio systems include an auxiliary input for MP3 players.

Rearview camera

A component of the RNS 510 radio-navigation system is the rearview camera. It is located directly above the number plate and it transmits a real-time, distortion-free image to the display of the RNS 510. The route is also shown in the display utilising orientation lines corresponding to the specific steering wheel movement.

Panoramic electric glass sunroof

More light, more viewing, more sun. With its enormous Panorama Sunroof, the Tiguan offers 300 percent greater roof cutout area than a conventional VW Golf sunroof. Despite all of this, it is still possible to achieve the rigidity values of the closed variant, which are especially important for an SUV.

Pricing - The New Volkswagen Tiguan

□ Model available from 2nd quarter 2008. ◊ Model available from 3rd quarter 2008.

Other News - The New Tiguan

Euro NCAP: Five Stars for the Tiguan

Even before its market introduction on 9th November last year, the European consumer protection organisation Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) tested the safety of the Tiguan and the results are first class. With this result, the Tiguan continues the good tradition established by the Golf, Touran, Passat and Touareg in the past.

When judging a vehicle, the Euro NCAP evaluates three areas of safety: passenger protection, child safety and pedestrian safety. The Tiguan earned five stars for passenger protection, four stars for child safety and two stars for pedestrian protection to lead the overall evaluation in its class.

The reasons for the high safety potential of the new Tiguan are the body structure with seat rigidity (sturdy passenger cell), energy-absorbing deformation zones all around and a protection system fine-tuned to these characteristics. A design with light-weight, profile-intensive construction using form-hardened, highest-strength sheet steel was chosen for the Tiguan.

The shell construction of the steel body also offers the occupants optimal protection in crash conditions. But the numerous driver-assistance systems including ABS, ESP with brake assist, ASR, EDL and EBC also contribute to the outstanding safety.

Inside, the carefully matched interplay of body and restraint systems ensures that passenger impact is kept to a minimum in the event of an accident. Three-point retractable seat belts are standard for all seats.

Belt force limiters to reduce impact to the chest are integrated into both front seats and the two outer rear seats. Furthermore, electronically activated belt tensioners in front insure the optimal exploitation of the available safety zone.

The front airbags in combination with the belt restraint system provide an optimal protection for the driver and front passenger during a frontal collision. The completely newly developed front seats and head restraints are designed especially to provide extensive protection from cervical spine injuries during a rear collision. Child safety is rounded out by three standard anchorage points for the rear seats. Standard curtain airbags and side airbags integrated in the seat backrests add to the all-round safety of the Volkswagen Tiguan.

In addition to triggering the protective restraint systems, the belt tensioners and the airbags, the VW Tiguan's airbag trigger system communicates with other control units: in the event of an accident, the hazard warning lights are activated, locked doors are unlocked, the interior lights are switched on and the fuel pump is switched off.

But pedestrian protection played a major role in the development of the Tiguan from the very beginning. All the relevant parts of the vehicle's front were designed with the pedestrian in mind and the inner sheet metal structure of the bonnet in particular was optimised for pedestrian protection. Thus, for example, a specially designed foam body has been fitted behind the bumper cover. Together with an additional cross member, it should reduce the severity of leg injuries.

The Euro NCAP crash test programme is independent of manufacturers. It unites numerous European traffic ministries, automobile clubs and insurance associations.

Europe Votes for Volkswagen Tiguan as “Best SUV” Auto 1 Trophy 2008 for the best newcomer in its class

Europe’s toughest jury has made its choice. This year’s coveted Auto 1 Trophy in the category “Off-Roaders and SUV“ goes to the Volkswagen Tiguan. More than 40 million readers of the Auto Bild Group as well as trade experts were called upon earlier this year to pick the best vehicles from among 74 new models. Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Volkswagen’s executive board member for development, accepted the prestigious award at the 78th Geneva Motor Show for the company's new Tiguan.

“This award crowns a series of international successes for the Tiguan since its European market launch. The Tiguan represents an important element in Volkswagen’s global growth strategy. I view this trophy, not least, as confirmation that we are on the right path with our products,” Dr Ulrich Hackenberg said before an audience of more than 500 guests at the La Halle Sécheron.

The awarding of the 17th “Auto 1 of Europe” prize was preceded by an unparalleled voting process. First, some 40 million readers of the 26 European issues of Auto Bild voted for their respective national winners. The Swiss vote, for one, gave clear preference to the Tiguan. The readers were also asked to name their favourites in six different vehicle categories. The three best-placed cars in each class were then put through their paces at a testing ground near Rome to determine the winner in each class. At this stage of the competition, the jury consisted of race-car drivers, technicians and senior editors.

The Tiguan won the contest on points, clearly outperforming the competition. This is just the latest in a whole series of successes for the Volkswagen Tiguan. In November 2007, the Volkswagen SUV was awarded the “Auto Trophy”, having previously received the “Golden Steering Wheel” prize only a few weeks earlier.

OFF ROAD readers have made their choice: The Volkswagen Tiguan is the SUV of the year

The Touareg clinches the number-two ranking among luxury off-roaders

The readers of OFF ROAD, a German trade journal, have given the SUV of the Year prize to the Tiguan. Attracting 17.4% of the votes, the Tiguan emerged as the readers’ choice among the 20 nominated vehicles, ahead of its second and third-placed rivals the BMW X3 and the Land Rover Freelander. In the exceptionally prestigious category of Luxury Off-Roaders, the Volkswagen Touareg won the number-two ranking amidst a field of eleven rivals for the award in this category.

In the continuously growing segment for off-road vehicles, readers could this year choose from a total field of 87 models made by 38 manufacturers for prizes in eight categories. In addition to the fiercely competitive categories of Off-Road Vehicles and Luxury Off-Road Vehicles, SUVs and Luxury SUVs, there were also categories for Cross-Over Models, Classics, Pick-Ups and Special Vehicles. The criterion applied for the classification “Luxury” is a basic price tag of more than 40,000 euro.

Over 58,000 readers took part in this year’s poll.

KBA certificate for the Tiguan - VW Tiguan is 85 percent recyclable

Volkswagen is the first automobile manufacturer to receive certification for a newly-developed vehicle from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) confirming an 85 percent recycling ratio and a 95 percent reusability ratio. “The certificate confirms the leading position held by Volkswagen in environmentally compatible vehicle recycling,” Dr. Frank von Buch, Head Type Approval, Volkswagen brand, commented. “Volkswagen has a long tradition in pioneering recycling technology,” von Buch added. Only this August, Volkswagen received the ÖkoGlobe 2007 for the best disposal strategy among automakers. Since 1999, Volkswagen and SiCon GmbH have been jointly developing a recycling process for end-of-life vehicles which is particularly effective in protecting the environment and preserving resources.

“All the required methods, systems and processes are integrated as early as the vehicle development stage and all the administrative and technical requirements set out in EU Directive 2005/64/EC concerning recycling-compatible design, production and end-of-life disposal are met,” Klaus-Dieter Schoppe, Head Vehicle Recycling, corroborated at the presentation of the certificate for the new Volkswagen Tiguan, which celebrated its market launch in Germany on 9th November, 2007.

The “Reusability, Recoverability and Recyclability” certificate issued by the Federal Motor Transport Authority on behalf of the EU confirms that Volkswagen already complies with the requirements of EU Directive 2005/64/EC 14 months before the Directive comes into effect on 15th December, 2008.