Volkswagen Tiguan interior
The Tiguan’s interior is intuitively laid-out and has impressive optional tech. Most of its materials feel fairly plush too, but it doesn’t look particularly exciting…
Style
It might not be quite as interesting to look at as the quirky cloth-trimmed cabin you get in a Peugeot 3008 or Volvo XC40 but the VW Tiguan’s interior is sensibly laid out and everything feels solid.
All Tiguans have their climate control separate to the main screen which is great. However, while basic cars have manual rotary dials for this, higher trims have new touch-sensitive sliders which are trickier to use on the move. Still, you’ll find a soft felt lining in the door bins and some grippy rubber mats in the storage cubbies to stop smaller items rattling around.
Entry-level Tiguans come with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system on the dash, while Elegance cars come with 30-colour ambient lighting, light-up door sills, a panoramic glass roof and a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display instead of analogue dials. R-Line versions get the same mood lighting and digital driver’s display as Elegance versions, but the more supportive sports seats are exclusive to R-Line cars.
Unfortunately, leather seats will set you back quite a bit – even on the top-spec Volkswagen Tiguan – and the plastic trims on the rear doors feel horribly scratchy compared to those in the front.
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Infotainment
The latest Tiguan comes with MIB3, which is VW’s latest infotainment software. This MIB3 system includes a range of internet services including map updates, internet radio and Apple Music. You get an 8-inch touchscreen as standard, or you can upgrade this to a 9-inch screen as an option.
Whichever you go for, it’s relatively easy to input a postcode using the on-screen keyboard and you can choose from three routes based on distance, time and fuel usage. You also get live traffic updates as standard alongside a handy feature that’ll help you find an empty parking space nearby.
If you don’t like VW’s own sat-nav system you can always mirror your phone’s navigation apps through the Tiguan’s built-in screen using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which are standard on all cars. These smartphone mirroring features also let you listen to music from apps such as Spotify through the car’s stereo.
Speaking of stereos, the optional Harman Kardon system is well worth paying the modest extra for if you’re serious about sound quality. It isn’t just louder than the Tiguan’s standard setup but it delivers more powerful bass and clearer treble, too.
Elegance cars and upwards have a high-resolution 10.25-inch screen behind the steering wheel that replaces conventional analogue dials. It’s just as sharp and bright as the system you’ll find in many high-spec Audis and can display a combination of sat-nav directions, media playback and speedometer functions right in your eye line.
- 1. Tell us what you want from a car
- 2. We’ll tell you if it matches
- 3. Only takes 1 minute