Volkswagen Tiguan Review & Prices

Long-gone are the days of Volkswagens being true ‘cars for the people,’ with the Tiguan now being a rather premium - and pricey - proposition for a family SUV. It looks good, has loads of space inside and comes with a wide range of engine options, but that price puts it in line with even posher alternatives.

Think of it as taking your kids to Pizza Express, rather than Pizza Hut. It’s more expensive than the other restaurant chains, and a touch fancier, but there are posher-still options around from less-mainstream offerings.

The Audi Q3 and BMW X1, for example, are smaller but look far posher (just like neapolitan pizzas). The Citroen C5 Aircross, Ford Kuga and Kia Sportage, meanwhile, offer a lot of space, equipment and practicality at a more affordable price than the Volkswagen.

Ford aside, they’re more interesting to look at, too. That’s not to say the Volkswagen is ugly by any means, in fact there’s a square-jawed handsomeness to it that looks quite good on the road. It’s just a tad generic from some angles, especially the rear; good looking, just a bit restrained at the same time.

Plop yourself into the cabin and there’s a similar vibe to the exterior, with some pleasant features in an otherwise understated design. The dashboard supports a massive 12.9-inch infotainment display, while plenty of soft-touch plastics and nice upholstery (the R-Line gets lashings of Alcantara and sports seats) mean it does feel upmarket inside.

It’s spacious, too. Even the tallest of adults can get comfortable from behind the wheel thanks to plenty of seat and steering wheel adjustment. You’ll easily fit five six-footers in the Tiguan as there’s loads of rear leg-and-headroom, while the rear seats slide and recline, helping you to find that leg/boot space sweet spot.

Speaking of which, the 652-litre cargo capacity dwarfs alternatives - so long as the seats are slid forward. There’s some extra space below the boot floor and a pair of handy cubbies for smaller items, too.

Options are the name of the game with the Tiguan, because you can choose from a petrol, diesel or even a plug-in hybrid engine. The PHEV is particularly impressive with a battery-only range of around 75 miles.

Another impressive trait is the way the Tiguan cossets you on bad roads, because it’s one of the most comfortable family SUVs around. Steer clear of the largest, blingiest wheels as they spoil things a tad. Even still, with its refined motorway manners and safe, reassuring (if boring) country lane characteristics, the big Volkswagen makes for a solid all-round choice.

Verdict

The Volkswagen Tiguan is as dependable and practical a family car as ever, towing the line between sensible and posh like few other SUVs of this size. That being said, it has become pricier, with the Citroen C5 Aircross and Kia Sportage offering similar levels of kit - and more style - for lower price points.

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At just under £39,000, the Tiguan is notably more expensive than a lot of its alternatives; around £5,000 more than an entry-level Kia Sportage or Skoda Karoq, for example. The Volkswagen is priced in line with posher, though admittedly smaller, options such as the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.

However, it’s very well-equipped, so even the entry spec Life trim is similar to a mid-spec model from other manufacturers, which narrows the price gap. That being said you can still buy a Nissan Qashqai with all the options ticked for the Tiguan’s basic price. Step up to Match trim and you get some extra equipment for not much more money.

R-Line versions have a far sportier, more aggressive body kit and sporty seats - plus more kit - for around £3,500 more. Style trim is an extra £1,500 on top of that, as is the Black Edition with its R-Line styling and all-black exterior trim.

Quiet and comfortable, but not the most exciting car to point down a twisty road

In town

The Volkswagen Tiguan hits a sweet spot in its dimensions, because it’s big enough that you get a spacious interior but it’s not so big that it’s intimidating to drive around town. Visibility is pretty good and you sit high for a commanding view of the road ahead.

You also get light steering, so you can quickly pull off tight manoeuvres when required and almost forget you’re in a practical SUV. The suspension is well-judged too, so if you hit a big speed bump it doesn’t send a crash through the cabin and settles down quickly. There is a slightly firm edge though, so some sharper edges such as potholes are more noticeable. Going for a lower trim with smaller alloy wheels should help with that, though.

Entry-level models don’t get a huge amount of assistance kit, but usefully all Tiguans come with front and rear parking sensors as well as a reversing camera. Step up to the Life trim and you get a system that will park the car for you.

On the motorway

The comfort and refinement largely continues out on the motorway, where the Tiguan is quiet at higher speeds. The suspension continues to deal with bumps well on the whole here, but there is a bit of road noise to contend with – though again, our test car was a top-spec model with the 20-inch alloy wheels, so lower trims should be a bit quieter.

Overtaking can take a little forethought, because although the gearbox can shift gears quickly and smoothly in most driving situations, if you give the throttle a push for a quick squirt of power the car can take a moment to realise you need a lower gear.

Again, it’s the entry-level model that’s missing useful assistance kit, but all other versions come with adaptive cruise control that can maintain your speed as well as keep a safe distance to the car in front. Lane-keeping assistance is standard-fit, but top-spec models get Travel Assist, which can help you stay in your lane while cruise control is active.

On a twisty road

As is usual for cars that major on comfort and refinement in most driving situations, there is some sacrifice to be made when it comes to having fun on a twisty road. You do get decent grip from the tyres, but the steering is quite light and doesn’t give a lot of feedback to inform you of that fact, which knocks your confidence and means you have to hold back a bit.

You can switch the car to Sport and the throttle is more responsive and the gearbox is a bit more open to dropping gears when you accelerate. Once you get in the groove it manages to quickly switch up and down the gears and keep up with your needs much better than its standard setting. However, it all feels a bit synthetic and not hugely fun. Probably not a deal breaker for this sort of car, but a BMW X1 is more enjoyable in the twisties.

Spacious interior with a useful boot, but some features are a little awkward

The VW Tiguan is a pretty large car so it should come as no surprise that the front seats are expansive. There’s loads of adjustment in the seats and steering wheel, so finding a comfortable driving position shouldn’t be a problem for drivers of all shapes and sizes. A full leather upgrade with heating and ventilation is optional on all trim levels, while the faux-sporty R-Line trim comes with supportive bucket seats as standard.

The centre console holds two wireless charging pads, for driver or front passenger, and they’re both big enough to accommodate even the largest of phones. The door bins are a good size, and they’re felt-lined so that items such as keys or coins won’t rattle around on the move. The glovebox is large, too.

Space in the back seats

There’s loads of space in the back seats, as befits a family SUV. Two six-footers can easily sit behind front passengers of a similar size, with plenty of room for their knees and lots of headroom, even if the optional panoramic glass roof is fitted. A third passenger will be pretty comfortable, as the rear bench is quite flat and the centre seat comparatively wide.

The rear seats slide and recline, and can even be heated. They split 60:40 but the centre seat can also be folded down separately to accommodate longer loads. Keep it upright, and rear passengers have access to a clever centre armrest with cupholders and a tray to hold a tablet in place.

Storage in the back is good - there are two pockets on the back of each seat, and large door bins that are also felt-lined just like those in the front. There are two USB-C ports for keeping phones or devices topped up, too.

There are ISOFIX mounting points in both outer rear seats, with covers that flip up rather than remove entirely so you can’t lose them. With wide-opening rear doors and plenty of space, plus a high-up seating position, it's easy-peasy to fit and remove child seats.

Boot space

With 652 litres of boot space, the new Tiguan has one of the largest boots of any family SUV. It’s far bigger than the Skoda Karoq (521 litres) Kia Sportage (591 litres) or even the massive Honda CR-V (617 litres) so it’s perfect if you need to load up for a big holiday or perhaps have young children and a bulky pushchair to accommodate.

It’s not just big, either - it’s practical. There’s no load lip between the boot opening and the floor, so you don’t have to hoick items into it - and the rear seats fold down completely flat leaving no obstructions to you sliding items right to the back. You can fold the seats down from the boot, too, while there’s a clever ridge that keeps the rear seatbelts in place even when the seats fold. Annoyingly, though, you have to pull an awkward tab to get the seats back upright, and pull the release lever from the boot to unlock them before walking around to push them back up.

There’s space underneath the floor for charging cables as well as other paraphernalia, though on premium models some of this room is taken up by the subwoofer for the uprated sound system. There’s also a three-pin socket and 12V power supply, both useful additions.

A much better infotainment system than the old Tiguan, but physical switchgear would make it easier to use

The Tiguan’s interior has undergone a transformation for the latest model and now looks a lot like VW’s latest electric cars. That means the dashboard is dominated by a touchscreen infotainment display measuring 12.9 inches on the diagonal as standard across the range, which controls all of the car’s major functions.

It’s a big step forward over the last Tiguan’s infotainment and the software is much more similar to that used on modern smartphones. You’ll be instantly familiar with things like having multiple homescreens, configurable shortcuts and widgets, as well as gestures such as pressing and holding on things to adjust them.

Climate controls have been relegated to a slim bar at the bottom of the display, which stays put - and underneath the screen you’ll find some touch-sensitive sliders that can control the volume or temperature. It’s better than some VWs, but it’s still not the easiest thing in the world to get used to. A Kia Sportage, with its straightforward software and panel of physical controls, is easier to navigate, and probably a bit safer to use on the move too.

At least you get proper buttons on the steering wheel, whereas the last Tiguan had awkward touch-sensitive controls here that didn’t work particularly well. If you prefer voice control, the Tiguan gets the latest evolution of Volkswagen's system, which works well when you call upon it, but can be activated too easily in normal conversation. ChatGPT integration is coming soon, but as much as it feels like a bit of a gimmick, could be useful when your kids throw a question like 'why is the sky blue?' your way...

Material quality is excellent throughout, certainly a cut above a lot of SUVs in this price range with soft-touch plastics and solid build quality. It’s not quite as lush as a premium competitor like a BMW X1, but it’s sufficiently upmarket and everything seems to be screwed together well. It’s only if you poke further that you’ll find the occasional hard plastic, like low down on the centre console or the rear door cards.

The Tiguan has four engine options - a turbocharged 1.5-litre mild hybrid, 2.0-litre petrol, a plug-in hybrid and a turbocharged diesel engine. Officially, the mild hybrid and diesel return up to 45.6mpg and 50.9mpg respectively - which isn’t bad for a car of this size but is certainly nothing special.

The 2.0-litre petrols are less efficient, at 36.8mpg and 33.8mpg, while the eHybrid offers a ludicrous claimed 175mpg - totally dependent on how much electric-only driving you can manage.

The PHEV option has an all-electric range of up to 75 miles, which is a very useful figure indeed. You should be able to comfortably cover your family’s weekly mileage on a single charge, reserving the petrol engine for longer trips or weekend getaways. A Kia Sportage or Ford Kuga PHEV will only cover around 40 miles on a charge, making the Tiguan eHybrid a very impressive SUV.

A PHEV costs £3,000 or £6,000 (depending on the power output) more than the regular 1.5-litre engine, though, and if you don’t regularly charge it up or do a lot of long-distance driving then the running costs aren’t likely to make up the difference.

It is, however, definitely going to be the pick of the range for company car drivers, with low emissions promising great Benefit-in-Kind tax ratings - while all non-hybrid models offer relatively high Vehicle Excise Duty - especially the four-wheel drive, 2.0-litre petrol models.

Pretty much every Tiguan will be subject to the luxury car supplement between years two-to-six, unless you go for a totally bare-bones Life model, in a free paint finish.

Volkswagen Tiguan Euro NCAP (2024): 5/5

Adult occupants: 83%
Child occupants: 88%
Vulnerable road users: 84%
Safety assist: 78%

The Tiguan underwent testing by Euro NCAP in 2024, where it was given the full five stars. It scored well in all of the four main areas, with adult occupant safety getting 83%, while child occupant safety got an impressive 88%. The larger, but related Tayron scored similarly when that was tested in 2025.

Safety systems play heavily into safety ratings now, and the Tiguan is loaded with them. You can expect systems such as lane assist, adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking as standard.

*Extended annually with annual main dealer servicing, up to ten years/100,000 miles

Volkswagen came a poor 27th out of 31 brands in the 2025 Driver Power survey for owner satisfaction, which is far from reassuring.

The standard Volkswagen warranty is a lacklustre three year, 60,000-mile affair, while competitors from Hyundai, Kia and Toyota offer five, seven and up to ten years of cover, respectively.

Our final thoughts

Our global content director Iain Reid lived with a Volkswagen Tiguan for three months, and he found it to be a really practical family car thanks to the sliding rear bench, massive boot and comfortable seats. The most powerful 2.0-litre engine felt like overkill, and the lack of buttons is a bit of a faff, but overall it’s a solid choice for a sensible motor.

Iain’s favourite part is just how dog-friendly he found it, easily loading in his dog’s crate, and on a more subjective note he was very keen on the Tiguan’s styling. He did find Volkswagen’s trim options a little mean, though, with manually-adjustable seats as standard - even in the posh R-Line model he had.