Review: VW Tiguan 2.0 BiTDI 240 4Motion DSG SE L

Cheaper than a BMW X3, comfier than the Seat Ateca and pretty much better at answering buyer expectations than anything else you can think of between those two, Volkswagen’s Tiguan is doing quite nicely for itself in the SUV market.

Now a new and more powerful engine has been shoehorned under the Tiguan bonnet, the 237bhp 2.0-litre bi-turbo TDI engine with which Passat owners will already be familiar. Its arrival in the Tiguan seems like a commonsense move as, with the added functionality of four-wheel-drive, it empowers the VW to take on seriously capable opposition such as the X3 xDrive30d.

BMW’s diesel straight-six is about as far from a pushover as it’s possible to get, so Volkswagen has tried hard with its twin-turbo four, engineering into being an unlikely sounding performance package of 369lb ft torque, 44.1mpg on a rolling road and 167g/km of CO2 through the standard seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox.

We didn’t really love the hot R-Line Tiguan, mainly because of its ride-compromising 20in rims. The car we’re testing here is the SE L model, which gives you most of the R-Line’s standard kit (including the adaptive dampers) but contents itself with 19in wheels and less in-your-face styling.

The result has a dash of the quiet assassin about it. The 2.0 TDI badge on the back doesn’t lie, but call for power and the red in the badge script predicts a rush of progress that’s genuinely impressive, despite the car’s 1795kg kerb weight. So much so in fact that 4WD feels very much like a useful safety feature when you’re scrabbling through a tight corner. Normal drive mode struggles to maintain the flow in terms of its effect on steering feel and body control, but engaging Sport mode kicks the suspension into sterner and more effective action.

Add in the DSG gearbox’s clever S-mode and the cool neutrality of the 4Motion drivetrain and you’ll find the Tiguan entirely willing to move along very smartly with the same sort of satisfaction that X3 drivers enjoy. Of course, that’s not the natural gait of an SUV like this – most drivers will be happy to slot it into Comfort and relish the effortless overtaking – but it’s nice to know you can go there if you want to.

Throw a lot more power into many mainstream SUVs and you might not notice the benefits, but you do in the Tiguan. Potter around without dipping into the big reserves of torque and you can simply enjoy the feeling of security and the fairly certain knowledge that few snowy roads or muddy fields will ruin your day. It’s not a cheap option at this level but it is a very complete and well rounded machine, made even better by the new engine.

Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 BiTDI 240 4Motion DSG SE L

Price £36,725
Engine 4 cyls, 1968cc, twin-turbo, diesel
Power 237bhp at 4000rpm
Torque 369lb ft 1750-2500rpm
Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic
Kerb weight 1795kg
Top speed 142mph
0-62mph 6.5sec
Economy 44.1mpg (combined)
CO2/tax band 167g/km, 33%
Rivals BMW X1 xDrive 25d, Mercedes GLC 250d

Tony Middlehurst is a writer for AutoCar.