The performance SUV appears to get more and more popular as a vehicle type with each passing month. There are many to choose from for those with a penchant for both performance and a raised ride height. Volkswagen fans rejoice, as there is now a performance version of the popular Tiguan available locally, and it wears the flagship performance 'R' badge. We received the R to review recently, and it left us in two minds, so let us see why.
Styling
In this writer's opinion, the Tiguan is Volkswagen's best-looking SUV, and the R version takes these handsome looks and amplifies them, creating one of the most muscular and sporty-looking performance SUVs in its segment.
Related: Golf R and Tiguan R (2022) First Drive Review
Interior and space
The interior of the Tiguan is a fantastic place to be, combining solid build quality with high-quality materials, and in the case of the R variant, a mixture of sporty accents and usable space. In terms of infotainment, there is a digitised instrument cluster and the 'Discover Pro' colour touchscreen infotainment system with App-Connect, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. The system works very well, and because there are still physical buttons placed next to the gear lever, the infotainment system is better than that seen in the eighth-generation Golf.
The multifunction steering wheel now houses the 'R' button which instantly switches the car to its most ferocious driving mode. There is also an adaptive chassis with driving modes, allowing the user to toggle between 'Normal', 'Sport', 'Race' and 'Individual', all of which bring a unique character to the driving experience. The haptic buttons on the steering wheel and climate control panel are quite irksome to use, and are fingerprint magnets, despite looking sharp when the vehicle is clean.
Other standard features include Nappa leather seats, carbon grey interior trim, an electrically operated tailgate, 20-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, rear PDC and the Lights and Vision Package. Optional extras fitted to the press unit include wireless charging, a tow-bar hitch, a Harmon Kardon sound system, keyless entry, IQ Matrix LED headlights, a surround view camera and the IQ Drive suite of semi-autonomous driving aids.
When looking at practicality, the Tiguan excels, with a 520-litre boot, a ground clearance figure of 205mm and a braked towing capacity of 2 200kg, making the R truly usable as a family car, despite its performance credentials.
Performance and driving impression
Powering the Tiguan R is the ubiquitous EA888 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine seen in many VAG products, however, in this guise, it produces 235kW and 400Nm. The motor is paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox that sends power to all four wheels. Its kerb weight of 1 626kg allows it to get from 0-100km/h in a claimed 5.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 250km/h.
On the road, the R feels exceptionally fast, and surprisingly agile considering its sheer size. The new all-wheel drive system with torque vectoring allows the Tiguan to dial out some understeer, offering a lovely neutral balance, however, despite the adaptive dampers, we found the ride quality to be very harsh for a vehicle of this type. In terms of straight-line performance, the Tiguan feels every bit as fast as Volkswagen claims, and its braking system appears to be up for the challenge of stopping the product effectively during dynamic driving situations.
Overall, the R certainly still feels like a high-riding SUV, albeit one that is firmly sprung and does a great job of disguising its heft with straight-line performance and a trick all-wheel drive system.
Safety
The Tiguan range was crash-tested in 2016 by Euro NCAP and achieved a 5-Star rating with 96% for adult occupant safety, 84% for child occupant safety, 72% for pedestrian safety and 68% for its safety assistance systems.
Fuel consumption
Volkswagen claims that the Tiguan R will consume petrol at a rate of 8.8 L/100km, however, our seven-day test resulted in a figure of 11.3 L/100km, which we found too high considering the amount of time we spent on the open road.
Pricing
The Tiguan R has a base price of R999 900, however, the press unit featured a number of aforementioned options, meaning it was over R1.1 million, offering respectable value considering the performance, but it is still hefty for a Tiguan. The R comes with a 5-year/100 000km maintenance plan and a 3-year/120 000 km warranty.
Verdict
The Tiguan R was a polarising car, especially because its upcoming Golf R stablemate offers more performance and a greater fun factor, however, the inherent practicality of the Tiguan package means that you have an exceptionally spacious product that will also embarrass many a hot hatch in the performance stakes. Overall, there is a very specific buyer for the Tiguan R, and for that particular person, it may just strike the perfect balance.
