MK Autos Ltd

New Volkswagen Tiguan First Drive

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There's a new front grille, which brings it in line with the other VW new models, while the rear-end gets a new two-part light clusters. All this helps give the car a similar look to the Touareg. Running costs are a noticeable change and with the addition of BlueMotion technology (including stop/start), emissions have come down from 164g/km to 150/km, so you'll now pay £130 a year in tax rather than £165. At the same time efficiency has risen from 44mpg to 48mpg.

There's also been a focus on refinement. Thanks to some added sound proofing, the engine noise in the cabin has been toned down. The six-speed manual gearbox is nice and sleek, and taller gearing makes it ideal for cruising along the motorway. The new Tiguan was also given a good test of its power and traction through some steep mountain roads. The car performed admirably here. It tackled the majority of gradients with ease and only the steepest sections meant you had to drop down to second gear.

New safety measures have been fitted to the latest model. There is fatigue detection that detects if the drive is losing concentration with an acoustic signal lasting five seconds. There's also the lane assist, which gently moves the steering wheel if it feels the car crossing the white line without the driver indicating.

The Tiguan was already a classy and spacious small off-roader and these added touches are intended to give that final shine.