Volkswagen Tiguan 118TSI 2012 Review

SUVs, generally, are less about rugged bush expeditions than urban ones. Many drivers quite like the elevated driving position, the multi-seat configuration and sense of utility of full-size four-wheel drives, but are uncomfortable with their bulk, and the truck-like road manners -- and only go off-road when they park in their driveways.

So, in the eyes of many, the idea of making an SUV with only two-wheel drive was almost a non-event. And though it might have taken a long time for two-wheel drive SUVs to arrive in Australia, they are here with a vengeance today.

Although, as a nation, we might have traditionally looked at off-roaders through slightly differently coloured glasses to many other countries, all-wheel drive soft-roaders with no ability to go bush have nevertheless become equally as relevant here as they are in some more urbanised car markets.

And the acceptance of the even less bushworthy two-wheel drive SUV is so widespread that some manufacturers offering both configurations are finding the all-wheel drive variant is actually the less popular option.

Finding an SUV maker today who doesn’t offer the choice of either two-wheel or all-wheel drive is more difficult than finding one with four-wheel drive only. Even the iconic Range Rover brand will soon be selling a two-wheel drive version of its new Evoque model.

So it is no surprise Volkswagen has gone soft with its latest Tiguan range, adding the two-wheel drive 118TSI and bringing a sub-$30,000 sticker price for the first time.

It would be reasonable to expect the cheapest Tiguan yet to lack things other than the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system that remains standard on the rest of the range but, in the 118TSI, that is not the case. In fact, apart from the lack of an auto transmission, the equipment level is pretty much on a par with the significantly more expensive 103TDI turbodiesel.

The 118TSI comes with 16-inch alloy wheels (no cost-cutting plastic hubcaps here), cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, air-conditioning, electric park brake, roof rails, an MP3 compatible CD player and a USB connector for an MDI (Media Device Interface).

That’s not to mention all the usual Tiguan packaging thoughtfulness, including the sliding rear seat (that helps compensate for the meagre luggage area while still leaving passengers free to move comfortably in what could only be described as a generous cabin), windows that close remotely if you’ve forgotten to do so before leaving the car, a chilled glovebox and aircon outlets for rear-seat passengers. In the latest Tiguan, lumbar adjustment, for both front passengers, is also added to height adjustment already provided on the two front seats.

In fact the 118TSI – along with the 103TDI – goes a little further than the more powerful petrol models with BlueMotion elements including idle start/stop and brake energy recuperation to add a bit of ecology cred and bring the combined 6.9L/100km fuel figure within a sniff of the thrifty turbodiesel (which is quoted at 6.0L/100km in manual form). Note though that Volkswagen recommends premium unleaded fuel for the 118TSI, which negates some of the advantages.

As the name implies, the 118TSI comes with VW’s 118kW turbocharged and supercharged, direct injection 'Twincharged' engine which displaces just 1.4 litres but produces a decent 240Nm punch from as low as 1500rpm, giving quick acceleration (zero to 100km/h in 8.9 seconds, quite a bit quicker than the diesel) and handy mid-range torque for highway work. The 118TSI is helped along by the fact it is the lightest Tiguan – at 1493kg it undercuts the rest of the range by more than 100kg.

This is noticeable on the road, in terms of both in the way it steers (a little less weight at the helm) and its general overall feel, although there are times when the small engine intrudes. If the driver is not paying full attention, the 118TSI can even feel a little reluctant off the mark – a tardiness it addresses quickly enough, but is maybe a bit surprising given the fact it is being helped along by a supercharger at low revs. This is exacerbated by the fact the 118TSI comes in six-speed manual transmission form only.

The entry Tiguan also comes with a slightly downgraded towing capacity, from an unbraked two tonnes elsewhere to a still-generous 1.8 tonnes. The unbraked limit remains at 750kg, the same as other Tiguans.

The six-speed manual gearbox shifts well enough though and, on pace, the 118TSI Tiguan is sweet and smooth, quiet and responsive to accelerator input with no suggestion it is being hauled along by such a small engine.

While the 118TSI might offer the same general dynamics of other Tiguans – the four-link rear suspension is essentially the same, except for the differential - it can be caught out with the occasional front-wheel slip under standing-start acceleration.

But, most of the time, it is difficult to detect it is merely front-drive. It handles with the same precision as other Tiguans, and offers the same ride quality that separates it from most of its peers with a well-judged balance between absorption and firmness. The 118TSI feels planted and secure where some competitors are still struggling to get it right.

Tiguan buyers are never going to be hardcore off-roaders (at least in terms of what they expect that from their little SUV), which begs the question of how many customers are going to notice, or even care, that the 118TSI is a front-paw operator only.

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