Having entered the Indian market in 2007, Volkswagen did not take a long time to establish itself as an important player in the Indian landscape. The model range on offer at that time offered something quite different to the cars Indians were used to, and hence gained quite a bit of a fan following. The Polo, Vento etc. were heavier, more powerful, better in fit and finish great on overall quality when compared to their Asian counterparts. For a market dominated by Asian car manufacturers whose product offerings concentrated more on the efficiency, practicality, the overall ease of running and maintaining a car; this was a sudden but welcome change. VW has been renowned the world over for producing great family cars, they have created a good foundation in India effectively following the same strategy. With India being the fastest growing market VW now wants a slice of the premium and SUV segments. Back in 2008, VW introduced the Touareg SUV in India – a large SUV with a powerful V6 engine, lot of technology and a luxury appeal. However, due to the high pricing it did not gain a lot of traction in the market, was later discontinued in 2012.
Fast forward to 2017, VW has introduced the Tiguan to the Indian market. This highly anticipated car has finally come to Indian shores, and VW has pinned their hopes on the Tiguan to make a good impression on the Indian market. The Tiguan is a mid-sized SUV based on the VW group’s MQB platform. The Tiguan is smaller in size when compared to the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and the Ford Endeavor, however, the compact design and slightly lower stance gives it a good road presence at the same time giving an elegant but sophisticated appeal. The front grille is bold with thick chrome slats and the LED headlamps complement them well. The rear headlamps are beautifully crafted and the way the shoulder line meets them is the icing on the cake! On the inside, the Tiguan comes with a familiar VW cabin with well-placed interiors having top-notch quality. Though the car is an SUV, the cabin gives the driver a feeling of driving a much smaller car. There is good visibility all-around and the seating position is high, hence giving a good command of the road ahead. There is a large touch-screen infotainment system with a good user interface. However, the absence of a navigation system is a letdown. The rear of the cabin is quite good offering decent legroom; however, a little wider cabin would have been great. Sitting 3 adults comfortably might be a squeeze. There is a tray table behind the seats in front offers added convenience while travelling. The backseats can slide forwards and backwards, they recline backwards to giving passengers added comfort. The boot space is quite generous and more than adequate for airport runs or a quick family getaway. In case you need more luggage space, VW has got you covered as you can flip the back seats with the pull of a lever. In order to open the boot, all you need to do is swing your leg under the rear left-hand side of the car, there is a sensor which swings open the boot for you. Closing the boot is all about pressing a button. Loading and unloading luggage into the boot is an easy and practical job, thanks to the well-designed boot lip. Now, the mechanicals; the Tiguan is powered by the workhorse of the – 2.0 L TDI Diesel engine, producing 140 bhp. This gem of an engine is mated to a 7 speed DSG gearbox. This combination makes driving the Tiguan effortless both in the city as well as on the highway. The steering wheel is light but evenly weighted, giving good engagement, feedback keeping the driver assured as always. Just like all the VW cars, the Tiguan is a very good highway cruiser offering good stability even at high speeds. Even around corners, the car drives well and is well-balanced thanks to its low centre of gravity, minimising body roll. The added benefit of a 4X4 system is that the Tiguan can comfortably go off the beaten path, whenever you are in the mood for adventure. The Tiguan is not an out and out adventure junky, but do not let the size and dimensions fool you! The Tiguan gets the job done. There is a terrain selector allowing you to select the kind of terrain the car is being driven over. The car computer will then adjust the 4X4 system accordingly.
The Tiguan begins at an upwards of Rs.28 Lakh. Yes, this is quite a steep price for a VW car, especially in India. The market hasn’t yet perceived the VW brand to be at a premium level to command a high price for an SUV in the same segment as the Fortuner, Endeavor. Well…to put things into perspective, the real target for the Tiguan is not the customer who would buy a Toyota Fortuner or a Ford Endeavor but VW is targeting the customers who would consider buying the BMW X1, Audi Q3, Mercedes-Benz GLA. VW wants to move up to the pyramid and now has the premium segment in sights. With the Tiguan in its arsenal, it could be a very interesting and exciting proposition. We shall have to wait and find out how the Tiguan performs in the market.
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