It took TMC and Honda many generations plus decades of nurturing and promotion to eventually make the RAV4 and CR-V two of the world’s three top selling SUVs. The other one, which didn’t exist twelve years ago, is only in its second generation. So what makes the Volkswagen Tiguan so sought after in China, Europe and North America?
Back of the envelope data show that each of these SUVs is on course to hit the 750,000 mark in the world’s three largest markets. Due to its strength in China and other Asian countries, the RAV4 will probably take the title of global number one SUV. The CR-V is very strong in China but the weakness of Honda generally in Europe and the strength of Volkswagen in both markets plus its rapid improvement in the USA, means the Tiguan could come in at number two. It will, however, be a close run thing. What matters more is the fact that this model’s popularity is spread more evenly than that of its rivals.
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Why is the Tiguan so popular in Germany?
This is an odd time for the world’s best selling VW Sport Utility Vehicle. Everybody in Germany who drives a Golf knows or will soon know that a new model is only days away (24 October) from being announced. Volkswagen is also running the ID.3 publicity machine as hard as it can to make sure that car is a success right out of the blocks. All of which means that the Tiguan has had several one-off factors helping to propel it to record sales in VW’s home market. As things stand right now, somewhere between 275,000 and 300,000 examples of this model should be delivered to German owners in 2019.
The other unusual situation is the sales boom in the largest European market. A year ago, almost every brand in the Volkswagen Group empire was hit hard by delays to certification for WLTP, the result being a collapse in vehicle sales. Now, the Group is churning out cars as fast as it can, as plants ramp up and up in an attempt to clear the last of what had been vast order backlogs. Again, the Tiguan is doing exceptionally well and remains the nation’s best seller in Germany after the Golf.
VW brand up 96% in September
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By GlobalDataIn September, Volkswagen took 16.2% of the market, sales surging by 96% to 39,750 passenger vehicles (source: KBA). Yet so hard was the fall earlier in 2019 that the brand is still down by 2.6% year-on-year as the tally of 498,481 units shows. Still, it is well ahead of second placed Mercedes (248,093, +6%).
What makes the Tiguan so desirable? There are many reasons why this model has such strong appeal to people in China, Europe and North America which fascinates. No other SUV can claim that achievement. Hopefully Volkswagen won’t in future make a huge error and dilute or do away with the things which people love about its vehicles.
Such intangibles include how the doors thunk, the equally solid feel and understated look of the dashboard, the large and perfectly clear dials (even in digital form), seat fabrics which aren’t shiny or have too much fussy stitching, carpets that feel as though they will last, and surfaces which generally look as though they can take the inevitable day to day use that families dish out.
A Volkswagen isn’t going to irritate with chimes and bongs and a tugging steering wheel either, which so very many OEMs mistakenly fit to their cars more and more. I’m all for new tech which makes us all safer but not so keen on things which distract or, like electronic headlight switches, complicate things which were wonderfully simple: the classic dial on the dashboard which seemingly all German OEMs have used for decades is vanishing, I am sad to notice.
Americans love the Tiguan too
I mentioned that the Tiguan is becoming ever more desired in the USA, something which neither Toyota nor Honda will be at happy about (Nissan too, which does big business there with the Rogue).
Volkswagen also has the same intelligent, obvious philosophy as its Japanese (and Korean) rivals in that it hasn’t made the same extraordinarily strange choice as The Detroit Three by getting out of the Compact sedans business. Sure, the Jetta is suffering but even at down 24% in September, 8,090 sales in the US market is great volume. The Tiguan was up by 11% to 7,991 so it’s easy to see what’s highly likely to happen this month. In fact, over the first nine months, the Tiguan (84,918, +26%) is already well ahead of the smallest sedan which VW of America offers (74,741, +22%).
VW’s Puebla site in Mexico makes the Tiguan for all three North American markets. The region gets the extended wheelbase body as standard, that vehicle being called Tiguan Allspace in Europe. Wolfsburg remains the mother plant for other manufacturing and assembly locations worldwide, with facilities reaching as far and wide as SAIC Volkswagen’s Anting factory in Shanghai, a second German location (Hannover), Kaluga in Russia and Shendra in India.
Closing in on Ford of Britain
In contrast to many brands, this one is also having a good year in the volatile British market. September sales shot up by 21% to 19,632, more than enough to put it firmly in the lead for second place by year end on current projections: 157,040 compared to Vauxhall’s 137,229 (and Ford’s 188,124). Volkswagen is also outpacing the market, year-to-date deliveries falling by 0.41% versus the overall 2.54% decline. The Golf is the brand’s number one model and the Polo is also very popular but the T-Roc, T-Cross and Tiguan have all been strong throughout 2019.
Match model grade and updated engines
Volkswagen will be announcing a facelift for its best selling SUV fairly soon – perhaps in early 2020 – yet even so, this is one of those vehicles which few would accuse of looking its age. In more than a week with the current Tiguan in new Match form (it replaces the former SE and SE Nav) with the 1.5 TSI Evo petrol engine I didn’t find anything which looked or felt dated. By contrast, it was pleasure to drive a vehicle devoid of electronic gadgetry which aims to assist yet so often instead harasses the driver. The basic stuff such as Bluetooth connection to my phone never dropped out, something which has become sadly, annoyingly rare. And CarPlay was perfectly behaved: equally novel.
Petrol or diesel?
The 1,498cc turbo engine does well to haul round this not insubstantial SUV. Outputs are good rather than generous, being 110kW (150PS) and 250Nm (184 lb-ft) in the context of the Match weighing 1,550kg before options, which is why 0-62mph takes 9.2 seconds even with the sharp shifting seven-speed DSG. Top speed is 124mph (200km/h), the WLTP Combined consumption is 37.5mpg and the CO2 average is 138g/km (NEDC derived).
To me, the better engine is the 1,968cc diesel. This produces the same 110kW but torque is a way more welcome 340Nm and oddly enough, acceleration to 62mph as well as maximum speed are identical to the 1.5 TSI Evo engine. You can also now have a 190PS version of the 2.0-litre TDI, which comes with standard 4MOTION all-wheel drive and the seven-speed DSG (less expensive Tiguan Match variants can be six-speed manuals in front-wheel drive form).
For those buyers who want a petrol engine but are keen for better acceleration, Volkswagen now offers a 230PS 2.0 TSI but this isn’t available in Match model grade, only the pricier R-Line Tech. The overall range stretches from GBP26,750 (130PS 1.5 TSI Evo petrol, 2WD, Match) to GBP38,790 (2.0 TDI SCR 190PS, 4MOTION DSG).
Conclusion
The RAV4 and CR-V might be the bigger sellers in the US yet for European and Chinese buyers, the power of the Volkswagen brand counts for much in both of these huge markets. The Tiguan is a vehicle that’s hard to find any serious faults with and which has the looks outside and inside to please perhaps 90% of the people shopping for a C/D segment SUV (Tiguan/Tiguan Allspace). No wonder then that its appeal only seems to be becoming stronger. Updating and eventually replacing this model will be tough assignments.
