New VW Tiguan 2.0 BiTDI review ~ station of gear

Volkswagen Tiguan bi-turbo - front tracking

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29 Jul, 2016 5:45pm Lawrence Allan

The Volkswagen Tiguan's punchy bi-turbo diesel engine makes it the most powerful mid-size SUV on the market. Is that enough?

We’re already quite familiar with the new Volkswagen Tiguan. But when we tested it against its closest rivals, the Renault Kadjar and Nissan Qashqai, it finished only third. So does an engine upgrade change anything?

VW has made the SUV available with its punchy BiTDI twin-turbo diesel. The 237bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder appeared first in the Passat saloon last year, and the Tiguan is the next car to benefit. Extremely high injection pressures on the twin-turbos ensure it’s no ordinary diesel; in fact, it’s the most powerful engine of its size on the market.

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With a whopping 500Nm of torque from as low as 1,750rpm, it has considerably more grunt than any mid-size SUV in the mainstream class. This means the Tiguan finally gets the performance to compete in the premium sector VW has priced it at. On paper, the numbers make for impressive reading; 0-62mph is dispatched in 6.5 seconds, which is 1.4 seconds faster than the next best diesel Tiguan, and a mere three-tenths off Jaguar’s 3.0-litre V6 diesel F-Pace. In-gear acceleration is brisk, but don’t make the mistake of thinking this means the SUV feels like a Tiguan ‘GTI’ on the road.

Being a boxy SUV, body roll is ever-present, and while the steering is quick it does feel quite numb. As for the engine, power delivery is extremely linear, and it builds speed deceptively rapidly with real smoothness – so you find yourself going much faster than you might anticipate.

The standard-fit seven-speed DSG gearbox contributes to this feeling, slurring shifts nicely in auto mode and responding quickly to manual changes. This powertrain is effective rather than exciting, but it certainly fixes the rather sluggish nature for which we’ve criticised lesser Tiguans.

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The Tiguan BiTDI is available only with VW’s 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system, which (along with the monstrous torque) is part of the reason the SUV can tow up to 2,500kg. It also makes the car feel very surefooted on the road; there’s precious little fun to be had, but it’s composed and comfortable nonetheless. Thank the optional adaptive dampers for this. Without them, the Tiguan’s ride is on the choppy side.

You can spec the BiTDI Tiguan only as an SE-L or range-topping R-Line model. SE-L – tested here – is probably the one to go for. Although it doesn’t have as many muscular styling add-ons, you get the same quality feel, intuitive cabin layout and a decent kit list. There’s also loads of space; the sliding rear seat ensures you can prioritise space for passengers or luggage, depending on your needs.

There is a downside with this version, however, and it isn’t only the ambitious list price: efficiency takes quite a big hit on paper. UK specs have yet to be confirmed, but in Germany VW claims the model will manage around 45mpg and emit 167g/km of CO2. That doesn’t sound too bad, but the 148bhp 2.0-litre will return nearly 60mpg. In fact, a 3.0-litre V6 diesel F-Pace is cleaner than the bi-turbo VW. So it’s hardly surprising that a mere 10 per cent of Tiguans sold in the UK will be fitted with this engine.

If you’re willing to pay a bit extra for class-leading pulling power, then the beefy, twin-turbocharged Tiguan will be worth considering. Its pace is enough to make BMW and Audi sit up and take notice with their premium SUVs, while the rest of the package remains strong, if unexciting. If you can find a good lease deal for this bi-turbo the numbers might stack up, but the 187bhp 2.0-litre diesel version is cheaper, much more efficient and just as nice to drive.

Model: Volkswagen Tiguan  2.0 BiTDI SE L
Price: £36,000 (est)
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl bi-turbo diesel
Power/Torque: 237bhp/500Nm

Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch auto, four-wheel drive
0-62mph/Top speed: 6.5 secs/142mph
Economy/CO2: 45mpg/167g/km (est)
On sale : Late August 2016

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