As above. Looking at car options and have never had a VW anybody have any experience of them? I'm looking at a 2020/2021 model
I have one and it’s a very competent but ultimately for some odd reason very boring car. I have had VW’s for years and never had any issues at all - we have 3 in the family at present - but the Tiguan feels much more cheaply constructed and flimsier than any previous VW I have owned. The big wheels on the R line also have a negative effect on the ride.
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We've got the nav model as my wife's company car. It's brilliant.
Loads of room, comfortable to drive, comes with enough options even at the trim level we have not to want for anything and it's never gone wrong.
If you need the room (we have 2 young kids) there's not much in its class that comes close.
On 2nd one now, 17 plate to a 71 plate. We really like them, i'd say the Tiguan doesn't really excel at anything in particular but for us as a family of 4 as a package it hits the sweet spot. Enough space without being too big, enough gadgets, price, etc. Ride on the facelift is better than the older version, night and day difference imo. Worth a test drive for sure.
Yeh we have 2 kids and am looking to change from a c class which is getting on now. For some reason I really like the look of them but the limited reviews I can find also mention that they are a bit of a odd car, look the part but at the same time very average.
I think this sums up most of the VW range and probably always has...Originally Posted by RobDad
I've got a Golf R estate. Yes it's fast and practical, but it's not very involving.
Maybe my previous car, an RX-8, spoilt me, but from memory my mk1 Skoda Octavia vRS was more fun.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
I think that's a bit unfair
The Tiguan has a pretty specific purpose, it's a family wagon and you can make it look nice but ultimately it needs to keep a family safe and be comfortable on journeys.
I had a 16 plate polo GTi and that was loads of fun, I nearly bought a Scirocco instead but that was a bit too much fun!
For comparison I have a golf cabriolet and a VW Up on the drive alongside the Tiguan. The golf feels more solidly built in every way and whilst no rocket ship it’s a nice economical car that feels more premium to drive than the Tiguan. The Up is a brilliant design like a Tardis and is a great first car. In comparison the Tiguan is a bit meh and the quality of the trim etc is closer to the Up than the Golf. The Tiguan has every gadget going but it’s the least involving car I’ve ever owned and I’ve had people carriers!!
I’d avoid the bigger wheels that come on the R line - they look good but ruin the ride. I’d also avoid metallic grey - I find it hard to find mine in a car park as 70% of tiguans are R lines in grey!
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I’ve considered one but they just seem like a really dull place to sit. They also seem dated, you need the digi dash but even then compared to a lot on the market the interior just seems really blah. I’m leaning towards a Volvo or 5 series estate.
If they're similarly priced (I would have expected them to be dearer for a similar spec, but I've never looked), I'd agree.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
The VW Arteon shooting brake is a good looking family wagon
I'm currently looking at changing to a mid size SUV and wasn't wowed by the Tiguan.
I'm going to test drive the new Sportage and the XC40 before deciding between them and a Karoq. I've had many VW/Skoda but pondering a change and think it'll come down to how clunky the Volvo infotainment is and whether it's worth the extra cost for c5k miles pa.
I seriously considered a Tiguan but got an XC60 in the end. The Tiguan is so badly specced by the time I moved up the trims there was very little price difference.
I had an XC60 before the Tiguan and it was in a totally different league. I think the drop in perceived quality of the Tiguan - just how lightweight and plasticky it feels inside compared to the Volvo - is the biggest surprise. The Volvo seats are superb and their design is a bit more cohesive imho. I think Volvo has a bit of an old peoples/sensible car image problem but they are great if you can get over that
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Had one as a loan car when I took my F-Pace for a service at the dealers, it was horrible. Only got a couple of miles and took it back. Might have just been a bad one perhaps, the Disco Sport they gave me instead was fine.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
If you are looking for an ‘interesting’ car that is also an SUV… I don’t think they exist. At the end of the day, an SUV is meant to be practical. Performance SUVs are a total waste of time - I’ve had one before (Macan GTS) and they are not fast enough to entertain, they are too heavy to be a driver’s delight, and passengers moan if you drive them as their performance suggests.
SUVs should either be regal, comfortable, and luxurious (cue full fat Range Rover) or boringly efficient and practical (cue Tiguan). Anything in-between is a waste of money. Personally speaking, I went with the least compromise. The special sports car for when you want the undiluted experience (Aston V12V) and the Tiguan which has been brilliant for family and practical duties. Don’t pay the Audi tax. And another thing… most SUVs depreciate quite heavily. So minimise the loss with a more modest SUV and put the capital into something else that is less compromised and might actually appreciate (pick an older sports car).
And yes, the Tig R-line is actually a really good car. It has been a nice ‘upgrade’ from our previous Mk7.5 Golf R.
Range Rover…now that’s a waste of money!
If you're looking for an uber comfortable limo, no it isn't. Few things more comfortable than the full fat RR imho to insulate you from the hoi polloi :-)
When it’s not at the dealership you mean 🤣
Touché! 🤣 If one can afford a FFRR, surely one isn’t titled troubled by such minor irregularities! 🤣
A friend of mine had a Range Rover. I hate SUVs, but even I recognized it was a nice place to be (same is true of Volvos).
He traded it for a 7 seater BMW X5, which makes him look like a drug dealer.
I'm sure many would consider the BMW the better choice, but I far preferred traveling in the RR.
Surely, though, if someone is after a totally dependable family truck, the answer is Japanese (Toyota or Nissan), rather than VW...
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Toyota RAV4
Hyundai Tucson
Kia Sportage
Honda CRV
Mazda CX5
Plus....
Most of these would get a look in before the VW but I suppose it's horses for courses. ;-)
Add the Peugeot 3008 to that list! Seriously worth a look assuming there is no brand snobbery going on!
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I really want to like the 3008 nice looking and one of the most out there cabins. Good value too.
I got an Allure Premium version at the start of the year on a lease, which works well for our family of 4 plus pooch. As you say the cabin is superb. Felt much nicer than the VW T-Roc I tried. You don't see too many of them around either, compared to Sportage, Tucson etc.
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I don’t really buy a car based on its looks, but for my taste all of those cars listed are actively ugly. I’d frown every time I saw it on my drive. The Tiguan is relatively chiselled and handsome if a bit bland. I think this is the main reason I’ve never bought a Japanese or Korean car - I really don’t get the styling. Clearly there are some lovely sports cars and coupes from Japan and Korea but their SUV’s are gopping!! Ymmv of course
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It does indeed ;) I like all those options from a styling and, generally speaking, the reliability aspect
Last edited by JonRA; 30th March 2022 at 20:20.
The reported reliability attracts me to the Japanese and Korean brands - but I prefer the looks of the VW. I’ve had 6 VW’s in the family over the last 15 years - 2 Golfs, 1 Up, 2 Tourans and a Tiguan - and they’ve all been totally trouble free - literally nothing has gone wrong apart from normal consumables. I appreciate I may have been lucky but my experience has made me pretty brand loyal. The fact there’s a VW garage a mile up the road and they’ve always been excellent helps too!
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I think the reality is that most modern cars are reliable and even the majority (just) of Landrover owners have a good experience. But reliability has been a consistently high priority for me for the past three decades after my time with (usually British) cars in the 70s and 80s - as well as the usual breakdowns, a wheel fell off an MGB going round a corner and a 3 litre Capri caught fire whilst parked and was written off (fortunately/unfortunately shortly after I had sold it). 10+ Hondas have been ultra reliable and my wife's GT86 was very good although needed two replacement batteries (done under warranty and by the dealership visiting our house). Each of my wife's three Z4s needed attention by the AA - two flat batteries and a jammed roof.
Sometimes I am very tempted by VAG, BMW, Mercedes and Volvo cars because they certainly can make good looking and well reviewed cars, but I tend to stick with 'what I know'. A bit boring perhaps but as well as having had very reliable cars overall, they have been pretty economical to buy and run.
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