► UK review of 2025 VW Tiguan
► Latest test is of 261bhp TSI petrol
► Excellent all-rounder with lots of tech
Eight million VW Tiguan SUVs have been produced since 2008. And given its success you can’t blame Volkswagen for not wanting to rewrite history with this third-generation model, launched in 2024.
The firm’s global bestseller (though usually still behind the Golf and Polo in the UK), this latest version clearly demonstrates why the best SUVs have become such a dominant force in the marketplace. As one car to rule them all, this Tiguan does a remarkably good job – especially in the guise of the Persimmon Red 261bhp TSI turbo we’ve been driving in January 2025.
The Tiguan is a monumentally important car for Volkswagen, and the family bus of choice for those wanting something a bit nicer than a Nissan Qashqai without going as far a truly premium offering. Here’s what’s what (and if you want to know how we test cars, we’ve a page for that).
At a glance
Pros: Excellent quality, wide range of choice, impressive performance
Cons: Unsettled ride without DCC, pricing is climbing towards the purely premium
What’s new?
Volkswagen hasn’t reinvented the wheel with this new Tiguan, but equally it’s also far from just a light facelift. It’s longer, taller and wider than before, and offers more space inside. It sits on the same MQB Evo platform as the new Passat, with the two cars sharing plenty in common in the powertrain and technology departments.
The VW ID-alike front end is perhaps a little conservative – though more striking in the bolder R-Line specification and a strong colour – but things get a little more interesting on the inside. It’s hard to miss that up to 15.1 inches of central touchscreen is now available (12.9 inches is standard fit) and that someone has gone to town with the ambient lighting.
This is mostly tasteful backlighting, so not as over the top as you’ll find in a modern Mercedes. And while some might argue a 15-inch infotainment screen is too big to the point of being intrusive, we say it’s easier to use while you drive, with large buttons and a reasonably simple interface. Although, as ever, a few more physical buttons wouldn’t go amiss.
What are the specs?
We’ve previously suggested that this Tiguan is Volkswagen’s modern-day people’s car, and it certainly caters to most tastes when it comes engine availability. You can have conventional petrol, mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid – even a diesel. There’s no EV version (you’ll have to go for a VW ID.4 if that’s your poison), but every mk3 Tiguan comes with a DSG automatic transmission and the ID-style twisty stalk-mounted gear-selector, freeing up more space for storage in the centre console.
The plug-in hybrids use VW’s latest 1.5-litre petrol-electric setup with outputs of 201bhp or 268bhp. There’s a much larger 19.7kWh battery too, which promises around 60 miles of electric-only motoring, The diesel, meanwhile, is Volkswagen’s tried-and-tested 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI unit – and the Tiguan is one of only a few cars left in its class that gives buyers such an option.
Still, it’s the 1.5-litre mild-hybrid eTSI petrols that will account for the bulk of sales, with the choice of 128bhp or 148bhp. We’ve tried the latter and it gives a decent mix of performance and efficiency. Sprinting 0-62mph takes 9.1 seconds and Volkswagen claims 43mpg, a figure we reckon a moderately sympathetic driver even stands a chance of matching in the real world.
Most recently, however, we’ve been driving the 261bhp 2.0-litre TSI in R-Line spec. The most potent non-battery-added variant available thus far (there’s also a 201bhp variant), this comes with 4Motion four-wheel drive as standard, does 0-62mph in an entirely believable 5.9sec and has a top speed of 150mph. Claimed fuel economy is 33.2mpg WTLP combined; we were getting around 28, with moderate shenanigans.
How does it drive?
Volkswagen has made a real effort to make the third-generation Tiguan more engaging to drive. It’s no performance SUV – at least not until a full-fat R version arrives – but there’s a decent weight and accuracy to the steering and it’s better than many cars in its class when you get your toe down. In fact, the faster you go, the better it seems.
The 261bhp TSI is entertainingly quick, in a thoroughly satisfying, not-quite-GTI-on-stilts kind of way. You can practically sense other drivers doing a double-take whenever you punch the throttle, paddleshifting down the DSG is suitably snappy, and although it never quite shakes off the building momentum of that tall body in a sequence of corners, the 4×4 system has a Sport setting that livens things up. The Tiguan even has a Vehicle Dynamics Manager for the first time, which coordinates the XDS electronic differential locks with the DCC Pro adaptive suspension system that’s standard on this R-Line model.
DCC – that’s Dynamic Chassis Control – Pro has an almost overwhelming degree of user adjustability, via a digital slider that goes beyond the default Comfort and Sport settings. It also uses two-valve dampers which are said to be similar to motorsport technology. So perhaps it’s not that this bright red R-Line is too tall but that we didn’t quite finesse the settings enough in the time available. Regardless, we found ourselves enjoying this car, and looked forward to jumping in it whether ‘just popping out for some milk’ or tackling the nursery run.
We weren’t quite so impressed with the 148bhp mild hybrid. The engine, which has extended coasting and start-stop capabilities for increased efficiency as well as some e-motor torque fill for increased response, seems a good fit for the Tiguan. It’s a little coarse under hard acceleration, but feels pacy enough and quietens down nicely once up to speed.
However, this was a non-DCC-equipped test car, and surprised us with firm edge to its ride, feeling quite unsettled on rougher road surfaces. As such, it seems a bit unmatched to UK roads.
What about the interior?
Much of the Tiguan’s interior functions are controlled by the generously proportioned infotainment screen. The largest 15.1-inch iteration dominates your view, but at least makes using its functions a cinch. It’s combined with the firm’s touch-sensitive pads for ancillary controls (such as heating and volume controls), and other than the reinstatement of actual buttons on the steering wheel, there are few physical controls.
So while the screen is still not super great to work with while driving, it’s a big improvement over the systems in the Golf 8 and first ID.3. The cabin quality is largely excellent throughout too, and a cut above some of the more mass-market offerings.
It also now comes with ChatGPT, should you decide you don’t want to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. In terms of performance, this has proved a mixed bag answering our questions so far, but doesn’t really seem as if it’s added much to our motoring experience.
On a practical note, there are sliding back seats and the resulting rear passenger space is superb, with more than enough room for tall adults. The 652 litres of bootspace available with the seats up is also among the largest in class, as well as being roomier than the outgoing Tiguan.
Before you buy?
As well as a decent choice of engines there are also plenty of trim levels to choose from: Tiguan, Life, Match, Elegance and R-Line are the standard fare, with Black Edition models also available at present.
Entry-level ‘Tiguan’ cars feature 17-inch alloys, LED lights, a 12.9-inch touchscreen, a large digital instrument cluster, a suite of driver assistance tech and a reversing camera. You’re limited to the entry-level petrol engine here; at the time of writing (January 2025) it starts from £35,105, but is only available from stock, which suggests no-one is really interested and VW is about to discontinue it in the UK.
Life gives you a wider range of engines, 18-inch alloys, adaptive cruise control, three-zone air-conditioning, wireless phone charging and increased ambient lighting, among other times, and costs from £36,950. As is usually the case, Match offers probable the best blend of price and value, adding an electric tailgate, keyless entry, and upgraded lighting from £37,125.
Elegance is priced from £40,320 and puts its emphasis on extra luxury. You get 19-inch alloys, 30-colour ambient lighting, heated and massaging front seats, and a surround-view camera system. Most UK buyers will likely choose R-Line, which sits alongside Elegance but comes with sportier looks on the outside, including 20-inch alloys, plus sport front seats with heating and massaging, and that 30-colour ambient lighting on the inside. This costs from £40,725.
Dynamic Chassis Control is around £1000 where it’s not fitted as standard, and you’ll pay a similar amount for the 15-inch infotainment upgrade. Our 261bhp R-Line test car was specced-up to £56,990, including the latter, a whole host of additional driver assistance tech, panoramic roof, alternative alloy wheels and a deployable tow bar.
Verdict
The family SUV segment is now the most popular and congested around, and things have moved along significantly since the mk2 Tiguan debuted in 2016. But the mk3 Tiguan ticks all of the right boxes: principally spaciousness, quality and visual appeal outside of the school gates, especially if you go for the R-Line. A wide range of engines, reasonable value from the standard equipment and surprisingly satisfying driving experience complete what is a rather convincing all-round package.
Specs below are for the 2.0-litre TSI 4Motion DSG 265