2025 Volkswagen Tiguan review: Australian first drive

The Volkswagen Tiguan has been a mainstay of the German brand since launching in 2007. Since then, some 7.6 million of the medium SUV have been sold around the world, making it one of the best-selling models in Volkswagen’s portfolio.

Little wonder, then, that the brand is looking to maintain its position in the hotly contested medium SUV segment.

Now here to maintain the fight, an all-new Tiguan has arrived in Australia, more than a year after it first launched in Europe. And while prices may have increased, the new model line-up has not only grown in size but also brings with it more powerful engines, revised exterior styling, updated technology and new equipment across the line-up.

The new-generation Tiguan range comprises five variants with two engine choices (and three states of tune) as well as three trim levels – Life, Elegance and R-Line. You can read our full run-down of the new Tiguan range here.

The entry point remains the Tiguan 110TSI Life, which is now priced from $44,990 before on-road costs. That’s around $1000 more than the variant it replaces, but to defray the increase, this new model features a big array of new equipment and tech.

Both the Tiguan 110TSI Life and 110TSI Elegance are powered by Volkswagen’s 1.4-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine good for 110kW and 250Nm. Drive is sent to the front wheels via a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) that replaces the older model’s six-speed DCT.

Both 110TSI variants score a raft of new equipment and features including 19-inch alloy wheels (replacing the incumbent’s 18-inch units), a larger 12.9-inch infotainment touchscreen including native satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as DAB+ digital radio. There’s also wireless smartphone charging, a powered tailgate, and a 360-degree camera.

Stepping into the $50,690 Tiguan 110TSI Elegance adds some nice-to-haves such as leather-appointed upholstery, power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with massage function, chrome exterior trims, rear privacy glass, LED ‘Plus’ headlights, an illuminated grille strip and 3D LED tail-lights, again with an illuminated centre strip.

Volkswagen’s bigger and more powerful 150kW/320Nm 2.0-litre turbo-four petrol underpins both the Tiguan 150TSI R-Line and 150TSI Elegance. The same seven-speed dual-clutch DCT sends drive to all four wheels, with the 150TSI variant the least expensive in the range to be fitted with Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system.

Think of the $55,990 150TSI R-Line as a step-up over the 110TSI Life, certainly in terms of equipment. Notwithstanding the more powerful engine, the most visible differences are the R-Line bodykit, a different design of 19-inch alloys, LED ‘Plus’ headlights, and sports front seats with integrated headrests trimmed in microfleece, cloth and leatherette upholstery. Under the skin, the 150TSI R-Line scores Volkswagen’s Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) ‘Pro’ active dampers and a more progressive steering ratio.

The Tiguan 150TSI Elegance, priced from $60,690, treads a different path, prioritising plushness over sportiness. That means leather-appointed upholstery, a bigger 15.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, an 11-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, head-up display, matrix LED headlights and VW’s DCC ‘Pro’ active dampers.

The $70,490 flagship Tiguan 195TSI R-Line enjoys an even more powerful version of Volkswagen’s 2.0-litre turbo-four. Outputs are rated at 195kW and 400Nm with drive sent to all four wheels via the brand’s seven-speed DCT.

As befitting a flagship variant, Varenna leather-appointed seats are standard, and the front seats are fitted with heating, ventilation and massage functions. A heated steering wheel, matrix LED headlights with adaptive high beam, rear privacy glass and 20-inch alloy wheels are all standard, as is a 15.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, a head-up display and active dampers via VW’s DCC ‘Pro’ suspension set-up.

A new generation means a new design, and here Volkswagen has gone to great lengths to distinguish this Tiguan from those that came before. Gone are the sharp creases that lent the previous Tiguan a handsome and muscular air. In its place, an altogether softer-looking Tiguan makes its debut, with less-pronounced body creases and more rounded panels. The fresh styling makes it one of the better-looking medium SUVs going around, at least to my eyes.

Inside, the cabin of the new Tiguan is a major step forward for the nameplate. The front seats are comfortable and supportive, whether perched in the Comfort seats of the entry-level 110TSI Life or the Sports seats of higher grades.

Moving the gear selector from the centre console to a stalk on the right-hand side of the steering wheel has freed up space and enhanced the uncluttered overall design of the cabin.

The fit and finish feel top-notch, as are a lot of the materials, but there are also some cost-cutting measures evident, with hard scratchy plastics gracing the door panels in the second row, for example, in stark contrast to the smooth, yielding surfaces up front.

The steering wheel welcomes the return of physical switches and scrollers, sending the infuriating haptic touch pads of the outgoing model to the bin of ‘bad ideas’. However, Volkswagen has persisted with the haptic sliders for temperature control and fan speed on the dash, as well as volume controls. Mitigating the latter, a large dial in the now uncluttered centre console serves two masters – one, audio volume, or two, the Tiguan’s drive modes. Toggling between the two functions is as simple as pushing the dial.

Storage options are generous, with twin wireless smartphone charging pads in the centre console along with a pair of cupholders, plus an additional storage area ahead of the centre console that itself offers yet more storage under a padded lid. The felt-lined door pockets are big and feature dedicated bottle holsters.

The second row is generously proportioned with plenty of space for back-seat passengers in all key areas, certainly when perched on the outboard seats.

Things get a little tight in the middle pew, a large drivetrain tunnel robbing occupants of valuable foot space. Still, I’d wager not too many Tiguan owners are ferrying five people on a daily basis.

Amenities in the second row include separate climate controls for added ambient comfort as well as two USB Type-C outlets, a pair of cupholders and decently sized door pockets which, like they are up front, are lined in felt to stop those annoying rattling sounds when on the move.

The outboard seats are equipped with ISOFIX child seat mounts, while all three seats are fitted with top-tether anchors.

The seats fold away in 40:20:40-split fashion to liberate a generous 1650 litres of storage space. With the second row in use, there’s still a massive 652L to play with, up a claimed 37L over the older model. A space-saver spare wheel lives under the boot floor.

The Tiguan’s updated infotainment set-up isn’t limited to bigger screens, with 12.9-inch in both 110TSI variants and the 150TSI R-Line, and a whopping 15.0 inches in the 150TSI Elegance and 195TSI R-Line. The larger screen is optional on all variants lower down the range, except for the 110TSI Life.

A clear menu structure makes it a breeze to use, while pairing your smartphone – Apple CarPlay in my case – proved speedy and with a reliable connection. If you prefer a cabled connection, two USB Type-C plugs up front are your friend.

The 10.25-inch digital driver's display, standard on all variants, is highly configurable to taste and presents a wealth of features and information including full-screen route guidance. For those who prefer a sportier feel, the driver's display can be configured to show a centrally mounted tachometer.

Adding to the information available, a head-up display now projects data directly onto the windscreen, replacing the older model’s chintzy flip-up plastic screen that never felt resolved. The new set-up is a massive improvement. It’s standard in the 150TSI Elegance and 195TSI R-Line variants, optional on 110TSI Elegance and 150TSI R-Line, and not available on 110TSI Life.

What’s not optional on any Tiguan in the range is the full complement of Volkswagen’s IQ.Drive safety technologies.

Standard across the entire range are autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist, junction and head-on collision detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function and lane-centring assist, driver attention monitoring, road sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, and a 360-degree surround-view camera.

A full complement of nine airbags covers both rows including a front-centre ’bag that minimises head clashes between front-seat occupants in the event of a side-impact accident.

And while the new Tiguan has yet to receive an ANCAP safety score, it did receive a five-star rating from ANCAP’s European counterpart, NCAP, in 2024.

Euro NCAP awarded it scores of 83 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant, 84 per cent vulnerable road user protection, and 78 per cent for its suite of safety assist systems.

Although not guaranteed, it’s highly likely that NCAP’s assessment will transfer to locally delivered vehicles once ratified by ANCAP.

On the road, the new Tiguan is as impressive as the outgoing model, with plenty of punch from the more powerful 2.0-litre engines in both tunes (I sampled both the 150TSI and 195TSI variants), while even the smaller 1.4-litre turbo-four in the 110TSI proved willing enough in most driving situations.

Starting out in the 150TSI R-Line provided a good benchmark against which to judge the merits of the less and more powerful variants.

Acceleration is brisk. Volkswagen claims 0–100km/h in 7.1 seconds, which is ample for most buyers in the segment. Take-off from standstill is smooth and predictable, while the new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission did a commendable job of finding the right gear at the right time when on the move. However, it did offer the merest hint of the hesitancy from take-off that we’ve – almost – come to expect from transmissions of this kind. It’s not a perfect transmission, but it’s an improvement over older iterations.

What’s not an improvement is the slightly gruff and hesitant idle stop-start system that continues to confound with its latency, taking a moment too long to re-engage the engine after shutting down at, say, a traffic light.

Ride comfort is commendable, erring on the side of firm, but not so much that you feel the Tiguan is trying to be something it’s not.

Standard-fit adaptive chassis control (DCC ‘Pro’) on 150TSI variants and up utilises two-valve shock absorbers which, according to Volkswagen, separate “control of rebound and compression damping” that impacts positively on body roll, wheel movement and bump absorption.

The system can be manually controlled through 15 distinct stages, from Comfort to Sport, and while the incremental steps are barely discernible on the road, toggling between the system’s softest settings to its firmest results in noticeable change, and to good effect.

The steering feels nice and meaty, with a directness – thanks to the R-Line’s progressive steering system – and tactility that inspires confidence in being able to exploit the 150TSI’s performance chops.

Volkswagen claims the 150TSI R-Line will use 7.6 litres per 100 kilometres on a combined cycle, but thanks to the environment of the launch, the best I could muster was 11.1L/100km. No doubt, regular daily driving will see that number come down by a fair bit.

Stepping into the 195TSI R-Line upped the ante in terms of performance, and with the winding and twisting roads of the Adelaide Hills as the backdrop, the perfect canvas to highlight the sportiest of Tiguan’s credentials.

Volkswagen says the 195kW/400Nm R-Line can cover the sprint from 0– 100km/h in just 5.9 seconds – proper hot hatch fast. And it does so easily, moving away from standstill with a predictable relish, although once again that minor lag from the DCT is noticeable.

Using the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters gives back a measure of control, but I found the transition between gears – whether up or down – just slightly off-kilter, showing a moment’s hesitation before effecting the desired change. Leave the DCT to its own devices, certainly when on the move, is my suggestion.

As it was in the less brawny 150TSI, the adaptive chassis control ensured plenty of feedback from the road, but well within the bounds of comfort, even in its firmest settings.

Ordinary lumps and bumps did little to ruffle the Tiguan, while attacking some alluring corners showcased the Tiguan’s body control. Sure, a medium SUV isn’t exactly a sports car, but certainly, when the situation presents itself, there’s fun to be had from behind the wheel.

As it was in the 150TSI R-Line, the progressive steering is commendable for both its tactility and accuracy.

The 195TSI’s fuel claim runs to 8.5L/100km, but as I found in the 150TSI, exploiting its performance chops comes at a cost, with in indicated 12.5L/100km. Worth it, though.

Finally, the 110TSI Elegance and its 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbo-four. Straight off the bat, there’s an easy manner to the 110TSI, which eschews performance for comfort and, seemingly, a little bit of opulence.

The briskness of acceleration displayed by Tiguans with the 2.0-litre engine is banished, and in its place is a more sedate experience. That’s not a criticism either, because in this iteration, the Tiguan is a perfectly capable suburban warrior. Acceleration from standstill is decent without being thrilling, while on the move there’s just enough in reserve to effect timely overtakes.

Volkswagen does not quote a 0–100km/h claim for the 110TSI, and in all likelihood doesn’t need to because for buyers of this model, those figures are meaningless. Instead, the focus is on drivability and comfort, and by those measures the news is good. While it might not be thrilling to drive, it certainly remains fun behind the wheel, with just enough on tap to lift it above the mundane.

Unlike models further up the range, the 110TSI eschews adaptive damping and progressive steering, but doesn't suffer for it.

Volkswagen’s chassis engineers have done a decent job of tuning the passive dampers to prioritise comfort, and that’s keenly felt on scrappy road surfaces where the 110TSI irons out lumps and bumps with alacrity.

Similarly, the steering remains nice and light, a boon for manoeuvrability, especially in tighter inner-urban enclaves.

The Tiguan 110TSI Elegance feels like the comfortable jumper you wear on a cold day, all snug and familiar. And that’s no bad thing.

Fuel? Volkswagen says 7.6L/100km, but we saw 9.9L/100km after a short and mildly spirited drive through the Adelaide Hills.

To the question of which Tiguan is the right one for you? Our money would be on either of the 150TSI variants, and which one depends on your priorities. If you preference mild performance over trinkets and cabin accoutrements, then the 150TSI R-Line will fit the bill, and fit nicely.

If, on the other hand, you like a measure of plushness to your in-cabin experience, then the extra embellishments of the 150TSI Elegance could be more to your liking.

That’s not to discount the 110TSI variants, which offer a nice blend of European styling along with healthy equipment lists. Nor does it mean the hot-hatch-rivalling 195TSI should be off your list if your needs/wants run to thrilling performance in a practical package.

Of course, more thorough road tests await as we cycle the new Tiguan range through the Drive garage, but after our early taste, the indications are that this all-new Volkswagen Tiguan is an improvement of the breed.

Family Cars Guide

Rob Margeit is an award-winning Australian motoring journalist and editor who has been writing about cars and motorsport for over 25 years. A former editor of Australian Auto Action, Rob’s work has also appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Wheels, Motor Magazine, Street Machine and Top Gear Australia. Rob’s current rides include a 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and a 2000 Honda HR-V Sport.

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