Our long-term Volkswagen Tiguan has already proved its mettle as a city-focused medium SUV in many ways, which we’ll detail in later instalments. Here, though, the focus is on the Tiguan’s utilitarian interior.
The 132TSI Comfortline model we have in our garage sits in the middle of the Tiguan range and will set you back around $41K before on-road costs. And with the only option on our Tiggy long-termer the $600 pearl-effect Deep Black paint job, what you see is pretty much what you get.
Step inside the high-rider and you’re greeted by the mid-spec and durable ‘Comfort’ cloth trim finished in a quilted diamond pattern that looks and feels premium despite not being finished in the top-spec Vienna leather reserved for optional Luxury package.
The seats are comfortable and well-bolstered and offer plenty of support, including lumbar adjustment for both driver and front passenger for those long drives.
The multi-function, flat-bottomed steering wheel, wrapped in leather, feels nice in the hand. It features both height and reach adjustment, meaning your ideal driving position isn’t a pipe dream.
Looking around the cabin, there is an unmistakable feel of, well, semi-premium. Sure, the interior isn’t lush in the same way a BMW or Mercedes can be, but it is a cut above what you would expect from a $42K car.
Soft touch plastics abound, as do brushed aluminium-look highlights and accents. And just a smidge of piano black surrounds the air vents and speakers. It’s enough to add to the semi-premium feel while not overdoing the high-gloss look which can be prone to highlighting fingerprints.
Storage space is handy, with a decent-sized glovebox (that also houses the CD player), a phone and wallet-sized cubby forward of the gear selector, two cupholders in the centre console as well as a deep storage bin, whose padded and cloth-covered lid is the perfect height for a comfortable armrest.
There’s another storage cubby on the dash, featuring a flip-up lid, however, as my CarAdvice colleague Dom Wiseman warned, don’t use it for your wallet on a hot day as you may end up with melted credit cards and the like!
With the model tested here not sporting a sunroof or panoramic roof, there are two more storage cubbies located in the ceiling with space for four pairs of sunglasses, yes really.
All four doors feature cubbies which can easily accommodate larger bottles, while passengers in the backrow also score two cupholders located in the fold-down armrest. What they don’t get, is a USB point. In fact, the Tiguan only has a single USB outlet, although it does have two 12V auxiliary points, one in front and one in rear.
Back row passengers do, however, score their own climate control with two vents and rear-seat-specific temperature controls. And there are some nifty little airplane-style fold-down tray tables in the back, too, as well as individual reading lights.
There’s a decent amount of space too for rear seat passengers, with knee- and legroom abundant. Headroom is decent as well and if you like to wear jackets, there are four coat hooks on offer in the back row. Three adults could comfortably fit across the back row, although the middle passenger will be compromised by the transmission tunnel. Still, for a medium SUV, it’s plenty roomy in the back.
Little ones are catered to with two ISOFIX points on the outboard seats as well as three top-tether anchors.
The boot itself isn’t massive, offering 615 litres of space with the rear seats in play. But, drop down the back row (which split in a 60:40 fashion) and the boot expands to a generous 1655 litres and offers 1746x1004mm of floor space. And under the floor, sits a space saver spare.
The boot also features hooks and tether points to keep your shopping from sloshing about as well as a 12V auxiliary outlet. There are a couple of additional storage cubbies in the boot, too.
Overall, the Volkswagen Tiguan in the mid-spec is a comfortable place to be, with a premium-ish feel that belies its $42K asking price.
It’s practical (one USB point not withstanding) and offers comfort, a touch of class and ample room for an urban family with the occasional desire to head away for weekends.
2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 132TSI Comfortline
- Odometer reading: 2305km
- Travel since previous update: 1224km
- Fuel consumption since previous update: 12.5L/100km
- Fuel cost since previous update: $188.11
Click on the Photos tab for more images by Sam Venn.
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