Skip advert
Advertisement

New Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line review – a rewarding SUV - MPG and running costs

VW’s best-selling SUV is competent and refined, but it lacks its own clear personality

Evo rating
RRP
from £23,255
  • Sophisticated feel, base models look classy, satisfying to drive
  • Petrol engine feels more like a diesel, interior isn’t as premium as price tag might suggest

The official combined mpg figure of only two versions of the Tiguan drop below 40mpg, and only just. The 1.4 petrol, with DSG and four-wheel drive, achieves 39.8mpg, while the 2-litre petrol with the same drivetrain gets 38.2miles from each gallon.

Most of the other cars are well into the 40s and 50s with their mpg, however the winning engine and drivetrain combo is the 2-litre diesel with either 113bhp or 147bhp when combined with a two-wheel-drive manual. On a combined cycle this recipe means the Tiguan can officially achieve 60.1mpg.

Sharing a platform with VW’s staple hatchback, the Golf, means that the Tiguan doesn’t have many overly complicated components and certainly nothing that’s untested. That means it should prove to be reliable, durable and cost-effective to run.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The flashier R-Line Tiguans come with big, 20-inch wheels that require expensive tyres. A full set of 235/45 R20s from a decent tyre brand will cost between £700 and £770, whereas four 215/65 R17 tyres – to fit the Tiguan’s smallest wheels – are between £400 and £520.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Used Porsche 911 (991, 2011 - 2018) review – should you buy the unloved 911?
Porsche 991 Carrera rear
In-depth reviews

Used Porsche 911 (991, 2011 - 2018) review – should you buy the unloved 911?

For better or worse, the 991 was a huge moment of change for the Porsche 911, as it passed the half-century mark. We look back at the black sheep of t…
17 Feb 2025
Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman 2.0 four-cylinder – the car world's greatest misses
Porsche 718 four cylinder
Features

Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman 2.0 four-cylinder – the car world's greatest misses

Downsizing the engine of Porsche’s entry-level sports car was an embarrassing flat-four fiasco
18 Feb 2025
Alpina B3 GT Touring 2025 review – a 190mph alternative to the BMW M3 Touring
Alpina B3 GT Touring
Reviews

Alpina B3 GT Touring 2025 review – a 190mph alternative to the BMW M3 Touring

A swansong for Alpina’s hot 3-series lineup, the B3 GT Touring is a fine and unique alternative to the very best fast estates
16 Feb 2025