By: IOL Motoring Staff
Frankfurt Motor Show - As we expected, Volkswagen's second-generation Tiguan beats an evolutionary design path, but it is technically an all-new model.
Built on the company's lightweight and modular MQB platform, the new compact SUV is 50kg lighter than its predecessor, yet its maker says it's significantly roomier and swallows a lot more luggage, with a boot capacity of 615 litres, increasing to 1655 when you fold the rear seats down.
It's quite technologically savvy too, offering online services that help you find a parking space and automatically reports accidents and there's a new infotainment system that fully integrates with modern smartphones and tablets.
There's a full suite of standard driver aids too, including Pedestrian Monitoring, Front assist with City Emergency Braking and Lane Assist.
European customers get to choose between eight TSI and TDI engines with outputs ranging from 85kW to 176kW and with fuel consumption cut by up to 24 percent.
4Motion all-wheel drive versions now feature an Active Control gadget that allows drivers to adjust the system to the current driving conditions.
We're currently awaiting word on when the new Tiguan will be made available locally.