Design
The Tiguan R-Lines Looks
- Sporty bumpers bump up the appeal of the mid sized SUV
- New looks are sharper and more attractive than the outgoing Tiguan
- All LED lighting with connected headlamps and taillights and both of them feature a welcome and goodbye signatures
- 19-inch alloys are also quite a standout design especially with the brighter colours
- The Tiguan was always a very simple, proportionate design and this sporty flair to the design makes it all the more attractive
Interiors
The Tiguan R-Line Interiors
- R-line interiors are dark and sporty with a nice chequered pattern in the seat inserts to add some character
- Leather wrapped steering, dash and armrests keep the interiors feeling plush
- Fit and finish levels are excellent30-colour ambient lighting is bright but tastefully done
- Illuminated R-Line logo on the dash is a nice touch
- Seats are comfy and feature pneumatic back support and a massage function too
- Oh, and they have a heating function too
- No electronic adjustment because these are the sports seats
- No ventilated seats
Space & Practicality
Is The R-Line Spacious?
- Plenty of knee and leg room for rear seat passengers even with tall passengers in the front seats
- Rear seats recline and the central armrest has a set of pop-out cupholders too
- Plenty of charge ports in the rear and dual wireless charge pads for the front passengers
- Side pockets are generous in all four doors
- Boot is also spacious and will easily take in a family’s worth of luggage
- 3-zone climate control system
- Headroom in the rear is sufficient for medium heights but really tall occupants may find this lacking
- Rear tailgate isn’t powered
Features
The R-Line’s Features
- 15-inch touch screen is responsive, has different customisable layouts and snappy to use
- UI does take a little getting used to but really makes good use of the extra real estate of that large screen
- Digital Cockpit Pro Drivers display is also neat, has multiple layouts and can be customised too
- HUD is also functional and pretty informativePanoramic sunroof is massive
- IDA voice assistant works well and seems to get Indian accents
- Some feature misses like no keyless entry
- Ventilated or powered seats
- Would have liked to have some physical buttons for the climate control
Safety
Is The Tiguan R-Line Safe?
- 5 Star Euro NCAP safety rating
- Level 2 ADAS with 21 features including lane assist and autonomous braking
- 9-airbags
Performance & Mileage
The Tiguan R-Line Is Powerful
- 204PS & 320Nm gives good accelerating power and effortless performance on the highway
- 7-speed DSG is snappy and responsive or comfortable and smooth depending on drive mode selected
- Drive modes are linked to the Dynamic Chassis Control Pro that makes a noticeable difference in the way the R-Lines rides and drives
- Comfortable in Comfort and noticeably flat and sporty in Sport mode
- In Individual mode you can even adjust the amount of comfort or sporty tune that the suspension has with up to 15 different settings. Something we haven’t seen before
- On our trip which included a mix of driving conditions the efficiency hovered around the 9-10 kmpl mark which is pretty much expected with a large turbo petrol motor like this
- While there is plenty of performance it’s not a really exciting driving experience
Suspension & Ride Quality
Is The Tiguan R-Line A Comfortable Car?
- In Comfort mode the Tiguan is comfortable. Bumps are absorbed easily and the car stays composed and settled
- The adaptive suspension allows you to have a sporty car when you need it
- The individual setting really allows you to fine tune how comfortable or sporty you want your ride and this extra control is a feature that enthusiasts will really love
- It’s an engaging driving experience both in the city and on longer drives
Verdict
Who Should Buy The Tiguan R-Line? (Conclusion)
- The Tiguan R-Line is a sporty, comfortable and capable mid sized SUV with a lot of appeal to the enthusiast buyer
- It’s spacious, practical as a family car with great quality and build
- What it lacks in the features department it makes up for in its rewarding driving experience
- If you can’t look past some of the missing features that more affordable cars are offering then the higher price of this CBU may be a roadblock for you. Look at the Skoda Kodiaq instead
- But if you prioritise the overall driving experience from behind the wheel then you will feel that the Tiguan R-Line is money well spent.
