Buying VW Tiguan – anything I should know?

I’m in the market for my first new car in ten years, and the VW Tiguan seems to be the favourite at the moment – particularly with the wife 😀 . It would be the 2015 model 130TDI with DSG gearbox and 4Motion, basic cloth trim interior. 90% of use would be kids/shopping duty around the burbs, but with the occasional long trip towing a caravan.

I’m not very car savvy, and have never owned a VW or a diesel before, but have noticed there seems to be a lot of car expertise on here – so any known issues with this model I should be aware of before I take the plunge? Thanks.

90% of use would be kids/shopping duty around the burbs

I think the answer will be – “buy the petrol version” 🙂

no leather = no way

I think the answer will be – “buy the petrol version”

Why’s that – cheaper initial cost? I was thinking diesel for the fuel economy, and torque when I do need tow the caravan, even though that is only twice a year. Am I wrong?

no leather = no way

Seems quite an expensive upgrade, and I thought the kids/dogs would trash it quite quickly – whaddya rekon?

I agree with woody, my dad has one of the older versions and it’s nice but the boot is small and the space in the back is tight. How old are the kids? Mine are 13 and 10 and when they go out with grampa they have to think about how much stuff they take to the caravan for the weekend. he does tow with it and has said its good for it but check your axle weights!
It’s been really reliable and still looks nice, goes well too.
Hate to throw a curve ball in there but have you looked at the skoda yeti? Bigger inside, and great build quality. We have an octavia estate which is brilliant and has a huge boot which swallows all the associated kit caboodle and dog an active family needs for a week away. But it’s not four wheel drive. That said winter tyres on and haven’t been stuck all winter and we live in Sheffield which seems to be reasonable hilly.
Good luck

2 Things really
The boots aren’t as big as you think they are although the seating’s quite flexible.
They are very very cheap on personal contract hire at the mo, drop me an email (in profile) and I’ll do you a quote if you want. I work at a dealer, not a broker.

The Skoda Yeti is bigger?! My father in law has one and it’s tiny. Hardly any boot space, and even up front feels squashed.

We also have an Octavia estate, and love it. 2 kids and a dog fit with loads of room for kit.

As for leather, I think my next car will have it. My kids (3 years and 6 months) have wrecked the cloth interior. I’d like something that we could just wipe clean.

Hate to throw a curve ball in there but have you looked at the skoda yeti?

Yep, its on the shortlist, but haven’t had a test drive yet so concentrating on the Tiguan at the moment. Again, why the petrol? Surprised you both would suggest this as I thought it was diesel all the way these days for economy – no?

Diesel if you’re doing longer runs. Petrol for around town and shorter journeys.

Economy.

Yes to long journeys but no to short ones in town, you’ll be clogging DPF’s and cursing it before long.

Higher up front cost plus all the maintenance associated with poor running conditions means petrol all the way for you.

I thought the kids/dogs would trash it quite quickly – whaddya rekon?

Other way round. Leather can be wiped clean while cloth just stains [in our experience].

my gf’s mums got a leather interiored vw on the farm and it’s held up surprisingly well after 4 years so i wouldnt be shy to go for leather either.

I’ve got a a3 that I bought off a guy with 2 kids and the leather is immaculate after 10 years

check out the towing capacity and torque on the petrol if you are going to be towing.

4×4 will always cost you more to run MPG wise and not be great for load unless you go for a big one, would you be better with an estate car? Something like an Octavia Scout or Passat all-road if you still want 4wd?

Remember putting bikes on the roof of an estate will be easier than a 4×4 too if you need to do that.

Skoda Superb diesel –

Thanks for all the suggestions. To answer a few…

Ok, see the point about leather. I was thinking of it as a luxury item, but I see it could be a good ‘utility’ option 😀 . Still, a very pricey upgrade so I’ll need to seriously think about it – maybe a set of seat covers is the answer 😆 .

Both me & the wife like the higher driving position of the SUV versus an estate.

Accept the point about diesel not being much of an advantage around town, but I think we’d go diesel for the greater towing capacity and torque, as we’re pretty close to the towing limit already.

Surprised no one has mentioned that the Tiguan has been around a long time, and replacement due out next year, therefore affecting resale value?

And what about the DSG transmission – how reliable is that – I’ve read some bad things about it but maybe that’s all in the past now? We’d expect to keep this car for about 10 years, so would I be looking at some expensive repairs towards the end of that timeframe?

Just checked the towing capacity of the Yeti and its 1700kg, whereas the Tiguan is 2200 and we really need something in the 2000kg plus range. So looks like the Yeti is out 🙁

Don’t know the full ins and outs but a mate of mine got one, and he lost it for a month with vw because of engine trouble.
Petrol bluemotion, FSH (Vw main dealer from new) 30k miles
Initially they did the turbo and handed it back still screwed so it went back and had a complete new engine too.
Could have been very costly, we’re it not for my mate beening a pretty good lawyer and fighting his corner hard, still cost him a bit over a grand and a lot of hassle. VW initially were just going to charge him full whack which would have been eye wateringly expensive.

No idea if that’s common or not but a bad experience for my mate.
I’d echo comments on space though considering the external dimensions it’s not spacious for occupants nor shopping etc.

Have you considered the Kia Sorrento 😆
7 seats and big boot
Ford Kuga got good towing reviews when I was looking but with 4 grand kids and a big caravan to tow they were too small.

Accept the point about diesel not being much of an advantage around town

Has your wallet?

Seriously, we’re not saying this for nothing, town driving is the ENTIRE reason modern diesels have a bad rep for reliability. I seriously suggest you go out and do some research on this before you buy something that is completely unsuitable for your needs (unless of course it will get regular blasts up and down the motorway).

Seriously, we’re not saying this for nothing, town driving is the ENTIRE reason modern diesels have a bad rep for reliability. I seriously suggest you go out and do some research on this before you buy something that is completely unsuitable for your needs (unless of course it will get regular blasts up and down the motorway).

I do get the point, and perhaps my initial statement about trundling around the burbs was a bit misleading. Where I now live (Western Australia) even the burbs are pretty spread out and crawling along bumper to bumper in traffic like I did in London is practically unknown 😀 . Even the school run involves a burst along the freeway, and my ‘local’ MTB trails are an hours drive at freeway speeds, so it’d do that a couple of times a week too! And when we hit the road for camping trips, our favourite spot is 1,300kms away which takes us two full days of driving, so the diesel economy would come into its own then as well.

Now you add Australia (not Perth, Scotland) it takes a completely different stance.

Local Aus does not compare to local UK.

Now you add Australia (not Perth, Scotland) it takes a completely different stance.

Local Aus does not compare to local UK.

Yes sorry, should maybe have mentioned that upfront 😳

For round here the Tiguan is considered a ‘small’ car, and most people laugh when I tell them we’re considering towing with it – the dealer didn’t even know the tow capacity or how much the tow kit cost – said nobody had ever asked him that before 😯

But I’m still in that European mode that doesn’t believe you need a V8 Landcruiser just to go to the shops, so the diesel Tiguan seems like a good compromise between economy and grunt.

I’ve got the dsg in my 3.2 v6 a3 and it’s godly… really like it – not sure what its like on a slower engine but my misses mums is ok on the 3litre diesel too. it’s a very intelligent system and will make you enjoy the lazy life fast.

Get a diesel 😆

Get a diesel

Ok now we’ve cleared that up 😀 back to the original question – any known issues with this model – particularly that 130TDI engine or the DSG transmission? I’m just a bit suspicious as the extended warranty companies put this model in a very expensive category compared to similar vehicles – presumably because they’ve worked out there’s a high likelihood of claims?!? Thanks.

Economy.

Yes to long journeys but no to short ones in town, you’ll be clogging DPF’s and cursing it before long.

Higher up front cost plus all the maintenance associated with poor running conditions means petrol all the way for you.
My wife had one and she loved it. We had the 170ps diesel version and it was fast and felt more like a car to drive than a SUV-lite…
We sold it as it was too small for the impending young family (with pram/buggy etc.).
The day before we traded it in the engine management light came on – DPF was blocked. Cost north of £1400 to fix IIRC – thankfully still under warranty. High cost was because they needed to remove the gearbox 😯 just to get to the filter so high labour costs.
I was told that lots of short journeys means the DPF blocks up quicker as more particulates produced when engine is cold than when at running temp.

Ha! Fair enough, sounds like you’re looking at the right car after all…

Looked at them but boot to small and ended up in a Q5 which was a wee bit bigger. Still reverse tardis’ though. Would have preferred a decent 4wd hatch. What about a Forester – easier to get in Oz, or a Toyota Rav4 ?

We sold it as it was too small for the impending young family (with pram/buggy etc.).

😯

How small is it?? I was considering upsizing to one from the Civic which manages just fine.

Hmmm – DPF, had to Google that one! Seems DPFs aren’t a requirement in Australia, but still many diesels have them. Will have to ask the dealer if the Tiguan is one of them. Still, hopefully it’ll get enough freeway runs to clean it out.

On the size issue, I’ve read on the internet rumour mill that the Tiguan replacement will be announced at the end of this year, available next, and will be a seven seater. However, as we’re only a family of three, and seem to have done Ok in a Corrola for the last eight years, I’m hoping the existing Tiguan will be big enough for us.

What about a Forester – easier to get in Oz, or a Toyota Rav4

Same issue with the tow capacity. The Tiguan at 2,200kg seems to punch (tow) above its weight in the small SUV category.

DSG, hmmm.

In my experience, DSG gearboxes suit petrol engines much better than diesels. Have you driven one? Tried low speed manoevering with one?

To put this in context, I have driven small petrol 1.2 Tsi cars with a DSG to Audi RS6’s and the Audi R8 V10 with their version and these work OK, I have driven Passats, Audi A4, Skoda Octavia’s etc. with diesel engines from 3.0 l to 1.6l and in each case they have been much less effective, to the point I would never buy a diesel DSG

If you intend to sell at the end of the warranty period, go for it. if you intend to keep beyond the warranty period, just hope yours is one that lasts the distance. I know of people with vehicles with 150000 miles who have had no issues, but also a number of people who have had big (like huge) bills after 60000 miles or less.
Edit: I have just remembered, The RS6 had a conventional auto.

Oh FFS just realised I’m confusing Tiguan with Touran. F’n stupid names…

In my experience, DSG gearboxes suit petrol engines much better than diesels. Have you driven one? Tried low speed manoevering with one?

Ok thanks, good to know!

Have test driven one, seemed very lively compared to the (more powerful but heavier) Hyundai Santa Fe I test drove the same day, but you can’t tell much in a half hour test drive. What characteristics should I be looking for in low speed manoeuvring?

If you intend to sell at the end of the warranty period, go for it. if you intend to keep beyond the warranty period, just hope yours is one that lasts the distance. I know of people with 150000 milesr who have had no issues, but also a number of people who have had big (like huge) bills after 60000 miles or less.

Over here in Oz the Tiguan comes with 3 year unlimited kms warranty. As it’s a second car I’d expect to put about 45,000kms on it in that time. Expensive repairs after the warranty period is one of the things I’m worried about. Considered an additional two year extended warranty but that came out at 1,500 quid, which I thought was a bit expensive ?!? But if these engines/transmissions are known for expensive repairs down the line I may reconsider…

If you are used to driving a conventional (torque converter) gearbox, you will find that most DSG gearboxes are not designed to “creep”. So in the DSG when you are doing tight manoevers, you can’t let it move on the creep, you have to apply throttle. This can be jerky or, in some of the cars I have driven, there is a definite delay in response which makes close manoeving a little worrying until you get used to it. Where I live I have to reverse down then up a slope, and the DSG often seemed to get confused on the transition from going down under brakes to up under power where a TC auto just carries on creeping.

I know I am in a minority over not liking DSG, that is why in the UK it is becoming almost impossible to get a VAG estate car with a higher power diesel and 4wheel drive without it now.

erm – yes, the DSG creeps just like a conventional auto gearbox. At least, the 7 speed one does.

Been hiring cars for the last few weeks, mainly Tiguans as I like them a lot, the auto ones creep.

Fab cars BTW

Rachel

Ok thanks for explaining that. I can see I’ve got to get used to a lot of new technology/buzzwords if I get this car.

Apparently the car comes with DSG, 4Motion, start/stop system, coasting function, driver fatigue detection system, brake energy recuperation, extended electronic differential lock, electronic stabilisation function, and anti-slip regulation 😆 but that doesn’t really mean an awful lot to me right now 😥

I’m beginning to feel a bit like this guy…

erm – yes, the DSG creeps just like a conventional auto gearbox. At least, the 7 speed one does.

Perhaps I should explain, the ones I have driven which were 6 speed ones on the diesels, do effectively creep once engaged so when you change from park to drive for example, it will sit there until you touch the throttle, then it waits very briefly, jerks and slowly creeps. When you touch the brake, change from D to R then the same thing happens all over again. Are you saying in the 7 speeders if you are stationary with your foot on the brake in D, then the car will creep off as soon as you lift your foot off the brake without touching the throttle? If so that is a step forward from the ones I have driven.

The salesman was explaining to me today that the Tiguan had an “anti-creep feature”. This may be what jimw is experiencing??

The VW website describes it like this…

Auto Hold is an extension of our electronic parking brake system. It stops your car from accidentally rolling backwards when you’re stationary, or setting off on a hill. When you brake your car to a stop, Auto Hold keeps the braking pressure you last applied. You can take your foot off the brake pedal and all four wheel brakes will stay on. If the ABS wheel speed sensors detect any rolling, the braking force is automatically increased until your car comes to a standstill again. This may be the case if, for example, you brake gently to a stop on a hill. As soon as you press the accelerator again and, in the case of manual gearboxes, release the clutch, Auto Hold reduces the braking pressure again.