test drives

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The idea of swiping a credit card has been transferred to the driving experience. Opening the sunroof, operating the heating or the radio is all done by a scroll of the finger in the Volkswagen Tiguan. Henry, my ten year old son likes this.

Correctly pronounced “TEE-gwan” (TEE-gwahn), the name is a blend of the German words Tiger (tiger) and Leguan (iguana).

Initially, I sit in the car on my driveway to familiarise myself. There’s a dial where the gearbox is often located but on first inspection this isn’t anything to do with that, it’s for the volume. So where’s the gearstick?

“It’s on the right of the steering wheel,” guides Henry who is far more aware than me!

This reminds me of the gear shifts on cars of the past, with a modern twist.

There’s a button behind the volume dial that releases or engages the electronic parking brake.

So that’s simple enough.

Only it isn’t. When I push the start button and engage drive mode, releasing the parking brake and pushing the accelerator, the car rolls down our sloping driveway, which is frightening. After some research I discover that when the footbrake is pressed hard at the same time as starting the engine this should engage auto hold, but even then there is some forward movement. The car doesn’t seem to like our bumblebee covered lavender bush. Reversing up the driveway it violently brakes all by itself, which when I don’t feel very well is almost enough to see the contents of my stomach plastered across the windscreen. It doesn’t matter whether I reverse down the driveway or park head on, the same problem presents itself. Even after I have switched off all parking technology it seems. If there ever was a case of incorporating too much technology, it is here.

As I pull away there is a delay as it takes a little time for the transmission to acknowledge that the accelerator has been pressed. Problematic, even dangerous, when pulling out onto a fast moving road. Selecting sports mode does not seem to speed things up either. It is also necessary to push the selector away from you when changing from sports mode to driving mode because if you don’t do that it falls into neutral, which you eventually notice when travelling at 60mph because of decreasing speed. Then when braking we don’t come to a smooth halt but more of a bouncy springy stop, which is all rather unnerving. No doubt for reasons of efficiency but other hybrids don’t feel so disconnected.

“This isn’t just a volume control,” smiles Heidi (13), pushing and turning the dial to reveal various driving modes that appear on the screen. This seems ill thought out to me. In my mind it should be used for one or the other. Not both. It’s confusing.

Externally, the Tiguan mild hybrid is a smart looking, sophisticated vehicle, finished in a tasteful metallic blue.

It’s a sizeable vehicle with good amounts of legroom for five occupants and the large boot is perfect for a family’s requirements from a tip run to a break away.

I take it on the Wightlink ferry from Portsmouth to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight and when we return to the vehicle we find that the only cars to have their alarms sounding on the crossing are those from the VW Group – the Audis, VWs and Skodas. They must have very sensitive alarms compared to say, Hondas.

For me the Tiguan is a reflection of society. It highlights when change is incorporated for the sake of it and does not bring with it any advantages. Sadly, the Tiguan feels like a large lumbering lethargic vehicle, well suited to our times and in need of a health check.

Facts at a glance