Class Act

Will the newest Volkswagen SUV, the Tiguan, carve a niche in the booming compact luxury space in India?

- Aditya Chatterjee

Volkswagen has finally brought the much anticipated Tiguan SUV to India. A popular SUV that sold around 3.5 million units internationally since its launch in 2007, the Tiguan is an important offering for Volkswagen for multiple reasons. Firstly, it debuts the MQB platform for a VW product in India. Secondly, Volkswagen is entering the compact luxury SUV segment for the first time. Does it make the cut?

To begin with, the 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan is a smart-looking SUV. It bears no resemblance to its predecessor and that is a good thing. While other SUVs in this price bracket choose to look overtly massive and bulky, the Tiguan has a sophisticated design that leaves a positive impact.

The face of the Tiguan is similar to the new-gen Passat sedan, and Volkswagen has used chrome very tastefully on the slats of the radiator grille as well on the air dam of the front bumper. The bonnet, meanwhile, sports characteristic lines that join the grille in a V shape. Giving the front a wider stance are the sleek LED headlights that merge neatly with the grille.

There is a combination of multiple profile lines flowing all over the body, making it look well-defined. The side is just as smart as the front with a prominent shoulder line flowing all the way to the tail lights. The new-gen offering is bigger in terms of dimensions, but even then Volkswagen has managed to make the overall packaging look quite compact. The large wheel arches with short overhangs lend a nice touch to the side profile while the 18-inch multi-spoke alloys fit neatly in the wheel well.