The compact VW SUV has slimmed down with a 1.4 liter
engine, but low-fat in this case doesn’t mean low-carb.
How much motive energy does a compact crossover really need
in Singapore? The MINI Cooper Countryman, for instance, gets by with I20bhp,
while the little Daihatsu Terios makes do with just over 100 Japanese ponies.
Indeed, power and four-wheel drive are unnecessary in an urban jungle, where
the only “mountains” are multi-storey carparks and the only “rivers” are in
canals.
Volkswagen Tiguan
1.4
Volkswagen probably thinks so, too, which is why it has
introduced the 1.4 liter Tiguan. It lacks the 4Motion 4x4 of its 2-litre
sibling, while its I50bhp Twincharged motor is 20bhp and 40Nm down on the
bigger turbo unit. But it’s even more economical, travelling 2.5km further on
every liter of petrol, and the performance remains decent.
Apart from a little hesitation when moving off on light
throttle openings, and occasionally less-than-immediate kickdown, the downsized
drivetrain is responsive and effective in the Tiguan. The engine pulls
strongly, smoothly, and evenly across the rev band, while sounding sporty at
the same time. There are no paddles to work the six gears manually (unlike in
the 2-liter), but the leather gear lever is at hand if you ever wish to play
“plus-and-minus” shifting. You can also knock said lever into “S” and
“sportify” the gear-changes automatically.
Whenever possible, this dual-clutch gearbox will disengage
Drive by itself and coast (with the engine idling at just above 750rpm), such
as slowing down to a red light with the foot off the throttle pedal. This
feature, along with a stop/start system (which is a bit irritating but can be
disabled), helps to save petrol.
Tiguan the wagon:
Neither pretty nor plush, but this interior is perfectly practical and
seemingly durable.
The rest of the package is classic Tiguan - generous and
versatile interior space, a useful set of standard equipment, and plenty of
places (including front under-seat drawers) to store loose items. The cabin
plastics are plasticky, but they seem sturdy enough. And the ride can get shaky
over rough patches of tarmac (at least on the test car’s upsized 18-inch
wheels), but the handling is tidy and highway cruising is comfortable (albeit
without cruise control).
In summary, the slimmed-down 1.4 liter Tiguan is a low-fat
SUV with fairly high carbo in its system.
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Specifications
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Engine: 1390cc, 16-valves, inline-4 turbo-supercharged
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Max power: 150bhp at 5800rpm
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Max torque: 240Nm at 1500-4000rpm
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Gearbox: 6-speed dual-clutch
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0-100km/h: 9.3 seconds
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Top speed: 193km/h
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Consumption: 14.1km/L (combined)
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Price: $178,800
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