Revealed this Tuesday in Paris, the third opus of the compact SUV from the German brand stands out with an increasingly high-end interior.
Nothing looks more like an SUV than an…SUV. The new Volkswagen Tiguan, unveiled this Tuesday morning a stone’s throw from the Montparnasse Tower, is no exception to the rule. Although its silhouette has become somewhat rounded, the best-selling compact SUV from the German brand was not designed to revolutionize the design of these family vehicles, which have been widely acclaimed by motorists for several years. It is therefore not on the outside that we must look for where the third generation Tiguan will stand out from the competition, starting, if we compare it to the French models, with the new Peugeot 3008 and Renault Scénic as well. revealed in September, or to the young Renault Austral, its direct competitor at the French manufacturer.
To win the game of differences, it is better to open the doors of the Tiguan, which we had the chance to do during this “reveal”. And there, it is clear that we immediately enter another dimension. In addition to the quality of the materials that adorn the cabin, the screen dedicated to infotainment is the first thing that catches the eye once installed behind the steering wheel. 15 inches on the high-end finish of the model on display (12.9 inches on other finishes), this large panoramic anti-reflective panel immediately catches the eye with the space it occupies on the dashboard, all the more so as its position has been enhanced compared to the restyled version of the Tiguan II of 2020. Weak point on the previous model brought up to the ears of the manufacturer, the ergonomics of the intelligent and connected instruments of the fourth generation system is announced more intuitive by the manufacturer.
In front of the driver’s eyes, the digital meter, called Digital Cockpit at Volkswagen, measures 10.25 inches. It provides the classic information functions for the driver but, and this is a real plus, a new head-up display system (optional) projects important information directly onto the SUV’s windshield. Taking advantage of the abandonment of manual gearboxes on the new Tiguan, Volkswagen has migrated the transmission selector from the center console to a control lever (commodo) with self-intuitive operation, located to the right of the steering wheel. Simply push it to “D” to move forward, pull it to “R” to move backwards while pressing the side of the lever activates the parking brake.
The vacant space on the center console now accommodates a large rotary button with a mini OLED screen. It serves as a very practical shortcut to adjust the sound volume, select the driving style (eco, normal, sport, etc.) or choose one of the four interior lighting atmospheres (Lounge, Energetic, Joy, Minimal). A simple press of the button allows you to move from one menu to another. In this high-end interior, the driver and his front passenger are particularly pampered. Already inaugurated on the Touareg, Volkswagen’s Premium SUV, the ergoActive Plus front seats (optional) are massaging (with 10 pressure points) and can be heated, or ventilated, with possible automatic programming depending on the outside temperature.
Thanks to a new upgrade in its interior, for the best of the “driving experience” as manufacturers like to call it, the new Tiguan still remains a step above the French SUVs. While it obviously does not aspire to compete with the 3008 or the Austral on the French market, one of the best-sellers of the German brand, sold more than 7.6 million copies worldwide since its launch. born in 2007, hopes to gain some more market share in France and remain a benchmark in North America and China.