Bay Harbour: July 19, 2023

16 Bay Harbour News Wednesday July 19 2023
Tiguan R ready for road or racetrack
ONE OF MY friends has a
Skoda Octavia RS. It suits him
perfectly, he likes the space in
the rear and at the other end,
he enjoys the power from that
fabulous turbocharged 2-litre
engine.
But as age is catching up on
him he, like us all, is finding getting
in and out of a low wagon/
sedan not the easiest when his
hips complain.
He asked me recently what
would be a suitable replacement
in terms of a sport utility vehicle.
I immediately told him that the
Kodiaq RS would provide him
with all the performance he
enjoys now along with the Skoda
familiarity.
I also told him about Volkswagen’s
Tiguan R, an SUV that
shares much the same driveline
but with a bit more turbo boost
delivering higher power outputs.
And given the $1000 price difference
new is marginal between
Kodiaq RS and Tiguan R, I think
my friend might be tempted
with the latter.
The Tiguan R is rated at 235kW
and 400Nm, much the same as
the Golf R I evaluated recently.
The Tiguan also gets all the trick
gear that makes the R (Race)
series so desirable – four-wheeldrive,
adaptive dampers and
torque vectoring control. The
latter doesn’t just distribute drive
between the front and rear axles,
but also between the left and right
rear wheels using a multi-plate
clutch coupling system. This can
direct up to 100 per cent of the
possible torque to the wheel on
the outside of the bend, reducing
the radius and minimising any
onset of understeer.
Race mode is activated by a
steering wheel-mounted button;
once pushed, the entire driveline
goes into a manic state, it is excitable
and eager to blast through
any given highway. It also imparts
angry sound, the engine and
exhaust spit and bark in unison,
it’s infectious and could be a trap
because, like its stablemates, the
R series is biased toward exhilaration
on any given journey, a
constant watch on the speedometer
is recommended.
In terms of power outputs, take
note of where the specific points
of delivery are – 5600 to 6500rpm
and 2000 to 5600rpm for torque,
that is a constant supply of energy
which means you don’t have to
hammer the engine hard to make
it work freely, the flow of power
is constant and forceful at any
given point. Drive is through a
direct shift gearbox. Effectively
it is a manual, but there are only
two pedals in the car – brake
and accelerator. Gear changes
are automated unless the driver
takes control through a sequential
DISGUISED: The Volkswagen Tiguan R also represents
versatile family wagon transport.
VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN R: Uprated engine from Volkswagen Golf GTi.
shifting system from the main
gearshift lever itself or through
paddles.
Such are the speed of the
changes, the transition of power
isn’t affected. Under load the engine
surges with an uninterrupted
power delivery, it is forceful and
ratio changes are ushered in without
notice – bar the dash panel
indication.
Against the clock the Tiguan R
will scorch to 100km/h in 5.2sec
and will make a highway overtake
(80-120km/h) in 4sec. These are
fast times and ones that are very
rewarding when circumstances
allow.
If fuel usage comes into the
equation, I simply can’t work
out how the engine delivers so
much delight yet comes in with
a claimed 9.7-litre per 100km/h
combined cycle average. At
100km/h the engine is turning
over leisurely at 1800rpm,
returning a 6l/100km figure.
When I returned the vehicle back
to the dealership it was showing
10l/100km which was pretty impressive
because I did enjoy the
turbocharged thrust on several
occasions.
That’s not saying it can’t be
driven sedately at city speeds, in
fact the opposite applies, it is gentle
and delicate in close confines
and is comfortable on the suburb
to city commute.
• Price – Volkswagen
Tiguan R, $80,990
• Dimensions – Length,
4514mm; width, 1859mm;
height, 1668mm
• Configuration – Fourcylinder,
four-wheel-drive,
1984cc, 235kW, 400Nm,
seven-speed direct shift
automatic
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 5.2sec
• Fuel usage – 9.7l/100km
But it’s on the open road that
the Tiguan R really struts its stuff,
powering out of a corner doesn’t
force any wayward cornering
motion, of course there are
those electronic and mechanical
systems working to correct any
physical force off-line; however,
theTiguan R doesn’t rely on these
devices it has poise and grip
provided by clever suspension
elements and, of course, the
transfer of power to each corner.
As much as I enjoyed the
force of power blasting from
corner to corner, you can only
do that if you have confidence
in the brakes. The massive
four-disc system has substantial
retardation.
The test car was riding on 19in
wheels fitted with Hankook low
profile tyres, which along with the
4Motion driveline, vast amounts
of grip can barely be tested. It
must be said as well the Tiguan R
doesn’t handle like a traditional
SUV, it has poise and balance
which is quite unusual for a
vehicle well over 1.6m tall.
The Tiguan R also satisfies as
an all-round family wagon, it has
speed which stuns the senses but
it also is a complete package in
terms of practicality. Those on
board are treated to a decent ride
and plenty of space that you can
spread around in, that’s the ethos
of SUVs and the Tiguan R is no
exception.
What the Tiguan R represents
well is the word sport in sport
utility vehicle, it’s a sensational
package and one that gives you
a relatively good bang for your
buck. At $80,990 ($85,990 high
grade) it’s not too wayward in
terms of pricing. However, you
can guarantee the Government
will come knocking for a few
extra dollars as part of its Clean
Car Programme fee.
Nevertheless, it’s a car for those
who need space for the family
yet want the performance of Golf
R but in a bigger package, and
want it to be docile enough for
the myriad of tasks that SUVs
are presented with on a daily
basis. Not withstanding it’s height
makes it a breeze to get in and
out of.
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