The combination of a high-performance vehicle and an SUV the Tiguan R has to offer isn’t always a match made in heaven. Firstly, there are the practicality-related impediments to dynamic driving, the added mass and longer wheelbase thanks to the need for sufficient space to seat five and/or swallow lots of stuff.
Then you need more power than most, along with a transmission capable of handling that extra shove. A chassis tuned to accommodate nimble handling and more aggressively geared steering to top it all off, along with a helping of sticky rubber. It all sounds eminently achievable, but in real life, nothing is that easy. Perfection is approachable but seldom attainable. So, who would require this blend of high performance and practicality and a modicum of off-road ability? Well, perhaps a former Golf GTI pilot who now has a family and understandably still loves the added power of a serious hot hatch. Similar reasoning gave us the RS6 Avant Quattro and that was a success story, so why not?
Although the MU-X and the Raptor were on hand to carry most of the camera and video equipment at this year’s Shootout, there was additional paraphernalia such as walkie-talkie charging cases, sponsor banners, personal luggage, testing instruments and so much more to lug. As a result, the Tiguan’s spacious interior often came in handy. Digital screen displays have become increasingly configurable as of late. An array of touchscreens, haptic buttons and hidden layers of information can be found in the R’s instrumentation. The layout is easily adjusted via a steering wheel button to suit your preferences with plenty of options and the display and interfaces are logically executed. The rest of the interior is typical upmarket VW too.
The Tiguan R’s handling is much better than you might expect from an SUV. It’s helped along by 4Motion all-wheel and torque vectoring. While 20-inch wheels are standard, we had the optional 21-inch Estorils, which managed to fill the wheel arches without making the ride rock hard. The last thing a family needs is kidney belts to reduce the agony of being shaken about on long holiday trips. The power output of 235 kW is not to be sneezed at, yet it retains the four-cylinder, 2,0-litre building block and VW’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is among the best as long as you have it serviced regularly.
Akrapovic exhausts have achieved cult status and can be specified as an option to complement the heavily tuned engine. The wastegate dumping on over-run sounds intriguing and is reminiscent of the Audi Quattro touring cars of some decades back. Everybody enjoyed driving the Tiguan at the Performance Shootout, whether it was around the many twisty passes, along country lanes or simply on the highway.
