Volkswagen Tiguan
Verified179 reviews
Very good car. Had one as a rental car from SIXT while my car was in repairs after an accident. I used it when i needed to go out. Me and my friend went to Moore River with it and I have to say the performance is superb. I found it had superior performance to my own car. Some of the features in the base model were superb to my (top-spec) car. … Read more
Only downside was the wireless carplay failed. I would have liked a 360 camera as standard for the price.
- +1
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION & POOR SERVICE Volkswagen why has my 2022 Tiguan Allspace been burning so much oil that I have to top it up min 1L per MONTH since purchasing it new? Even within 3 weeks of a full service it’s fault light has come on. Its consistently high oil consumption is excessive! It is now even blowing smoke intermittently. The… Read more
service centre FINALLY made warranty repairs after nearly 3 years of me raising the issue and being brushed off and told it’s normal for these cars. The problem was not resolved and they want to charge me $230 to even look at the car to reassess why their repairs didn’t work.
VW Australia customer support was rude and unhelpful and offered no solution to this issue. [Name Removed] offered to make a repair appointment and then failed to stating that I needed to do it myself, and pay for the warranty fix again.
Why is the onus being placed on customers of a new car to have a manufacturing fault fixed instead of being handled through warranty? (This same issue is well known in the same model sold overseas with a class action underway…yet no reasonable response from VW.)
This VW Tiguan Allspace has been unreliable and a complete disappointment as a family car used for daily school drop offs. Our family has had Volkswages since the ‘60’s but now I’ve lost faith in the brand - not worth the hassle, even new!
Here’s some of the latest alerts I’ve had to deal with…
Reviews with attachments
- +7
Less is more...unless you're counting seats – The Tiguan Allspace 110TSI Life is a cheap and cheerful solution to a family not looking to spend every single spare dollar they have on a new SUV. I really enjoyed my time with this inexpensive family car, as I think you’re getting a fair deal with the amount of tech, safety features and space it offers. Despite being built with cheaper… Read more
materials, like cloth seats and harsh plastics, I was mostly impressed with the construction of this car. You’re certainly getting that German quality in the door feel, button feel, and trim application on this car.
My only complaint was a squeaky seat! I was getting quite annoyed at the fact my seat squeaked every time I accelerated or braked a little more aggressively. It’s something I certainly would have raised with the service department to try and fix if I had bought this car.
At just $41,390 before on-road costs, you have a really competitive price tag to compare against cars like the Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-8 and Mitsubishi Outlander. It’s competitive, but that doesn’t make it the cheapest seven-seater on the market.
The VW Tiguan Allspace comes with a 5 year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Servicing will cost you $3232 for the first 5 services (every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first).
This 110TSI motor offered little cabin intrusion when under load, helping create a relatively quiet interior. The basic speaker system was fine, but you’d absolutely benefit from the upgrade you’ll find in higher trims.
This is the slowest Tiguan in the range. It’s packing a 1.4L turbocharged petrol four-cylinder which produces 110kW (149hp) and 250Nm, which sends power exclusively to the front wheels.
This is plenty of power for puttering around town and in traffic, and you’ll also benefit from that turbo power when really stomping down on the accelerator. For those buying a base model like this, I found this motor to be powerful enough, especially when compared to cars in this segment that don't offer a turbocharged base motor.
I found this 6-speed dual-clutch automatic to again offer just the right amount of response for a base model SUV. It’s simple to use and rarely misses a shift or holds gears for just that little bit too long. Shifting in Sport mode is the added benefit of getting this type of gearbox, just in case you need to make up for lost time.
I absolutely adored the dark 18-inch alloy wheels fitted to this SUV. It means you have more tyre wall, which did all the right things to help the Tiguan achieve a plush ride.
It's a lofty and wallowy ride through corners; it absolutely isn’t a cheaper way to get the same driving experience you’d find in something like the R-Line. That’s not a bad thing though! It means you can happily enjoy a soft ride over rough roads, making it plenty comfortable for the daily drive.
This 110TSI motor offers a claimed 7.7L per 100km of fuel use. I saw figures range between 8 and even 10L per 100km in the hilly areas of Sydney, with some highway driving thrown into the mix.
It’s a utilitarian interior design, offering plenty of space. This car lives up to its name when it comes to the space and storage you’ll find throughout this cabin.
I appreciate the swath of hard buttons on the steering wheel and centre console, and loved the materials used for the start/stop button.
There’s nothing overly complicated in the cabin, making it ideal for families looking for a simple SUV solution that doesn’t feel like much of a compromise. The interior feels like a base model, but it doesn’t make it feel like a cheap car.
The seat stitching on the cloth seats means you won't feel like you were looking at a set of ugly base model seats. The digital cockpit and centre screen are very similar to the ones you’ll find in the range topping R-Line - again reinforcing the fact this is an affordable car, not a cheap one.
There’s 200L of boot space with all the seats up, 700L with the third row folded and 1775L of space with all seats folded.
There’s plenty of space inside the Allspace, making it ideal for families or individuals looking for a practical seven-seater without the massive footprint.
I found the first two rows to offer plenty of comfort, especially as the second row has their own climate controls.
There are cheaper alternatives to the VW Tiguan Allspace, but I think for the money, you’re getting a quality seven-seater despite it being a base model.
The only let down here is the price of servicing over just 5 years. Unfortunately, you don’t really get the base model experience when it comes to running costs.
Like I said, VW is leaving you with the bare bones in all the good ways. You don’t really need heated leather seats, a sunroof or really even all-wheel drive. That’s what makes this model a great daily driver.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
- +8
The most powerful 7-seat VW Tiguan you can buy – It’s the fastest 7-seater you can buy with a Volkswagen badge on it. In traditional Volkswagen form, the Tiguan Allspace provides plenty of high-end materials. There’s lots of soft-touch plastic, but it’s complemented with lots of hard plastic too. Compared to cheaper rivals, the Tiguan does feel solid in its construction. This is the second… Read more
most expensive Tiguan Allspace you can buy, at $60,190 before on-road costs. The highest tier Tiguan Allspace is the 147TDI powered R-Line, which will cost you an extra $1,600 for the privilege of being powered by diesel.
You'll need to purchase the Sound and Vision package if you’re after the surround view camera, Harman/Kardon speaker system and heads-up display.
Like all Volkswagens, the Tiguan Allspace comes with a 5 year/unlimited kilometre warranty. A 5 year service plan will cost you $2,950 for this 162TSI powered Tiguan with service intervals every 12 months/15,000km. You can get a cheaper plan for just 3 years which will cost $1,650.
I found the brakes on the Tiguan Allspace R-Line to offer plenty of bite on the initial press. This isn’t going to be as hardcore as the Tiguan R, but it does offer enough brake feel to encourage some spirited moments of driving.
This 162TSI motor produces 162kW (217hp), and 350Nm from a 2.0L turbocharged petrol four-cylinder. Power is sent to all four wheels via an all-wheel drive system, allowing this Tiguan to hit 100km/h in a claimed 6.8 seconds.
While this car feels quick in Sport mode, there really isn’t a sense of urgency in the other drive modes. It’s a quick feeling car, but for a large SUV, it doesn’t feel as capable as the Skoda Kodiaq RS which it’s closely related to.
Another refreshing alternative is the gearbox, which is a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic, offering crisp upshifts and responsive downshifts.
Sometimes, it’s a little late to engage at low speeds, compared to a traditional torque converter auto. It does, however, make for a great case to use those paddle shifters on the steering wheel, which can make driving this car a little more fun. I’ve always felt paddles to be completely unnecessary on most family cars, but they earn a place here in the R-Line.
The reason why you’re looking at the R-Line is for the added visual flair and the fact that this gets a proper performance upgrade over normal Tiguan Allspaces. You get larger 20-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion rubber, a more powerful motor, adaptive dampers and progressive steering.
The claimed fuel consumption for the R-Line is 8.6L per 100km. I saw figures as high as 11L per 100km in my combined test. If you’re looking for superior highway efficiency, you’re going to have to opt for the diesel motor there.
I found the interior of the Tiguan Allspace to feel utilitarian, although it did feel a little dated. Having just stepped out of the Golf R Wagon, it was easy to see the older tech used inside the Allspace.
It’s a practical cabin, offering lots of room for passengers in the front and second row. In addition, there were even compartments on the headliner to store smaller items. It’s a great place for your kids to hide important things that you've assumed were long lost.
This is called the Allspace after all, so you’re getting more boot room than a traditional Tiguan. You’ll get just 230L of space with all seats up, 700L with the third row folded, and 1775L with all the seats folded.
It misses out on joining the 2000L club, but that’s more than enough storage space for large items, especially for a 7-seater this small.
Speaking of those 7 seats, that third row is strictly for children and smaller adults. As a 5’11” (180cm) adult, I found it pretty much impossible to find any way to get comfortable back there.
Second row seats are just what you’d hope in a slightly larger Tiguan, with ample leg room and head room. I especially appreciated touches like the tri-zone climate controls and ability to recline my seat.
It’d say consider the R-Line as a fun-to-drive option on your 7-seater shopping list.
You have to appreciate that the third row is not going to fit an adult and really is for children. If you’re okay with that, then this is a decent alternative to the more comfort-oriented and larger 7-seat options out there.
At that point, you might appreciate jumping into something like a Tiguan R to get your performance SUV fix. Personally, I’d recommend spending slightly more for a Skoda Kodiaq RS if you still require the 7 seats and are pursuing a faster SUV.
*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on.
An excellent, driven SUV. See mods below. Make it even more reliable and fun to drive – I bought a used 2013 132 TSI Pacific with about 85,000km on the dial. It is in excellent condition. That was a couple of years ago. The following modifications make it an even better car: 1. Oil catch can kit. About $800 fitted. Essential for any turbo, especially a VW. When the blow-off valve was replaced (see point 2.) a shed load of oil ran… Read more
out of the plastic turbo piping. The catch can kit captures all oil + water vapour in the pressurised turbo pipeline that is normally recirculated into the engine. I empty the catch can once a month. Believe me, the crap that resembles peanut butter is much better off thrown out than returned to the engine! The plastic pipework is pretty much oil residue free now! Essential!
2. Replaced the weak plastic turbo blow-off valve with the superior Australian-made MRT diverter. Made of brass, with a much stiffer spring. Essential!
3. Installed the iDrive throttle response boost unit. It doesn't give you any more power, however, makes the accelerator far more sensitive. Not essential, but almost circumvents turbo-lag.
4. Installed a 'tuning box'. It sits in the wiring loom between the engine controls and input sensors and essentially advances the fuel-air curves similar to a custom tune. Not essential, however, unlocks more power to the wheels. You can actually feel it. Car cranks out much more than 280Nm torque. I guess a dyno tune/ test will ultimately prove this.
Key takeaways: install a specific VW 2.0T oil catch kit with the 'Africa plate' replacement, install the MRT blow off valve (internally vented, no noise). When rubber bushing starts failing - replace with nolathane. VW rubber is pretty soft and doesn't last.
Cheers, Greg
FEEL LIKE I HAVE DONE THE BEST PURCHASE EVER – I just purchased this car about a month ago. It is mainly used for daily commute - for work. My family and I just love how spacious this Allspace edition Tiguan is. It is a 7-seater but when you do not need that extra two seats (mostly meant for children), you get a bigger boot space! We are happy with the luxury, driving assistance and sound… Read more
and vision packs too. These packs make driving a more pleasant thing to do and it helps heaps with the parking too! The panoramic sunroof is another bonus to the car!
I would definitely recommend people to get this car if they want something that is not too expensive yet feels expensive!
Latest follow-ups
So much for "German engineering" – Our MY 2017 Tiguan (Adventure) is fun to drive but a PITA and stressful when something painfully goes wrong. In the 6 years of ownership, our Tiguan is mainly used in city driving and did only 2 interstate drive and the car was religiously serviced… Read more
every year.
We had the dreaded "Gearbox in Emergency Mode" appear after year 6 of ownership (<70k mileage). (Other VW forums confirm this is a widespread/known issue with the DQ381 DSG gearbox used in Skoda, Audi Q5 & VW Golf and Tiguan.) The gearbox was unable to engage gear 1, 3 and 5. The car had to be towed to the dealer. It took the dealer one week to organize with VW to get a hired car. We (not the dealer) have to call the dealer, VAG and the EuroCar to extend the lease of the car every week. For the first five weeks, we have to call the dealer (up to four times per week), VAG (up to four times per week) and the hire car (up to four times per week) as the dealer refuses to talk to VAG direct. By week 5, VAG took it upon themselves to extend the lease of the hired car indefinitely.
By week 8 (Wednesday), we got a call from the dealer that the Tiguan was fixed and we picked up the car that afternoon.
Because the DQ381 DSG failed within the 7-year warranty period, parts, labor and the hire car was paid for by VAG.
We took the car on a 30 km run on a Friday and confirm that everything went well. On Saturday, we took the car on an 85 kms run and the "Gearbox in Emergency Mode" has returned. We turned off the engine for about 30 minutes and the error message went away. Thinking that it was probably a glitch, we drove back home. About 20 minutes away from home, the "Gearbox in Emergency Mode" returned and stayed on, whether we turned off the engine off or not. Like before, gear 1, 3 and 5 would not engage.
We dropped the car off at the dealer and went across the street to Mazda and put a deposit on a CX5 (made in Japan). We got rid of our Tiguan the same day the dealer said it was ready. (Web search for "DQ381" and see the number of result pages.)
I am giving the MY2017 VW Tiguan (5N series) a one star because of the faulty part that integrated in the design.
Follow-up · Did they offer a loan car? We purchased additional warranty and this included a loan car. What was the final repair cost? Unknown because first and second repairs were under warranty. How was the trade-in process? Smooth.
Positive reviews
Good car - expensive replacement parts (in Australia) - I call it Theft! Here's why: – Had a factory fitted trailer tow pack fitted (from new) which became faulty. Fault was no right indicator on trailer (only the trailer). Took it to VW dealer. Too hard to check out while in for service (aparently) and would need to bring it back at around $150 per hour = labour costs. Decided to do some fault finding (Electrical fitter in a past… Read more
life) and narrowed the fault to the Trailer module which sits on top of the rear passenger side wheel arch. Contacted VW Spare Parts at my dealer with the part number of the module. They quoted $990 for this part. I searched around and found www.carsystems.com (in Western Poland) whom I provided my VIN to and they confirmed the correct part. They Internationally expressed posted this to me which I fitted after replacing fuses F40 & F41 in front of the drivers right knee - both for this module and both were blown). Total cost delivered from Poland - AU$189. I saved AU$800 and more if I let VW actually do the fault finding. Frankly, I call the difference in price highway robbery - THEFT! FYI to all you VW owners out there with a factory tow pack.
Very good, not quite great – I have owned a 162TSI Sportline since new. 4 years and 60,000km later, I remain impressed by how the car handles daily utilitarian duties. The highlight is the sheer usability of the interior. For a car with a modest footprint, there is plenty of room inside and thoughtful touches abound such as rear seats that slide aft and forth with a backrest… Read more
that drops at a pull of a lever from the boot area. The door pockets are huge and lined with carpet to minimise noise. The 162kw engine is a stand out, providing a tractable mid range that delivers effortless progress even when towing a 2,200kg boat.
Annoyances?
- Maintenance costs are at Premium levels. Why VW?? You compete with Toyota, not BMW.
- A vertical black line has appeared on the 8.8inch multi media screen - it happened just after the 3 yr warranty expired of course...
- the fuel cap release mechanism became stuck - not ideal as you only discover this when the car needs fuel!!
- the ride on standard 20inch rims is almost awful. Way too firm for a family oriented SUV, even with dampers set on comfort. Avoid huge rims if you can, get a lower spec
- 20 cent carpet is painful to vacuum
One of the best cars I have ever had – I've bought this car at a second hand dealer so it wasn't new to begin with. My Tiguan is serviced at the specified, required times. I am driving it for my second year now. Apart from general maintenance, the Tiguan has performed excellent with no mechanical failures yet. Compared to the other cars in our household, the Tiguan has outperformed… Read more
them by far in terms of mexhanical issues. As a women driving almost always alone, it is a great comfort and peace of mind that the car I'm driving is reliable.
Negative reviews
Within 5 years my co2 sensor failed, clockspring failed just after 90000km(+$1000 estimated repaircost).Did read that in Canada they recalled Volkswagen clocksprings and extended their warranty on this item. Did contact Volkswagen Australia. They kept me on a line asking multiple documents so they could help me out (for 3 weeks )and in the end … Read more
the only solution they offered was to direct me to a dealership which would charge me $700 for diagnostics.What a Joke.Very disappointed about Volkswagen service.
I have a Tiguan 132TS Comfortline that I purchased in May 2019. Less than 6 years later and with only 44000 kms I am having to replace the water pump ($1031) and also the thermostat & housing ($2200). Bayford Fairfield have kindly discounted the work but Volkswagon don’t want anything to do with me. I have always had it serviced and just use it… Read more
for driving around town - hence the low mileage. For such major repairs required just out of warranty I believe that we have been very shabbily treated by Volkswagon. Buyers beware, I don’t recommend Volkswagon based on my experience!
Very disappointing – Nice car to drive, good size for parking but paying for the R has been a waste of money. Got it brand new and had issues with the screen turning blank from the first couple of weeks. Also Wifi in car doesn’t work so phone and maps can’t always be used. They were aware of this issue but failed to be upfront. Had I known about this issue, I would’ve chosen different model. Show details
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Recent reviews
Nothing but problems and bad service from VW – 2017 MK2 VW TIGUAN SPORTS LINE It is a lovely car to drive and handles great when it is working but it has been the most temperamental car, the least reliable car, the most expensive car to maintain or fix when things go wrong by far. I wanted this car to be a long term car that I would keep for 10-15 years and upgrade it but it's been mostly… Read more
just stress an waste of money and it fails in very dangerous ways and is unfair to have so many issues over a few years. VW doesn't do recalls on known faults on there cars even if class action items they have had to fix overseas and thousands of people in Australia have same issues but no help from manufacturer. I have recently had two major faults and VW dealers would not help at all for good will with labour, parts cost or anything.
Full of faults – Have had this car for a couple of years. Regretting not having sold it after the first fault during first month of purchase (brand new) - Leaking pipe resulting in overheating. It's been one thing after another and am pretty sick of going to the local dealership for warranty repairs. Plus Android Auto is hit and miss most of the time. If you value your hard earned cash, spend it on another brand. Show details
Ok car but expensive to maintain – Drive 2 or more hours in it a day. Had it regularly serviced. Interior although not cheap plastic, is very basic. Leather seats are good though. Unfortunately though I could not afford to pay top dollar to have it serviced at a VW specialist and took it to Ultratune, Mycar and Kmart auto. Oil constantly leaked from engine and I had to replace… Read more
the water pump 3 times. Just got rid of it as it became undrivable. Was told it needed an engine rebuild at $14000. I would never buy VW again.
IMPORTANT REVIEW ON VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN – I thought I was buying a quality brand, and on paper, the Tiguan looks like a really great car, BUT my new Tiguan has been a serious lemon in numerous areas. But being sold a "lemon" is just the beginning of the nightmare. As you will read everywhere on the internet, dealing with Volkswagen and getting them to fix your car's faults is an absolute… Read more
nightmare. Just getting Volkswagen Australia to "respond" has been a nightmare. I'm talking about ZERO RESPONSE to well-documented emails sent to VW Customer Care for over 9 months!!! Hours and hours wasted on the phone too. On one particular day, I spent 4 hours on the phone, and still, I got nowhere! Getting them to actually do something has been infuriatingly difficult beyond anything you could imagine, it just goes around and around in circles. It's now been 2.5 years, and I still have a car riddled with serious unresolved problems. Volkswagen will not take responsibility or make any serious attempts to rectify the numerous issues, some of which seriously jeopardise the safety of myself and my family. Volkswagen talk themselves up but then never delivers on any of it. Volkswagen's whole process is designed to stonewall you every step of the way. It just shouldn't be this hard, and to be frank, it's immoral. Volkswagen say they care, and then refuse to do anything! Volkswagen has been unbelievably bad to deal with, it's a never-ending nightmare that is unnecessarily difficult and extremely frustrating. Here's a summary of faults, followed by Doncaster Volkswagen and Volkswagen Australia's dismal handling of my Tiguan's many faults.... • Tiguan at just 4 months old, goes into "limp home mode" for several minutes, spluttering and refusing to travel more than 40 kmh. This is usually because a "catastrophic" problem has been detected, but later resumed driving normally. • Driving along and my Tiguan suddenly dies and rolls to a stop. (Car was 4 months old) • Despite this complete breakdown, the Tiguan's computer system did not log any faults, errors or breakdowns!!! To any rational person, this would be an obvious indication that something is seriously wrong with the car's electronic system, but not for the people at Volkswagen. If they don't have an "error code" they will not make any attempt whatsoever to fix the problem, despite the obvious fact that there is a problem here. The stupidity of this approach is mind-boggling and beyond exasperating. • Cruise Control and the sensors are outright dangerous. The Tiguan frequently brakes suddenly on freeways and I've nearly been rear-ended so many times. On two occasions, I was nearly rammed from behind by large semi-trailers. It's incredibly dangerous, and puts myself and my family at serious risk. VW claim they care about my family's safety, yet refuse to do anything about the problem. • The Tiguan's sensors continuously loose the plot over absolutely "nothing". You can be stationary with nothing moving around the Tiguan and suddenly all the sensor alarms go off. The Tiguan regularly slams on the brakes when attempting to crossover completely flat driveways. Turning right into a petrol station is risky because sometimes the Tiguan suddenly slams on the brakes as you approach the completely level entrance leaving you stopped in the middle of the road with oncoming traffic breaking to avoid hitting you. • The auto stop/start has left me stranded in the middle of the road for 5-10 minutes on numerous occasions. • The Tiguan's gearbox is dodgy and flounders all over the place. The gear changes are often long and sluggish, and all over the place with poor gear choices. The car frequently refuses to change down a gear when needed, it flounders about and there are long delays as it tries to work out what gear it should be in. The gear box sometimes makes clunky jarring sounds. The car often jerks and lurches. • The Tiguan has tried to take off after a long complete stop in 3rd gear. At the time I was trying to exit a side street and merge with the traffic, but the Tiguan could not accelerate because it was "stuck" in 3rd gear. Cars had to brake hard to avoid hitting me as the Tiguan groaned and limped out in front of the oncoming traffic. So many of the Tiguan's faults regularly put our safety at risk, and yet Volkswagen will not take this fault seriously. • The entertainment unit intermittently dies for about 5 minutes. No music, no navigation, no cameras. • The clock will not hold time and every day it displays a new random time. • The auto parking regularly fails to work, it "finds" a parking spot and then reverses straight past it – not even attempting to turn into the parking spot. • Recently the Tiguan refused to move forward, "the car fought with itself" refusing to rev beyond 1100rpm and at the same time applying the brakes. It was bizarre. I have written multiple well-documented emails to Doncaster Volkswagen, to both the Service Manager and the Dealer Principal, and for over 13 months, I did not receive a single reply – despite follow-up emails. (My IT guy confirmed that the emails were delivered.) Recently, Volkswagen asked the dealership to get in touch with me and apologise twice, and the dealer principal refused each time. Seriously! One time when the Tiguan broke down, I called VW Road Side assist. Unbelievably my call (about 6pm) went through to a message service asking me to leave my details, which I did, expecting a call-back in the next few minutes. VW Road Side assist NEVER called back and NEVER sent anyone - EVER!! All up I have logged 6 or 7 calls to Volkswagen Road Side assist in 2 years. Numerous emails to Volkswagen Australia detailing the above faults are completely ignored. They did not respond for well over 9 months despite numerous follow-ups!
VW Australia's customer service is beyond bad, it is absolutely disgusting. Their whole system is configured in a way that prevents you from getting anywhere. It seems impossible to move beyond the call centre or talk to some at Volkswagen's head office who can actually do something. I've spent an enormous number of hours on the phone to Volkswagen trying to get someone to take some sort of action. The people in Volkswagen's Customer Care Call Centre repeatedly NEVER take any action and NEVER get back to you, over and over again.
My Tiguan is an absolute LEMON, and from where I stand, I believe Volkswagen has been negligent and immoral in their handling of my car's many serious faults. But then again, this is the company that deliberately cheated and deceived millions of their customers around the world with their disgraceful diesel emissions scandal. It appears they haven't learnt a thing about what's morally right, they're still demonstrating the same disdain towards their customers. It's unacceptable. Do yourself a favour and DO NOT buy a Volkswagen. Read the many reviews about how Volkswagen deal with their car's faults and how they handle customer complaints. It's disturbing, and frankly, I would love to see them investigated by the ACCC.
So many serious problems and VW just not taking anything serious – On paper the Tiguan looks like a great car. It's certainly functional and looks good, BUT it's riddled with so many serious faults and VW just keep ignoring my emails and calls... Bought this car new and at 4 months it went in to limp home mode and wouldn't go over 40kmh, before coming good again. Shortly after while driving along it just… Read more
completely died and I rolled to a stop. Had the dealer come pick it up, they got it back and hooked it up the their diagnostics and only to be told there's no log of it having broken down!!! So frustrating. Auto Stop Start has left me stranded in the middle of the road numerous times, typical for 5-10 minutes. The car just will not re-start no matter what. It seems the computer management has hissy fits and takes about 5-10 minutes to re-boot itself before the car will finally restart. The sensors regularly false trigger causing the car to slam on the emergency brakes. Sometimes while stationary the cars sensor alarms will for no reason start screaming. Crossing over totally flat driveways, entering/exiting petrol stations, etc, the car is prone to slam on the brakes, many stranded 1-2 metres on the road in front of on-coming traffic bearing down on you. There's been quite a few close calls that have been worrying. Adaptive Cruise Control is seriously faulty and extremely dangerous. Frequently while travelling on freeways the car will suddenly and unexpectedly brake. I've had several time this has happened while a large semi was following close behind and nearly drove over the top of me. You look like an idiot but more importantly this is extremely dangerous. On one 30 minute trip this happened 8 times! Gear changes are clunky and all over the place. The cars ability to pick the right gear is really frustrating, sometime it just won't down change and labours at 1,000rpm up a hill. Another time I was waiting at a T-intersection for a break in the traffic. A small gap eventually appeared and I went for it but the car groaned and limped out in front of the on coming cars and would not accelerate. Eventually I realised the Tiguan was attempting to take off from a standing start in 3rd gear. I floored the accelerator to make it kick down a gear but it refused. Cars braking to avoid hitting me. The entertainment system sometime just dies completely for 5-10 minutes. The clock will not hold time and each day displays a random time. The reversing camera has at time just refused to work. These are just a selection of the many faults with this car. Doncaster Volkswagen have not responded to repeated emails sent to both the Service Manager and the Dealership Owner. Complaints to VW head office about the dealer ship are not investigated. Complaints and numerous emails to Volkswagen are not taken seriously nor handled appropriately. Since my most recent email detailing extensively all the problems and faults this car has - I still have not had a reply after nearly 3 months, despite several follow up emails. A call to VW Roadside assist when the car broke down went unanswered and diverted to a message service. Despite leaving a message saying the car had completely broken down, I never heard back from VW Roadside assist. I am completely disgusted with Volkswagen Australia. Everything about VW is completely unacceptable. DO NOT BUY A VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN!
Disappointed – My reversing camera just stopped working, car just out of warranty, had to take back to VW twice for them to diagnose ($180 each time), can't believe a major function on the car would fail in such a young car. Cost to replace camera will be close to $800 and that is with a good will discount from VW. Was hoping VW would cover the total replacement of camera but not to be. Show details
Nice car is it reliable – I got 2017 vw tiguan highline all the goodies got off my wife farther done 86000 k so far had replaced water washer motor push button start went now it say on dash gear box in emergency mode can drive on gear box is fine . all so come up crash asst not working front parking cencer not working come on dash but after restart car goes away don't no what's wrong happen in morning then nothing all day Show details
Should be better – Lots to love about the 162TSI with all the options , but a few things that shouldn't be an issue at this price . 1/ incredibly cheap carpet through out the car , have to wonder how much that saves on cost. 2/ cheap hard plastic everywhere , I get the idea of hard plastics being durable , but this plastic is so hard it actually scratches more… Read more
easily and again how much does this save ? my 15 year old Subaru RB has a much better quality interior , don't get me wrong, sitting in the drivers seat you wouldn't know the difference , but after a while when I had a closer look it is disappointing. 3/Not as smooth as it should be , I experienced random vibration at certain RPM coming from the doors and when the car was idling in neutral after 6000k. also bit harsh under hard acceleration with a whining sound from the drive line ,not super loud but I'm comparing it to my wife's new i30 n-line and a fifteen year old Subaru both of which are smoother. 4/ DSG feel like it has a lot of slack in it sometimes and in any setting other than sport, always changes up to early laboring the motor. Other than those things, it was a great car to drive , loved the adaptable dampers so you can have the best of both worlds , all the tech was great , though no wireless charging was weird( i30 n line has it at half the cost of the VW) and in my opinion one of the best looking SUV,s in R -line option . Sold the car after 10 months for $3000 less than i payed for it , ( Thanks to covid I guess ) and looking for something better.
For a mid size SUV it is surprisingly roomy – Purchased this car new and since September 2020 have done 10000 kilometers of rural and city driving. First the good things. I was immediately impressed by the clean lines, cabin spaciousness and quality finish. I am tall and somewhat hefty but ease of entry, head room, leg room and all round visibility is close to best in class. I even had to… Read more
slide the seat forward for pedal reach. The Trendline is a base model but has a quality feel with a classy steering wheel and luxury dash layout expected on more expensive models. It has a surprisingly powerful yet frugal 1.4 turbo petrol engine that is smooth and provides grunt when needed. Its quick off the mark and the 6 speed DSG (double clutch gearbox) changes effortlessly but can become fiddly at lower speeds (more on that below). The steering is direct and confident, suspension stiff giving an almost sporty but somewhat bumpy ride. I haven't tested this with a full compliment of passengers and luggage but for the better part it is genuinely fun to drive and competent. Despite this it has some annoying foibles. Firstly the gearbox for most of the time is quick and precise except when suddenly de accelerating coming into a roundabout or turning with intention to go up an incline. There is a lag which some say is turbo lag but I suspect it is the gearbox needing a few seconds to sort out where its at and undue accelerator pressure can cause rev flareup and FWD spin. I did a 7 hour trip on the Hume Highway with stretches of 110 kph and felt that the engine was looking for another gear. It settled in nicely at 100 kph but couldn't work out why I was consistently being overtaken until a road side speed test confirmed that the digital speedometer over indicates by 5 kilometers (I was really doing 95 kph!) For an extra $1600 it also came with the traffic and park assist package. I don't like it but I realize its not unique to VW. It chimes at the least provocation such as leaving the garage and driving near grass. When engaging cruise control it annoyingly slows down detecting passing vehicles or those way ahead and even detecting overpasses. I tried the parallel park assist twice and had the shock of my life when it lunged backward into the parking space followed by a loud bang when the brake came on. In comparison to past vehicles I find the Infotainment and phone connect wanting. As it doesn't have GPS, I tried use Google Map on Android connect which worked fine until you stopped and then for the next half hour refused to reconnect. In the end I used my $65 standalone GPS. Worldwide VW has produced 6 million Tiguans and 3 million sti engines so you would expect this to be a well though out vehicle which for the better part it is, if only for that DSG gearbox and the tech lets this otherwise very competent car down.
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Great SUV – Car is a daily drive, gets serviced every 15,000....car has not missed a beat after 60,000. The 155 is powerful, put it in sport mode and sport suspension and take to a spirited mountain run. This car surprises everyone. Show details
ANDROID AUTO TOTALLY USELESS – We purchased our 2017 VW Tiguan 132TSI 2 years ago. It only had a 3 year warranty and as soon as the warranty ran out recently, we lost Android Auto functionality and a car seat that has jammed up and we can't elevate or lower the seat. Unfortunately the VW dealer couldn't do anything for us without charging for it. For a relative young car, it's… Read more
pretty poor that things like this are happening. On reading reviews online about the Android Auto problems on VW vehicles, I can understand why they don't want to pay for it as there are so many problems and complaints about it. Apart from that ,the car performs very well and we're happy with it overall, but just disappointed with the lack of support from VW
Almost 100% happy – We've had our 132TSI Tiguan for 4 months. It's our third VAG car in a row (we've owned a Golf and a Skoda Superb previously). We've always owned wagons, this is our first SUV. We test-drove the 162 but we disliked the way the bigger wheels and lower profile tyres handled all the speed bumps around our area, so we downsized to the 132. Pros:… Read more
Interior quality and design, good power despite "only" 132kw, options add to the overall experience (sunroof, digital dashboard, sound system, leather), overall technology is excellent. Very car-like to drive. Cons: Once you add options it's quite expensive ($56k on road with all the options ticked). There's no clock in the digital dash which seems odd. Fuel economy is hovering around 9/100 which is higher than we expected. Cars also considered: Maxda CX5, CX8, 6, Hyundai Santa Fe, Skoda Kodiaq, Toyota RAV4, Peugeot 508/5008 Would I buy one again? Yes. We're wagon lovers but there just aren't that many wagons out there to choose from nowadays. This car doesn't drive like I expected an SUV would.
Excellent purchase – Bought the VW Tiguan last year as a demo with <100km on the clock. Fully kitted it. No faults as yet, not enjoying reading some of the reviews - with an eye to future possible faults. Great car, little smaller internally that wanted and a little heavier on fuel (premium at that) than warranted for such a new car. Would recommend. Show details
Shame on VW – Since I purchased this car I have replaced the following parts which are common issues for lots of people.Cluch kit which cost me more than $3000 The roof was leaking as is sunroof so i`ve put silicon on the plastic tubes,because of the leak roof liner was gone had to replace that, the roof curtain stopped working new one cost more then $1000.00… Read more
After that intake manifold replaced it twice as it fails all the time,next fuel injectors replaced then fuel pump failed, after that started leaking so main seal was replaced I can only say one thing would not recommend this car to worse of enemy and again shame on vw for cheating on people
A Great Car – The car is very nice. Brought brand new after comparing with BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, Volvo XC60 and Audi Q5. Price wise is not much cheaper than all above but it is with all options ticked. Only thing I wish it had is the heads up display. The servicing is pretty expensive and heavy on fuel consumption. Car has plenty of power and huge in internal space. There is a bit of wind noise from the side mirror at high speed. Show details
Best SUV I've owned – Absolutely love it! Very well built, comfortable and economical SUV that has the edge on many other similar priced vehicles. Handling is excellent and ride is very good and quiet. Ive driven a lot of SUV's of this size and price and I reckon the Tiguan 2 ltr turbo petrol is as good or better than most. Had no issues whatsoever. Love this piece of German engineering! Show details
So many issues – We bought the top of the range Tiguan back in 2011 when we started our family and have issues ever since. This is my first BRAND new car purchase and am really disappointed. There’s always a bad smell coming through from the beginning and even though I’ve taken it back to dealer they just clean the filter until I ask them to replace it and even… Read more
then it needs to be done very regularly. And then the oil consumption issue start- need to top up the oil engine around every 1000k - apparently this is NORMAL and because it’s within RANGE they can’t do anything else about it besides topping it up!! Then recently I discovered that there’s a oil leak (I’ve bought up that this could be the cause of the low oil but they said it wasn’t!) it’s and a coolant leak- bye bye $2000 to fix and now the oil light still comes on at 1000k - Generally I love my car but with all these issues I’m thinking I need to get rid of it and soon. Will never buy another VW again
Volkswagen Tiguan Year 2020 - a disappointment – Do not be fooled by Volkswagen and their dealerships (namely Volkswagen Gateway Werribee) when they tell you that the Tiguan Model 2020 has 'Lane Assist', 'Cruise Control', front sensor alert, and other features. The Lane Assist 95% of the time in my vehicle rarely works; the Cruise Control fluctuates between 1 to 3 km up and down; front sensor… Read more
alert only works in my car when I am almost about to hit the car in front of me; the boot is hard to pull down; and one feature that I cannot believe has passed Australian Standards is that the car only has one (left side only) reverse light. Not good. Had purchased the vehicle brand new on Saturday 8 January 2020, had called Gateway Volkswagen Werribee (the dealership where we purchased it from) on Monday 10 January 2020 (two days later) to advise them of the non-consistently working features of the vehicle only to be told to bring back the vehicle on Friday 14 January 2020 (the vehicle not even one week old) to them for testing. After they had the car for the full day, I received a call from their workshop to say that there is nothing wrong with the vehicle. In addition, when I had taken the vehicle to their workshop on that Friday, I was asked to sign a legal document making me liable for parts. Seriously, this is a new car. Gateway Volkswagen Werribee, I cannot believe you actually ask all new car purchasers to sign a legal document that makes the customer liable for any parts, if parts have to be changed after they have just bought a new car not even one week old. Also after reading the legal document, it read like it had been plucked off some website as it referred to the customer's 'servants' - seriously. So now I have a brand new vehicle (one week and 3 days old) that has non-consistently working features. It is like the 'Lane Assist', Cruise Control, etc., are just gimmicky features that are advertised with the vehicle but are simply not to be relied upon. Disappointed with Volkswagen Head Office and Gateway Volkswagen Werribee. If your features do not work that you advertise they have, this is then false advertising. I had asked for a new replacement vehicle or my money back. Still awaiting their response. Watch this space!
21 Feb 2020 - Volkswagen Head Office, not interested and said we will not be given a replacement new vehicle or our money back. We have a LEMON.
NOT a reliable car at all – Bought this car brand new from VW Wangara WA in 2014 for 38000. sold in 2018 for 12000. Second-hand value took a dive after warranty expired. The maintenance is very high range from 500-900 every time and lack of feature. at 97000KM the engine start getting rough so I took the car for check and apparently the DSG gear is worn out!! to fix the… Read more
problem will cost 2000!!!!!!!!!! so guys, do not buy this car regardless if this is a German engineering and 5 star safety rating. for the money I spend, you can easily get something much more from that. This is my lesson.
Great suv – Liking out latest purchase, cheap to run, has a few luxury features. We are retired now so don’t use daily. Keyless start easy to get used to. Have added a tow bar ready for taking the boat out
Not quite a family car – I purchased a Volkswagon Tiguan 162 TSI with the r-line package, sunroof and sound and vision package. The car looks great, and is comfortable to drive. The sound and vision upgrade was a definate must have. Unfortunately, once we had our first child we have found it to be a little too small. The car seat fits; however, limits the room for the… Read more
front seat passenger. Once the pram is in the boot there is very little room for anything else. In addition to this, we experienced a few issues with a number of warning lights within the first few months. The engine light came on and the car dumped all of its oil due to an issue with the o-ring on the dipstick. The car has had 2 warranty claims. I do really enjoy driving this car but it's size and the issues experienced means it isn't quite up to scratch.
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Update on my wife tiguan had put new battery in $428 dollars 3 years old car did not say need battery every thing working now