[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Best diesel car to drive? Doesn't look like, for the price. Lot less will get the Compass and bit more will get the X1.

We don't know how the compass is to drive and don't know how much it will be priced at. The X1 might be better to drive but that's the thing, not everyone wants the brand name of the big 3. This is actually a very imp criteria for business folks who don't want to be seen in an Audi, BMW or Merc.

Moreover the X1 is smaller with much less interior room and ride comfort is on the firmer side.

Power? Below average for price.

Yes power is not great but the segment of buyers targeted are those that won't really worry about 177bhp vs 140bhp. Remember the Mercedes GLA 200 CDI is 134BHP.

Build quality? Yes. Looks good.
Interiors? Understated but lacks any sort of design flair.
Brand name? Below average for price.

Some people like the understated interior design. I love it! VW still commands an image, the reason why VW is able to sell Vento's over Ciaz and Honda City.

Looks? Understated side and front. Estate like rear.

Yes but the VW design is timeless and classy. Even after 5 years on the road, it ages gracefully. Unlike Hyundai which starts looking it's age.

Road Presence? Below average for the price.

Neither does the Tucson or X1 or the GLA.

Off road ability? Below average. Low GC.

Not really. Remember GC is now calculated differently by ARAI and VW is the first to follow this. International models get 200mm. In India it's now calculated with laden weight.

Also, the Jetta is not perfect as you make out to be. In terms of features it's the least equipped, has the weakest air con in any car in India I have sat inside, has good high speed stability but it's not as chuckable as the new VW's, steering lacks a little feedback and the Skoda Octavia is priced on par with more features, better air con and peppier performance.

So the Jetta actually carved out a niche with it's understated elegance, reasonable performance, VW badge and solid dynamics.

Pretty much all that is repeated in the Tiguan but everything improved. The Tiguan won't be a chart topper but will have it's share of buyer. I expect 100 units on average and I think VW will be happy with that as the margins will be huge.

It's like the Passat in a way. The Passat was perilously close to the 3 series and C class but did get buyers who didn't want the brand but wanted the same German experience.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

It's like the Passat in a way. The Passat was perilously close to the 3 series and C class but did get buyers who didn't want the brand but wanted the same German experience.

And I just quickly went through the sales threads for last three years and the Passat sold about 20 cars a month. It's an aging model, so that's understandable as well.

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Pretty much all that is repeated in the Tiguan but everything improved. The Tiguan won't be a chart topper but will have it's share of buyer. I expect 100 units on average and I think VW will be happy with that as the margins will be huge.

Will see.

100 would be a good number for VW. Agreed. But I don't believe they'll acheive that in the long run, solely due to the pricing. Will revisit the thread later on and see where our predictions stand!

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

...
...
Would any of us have bought the Tiguan if we could afford? I doubt.

Best diesel car to drive? Doesn't look like, for the price. Lot less will get the Compass and bit more will get the X1.
Power? Below average for price.
Build quality? Yes. Looks good.
Interiors? Understated but lacks any sort of design flair.
Brand name? Below average for price.

Looks? Understated side and front. Estate like rear.
Road Presence? Below average for the price.
Off road ability? Below average. Low GC.
Best compromise between on-road and offroad? Looks more road biased.
Value? Below average. Priced well above expectations.

The buyers who would still go ahead would be those who would spend 40L, doesn't want brand value, doesn't want the best driving experience, doesn't want the road presence, doesn't want the off road ability, and won't look to save money by looking at other similar sized options which are way cheaper, or larger options which are similarly priced. I'd be surprised if those small number of VW fans turn up in double digit numbers every month for the long term.

Good points there! From what I see, the way Tucson and Tiguan lined up is quite similar to the Elantra and Jetta. That said I am really looking forward at how the Compass will get into the mix in the segment.

Now on the point of 'pay a bit more and you get a X1' - you may get a base FWD X1, but the AWD model will cost at least 10 lakh more than the highline Tiguan. The power figures of the Tiguan may not be huge, but 150ps is not bad for Indian roads. And the looks - none of these cross-overs have the macho SUV looks; take the GLA - at the best a raised A-Class; looks good though

[Aurum]

I am in this rocky boat now. Started off with the Tiguan. Got tempted by the X1 xLine, nearly enough to close. Now getting a nice deal on a 3000 km demo car at the next segment that is close to the non discounted X1 xLine price. Torn between the two now. Tiguan seems pretty much out. None of this would have happened if the Tiguan was 2-3 lakhs cheaper. I know it's off topic, but any thoughts on buying a demo car?

[The Rationalist]

Originally Posted by Aurum

I am in this rocky boat now. Started off with the Tiguan. Got tempted by the X1 xLine, nearly enough to close. Now getting a nice deal on a 3000 km demo car at the next segment. I know it's off topic, but any thoughts on buying a demo car?

Hi Aurum,
I used to live near a luxury car showroom. The way the prospective customers test drive the high end cars is scary to say the least, they accelerate too fast and make sudden braking manoeuvres and scare the hell out of fellow road users. All this in city roads and I can't imagine what they will be doing on highways, but as per my interaction with some who have test driven these cars they reach 180 km/hr on highways and do the same stunts on highways. With 3000 kms on demo use these cars would have seen at least 200-300 different drivers and you will know how different your car feels even if couple of friends use your car because of different driving styles. With all my desire to own a propeller badged one, I won't even touch a demo car with a barge pole.

Regards,
The Rationalist.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Aurum

I am in this rocky boat now. Started off with the Tiguan. Got tempted by the X1 xLine, nearly enough to close. Now getting a nice deal on a 3000 km demo car at the next segment that is close to the non discounted X1 xLine price. Torn between the two now. Tiguan seems pretty much out. None of this would have happened if the Tiguan was 2-3 lakhs cheaper. I know it's off topic, but any thoughts on buying a demo car?

It is true of our country, that prospective buyers of these luxe automobiles, do have a nasty habit of driving them very roughly while testing. It is also true that the Showroom staff also have a habit of being quite rough with these demo cars.I have seen members of the Audi, Beemer, Mini Cooper, Jag/ LR and even the humble Honda showrooms, rough use these demo cars like nothing else!
In India at least, however tempting the price may be, I would not consider buying a demo vehicle, irrespective of the warranties and so on.

[sunny310c]

Originally Posted by Aurum

I am in this rocky boat now. Started off with the Tiguan. Got tempted by the X1 xLine, nearly enough to close. Now getting a nice deal on a 3000 km demo car at the next segment that is close to the non discounted X1 xLine price. Torn between the two now. Tiguan seems pretty much out. None of this would have happened if the Tiguan was 2-3 lakhs cheaper. I know it's off topic, but any thoughts on buying a demo car?

Am very much in the same boat as you mate. Was one of the first to book the Tiguan in Hyderabad. That's how sure I was about buying it. But as I started to get more details about the car, I realised that this might not be the car for me after all. Then came the prices and at close to 40L on road, I was forced to look at the big Germans and once you step into that segment, it's very hard to turn back. I went from the Q3 to the X3 to the 530d M Sport (yes a sedan). And now, am totally confused and have decided to wait it out.

Coming back to the Tiguan, I just cancelled my booking a couple of days back. My opinion on the Tiguan is that it is a very well made car, feels premium enough, is loaded with features, with top notch safety and convenience features, with a spacious cabin, decent handling and road manners and more than sufficient off-road ability. It's not going to appeal to the driving enthusiast or to the hard core off-roader but it should still find a reasonable amount of takers. Depending on the things you consider as "must haves", you might find it VFM or you might find it over priced. For me personally, the Tiguan didn't quite stand out in any one aspect and was more of an average all rounder. Nothing about the car excites me and if I am spending that much of money, I need the car to have something that makes me want to spend more time with it.

[himanshugoswami]

Originally Posted by Aurum

I am in this rocky boat now. Started off with the Tiguan. Got tempted by the X1 xLine, nearly enough to close. Now getting a nice deal on a 3000 km demo car at the next segment that is close to the non discounted X1 xLine price. Torn between the two now. Tiguan seems pretty much out. None of this would have happened if the Tiguan was 2-3 lakhs cheaper. I know it's off topic, but any thoughts on buying a demo car?

My two cents. Stay away from the Demo car. Apart from the abuse, dealers have a habit of disconnecting the speedo if thats technically possible, so the 3000 kms may actually be a bit more than that.

If you are getting a sweet deal on the x1, go for it with your eyes closed. The present gen x1 is a very competent machine and has sorted out almost all of the issues of the previous gen, and IMHO looks great as well, especially in that deep marine blue.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Aurum

Now getting a nice deal on a 3000 km demo car at the next segment that is close to the non discounted X1 xLine price.

In my books, be it any condition, a B.I.G no to demo cars even though it could fetch me any amount of discount ( in the form of ₹).

I'll not buy a demo Alto 800, the Tiguan is just ruled out. Customers would have literally put it to maximum torture that if you do purchase it, I can predict a new thread being started by you named VW Tiguan : Niggles Thread.

These so called mouth-watering deals that are thrown on Demo cars are momentary happiness for the prospective buyer and all is good only till the niggles crop up, once it does,

So please get a new one or go with the X1 after checking that thoroughly. All the best.

[Akshay1234]

Originally Posted by Aurum

I am in this rocky boat now. Started off with the Tiguan. Got tempted by the X1 xLine, nearly enough to close. Now getting a nice deal on a 3000 km demo car at the next segment that is close to the non discounted X1 xLine price. Torn between the two now. Tiguan seems pretty much out. None of this would have happened if the Tiguan was 2-3 lakhs cheaper. I know it's off topic, but any thoughts on buying a demo car?

Sorry I didn't understand. You are getting an X1 Xline demo car, or something from the next segment? I would generally advise to stay away from a demo car, but 3k kms is fine provided you have seen and driven the car yourself and all seems fine.

Originally Posted by himanshugoswami

My two cents. Stay away from the Demo car. Apart from the abuse, dealers have a habit of disconnecting the speedo if thats technically possible, so the 3000 kms may actually be a bit more than that.

Not possible to simply disconnect the speedometer or odometer in all these cars.

[himanshugoswami]

Originally Posted by Akshay1234

Not possible to simply disconnect the speedometer or odometer in all these cars.

Perhaps, hence i said, if possible. However, when i took a TD of the Vento TSI last year, the demo car had its speedo disconnected. Ditto for the City. Perhaps the high end Germans have rendered this impossible.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by Aurum

I am in this rocky boat now. Started off with the Tiguan. Got tempted by the X1 xLine, nearly enough to close. Now getting a nice deal on a 3000 km demo car at the next segment that is close to the non discounted X1 xLine price. Torn between the two now. Tiguan seems pretty much out. None of this would have happened if the Tiguan was 2-3 lakhs cheaper. I know it's off topic, but any thoughts on buying a demo car?

Based on my understanding, you are getting a demo car from a higher segment of X1. Probably the X3 20d. The X3 is a good option but between a demo X3 vs a new X1, my pick would be the x1 new. The New X1 is as spacious, with a more usable boot with space saver stored properly not just dumped in boot. Engine is same. Only thing is the gear box which is ZF vs Aisin and the front wheel bias.

The X3 is at it's end of life cycle and the all new one is expected soon. The new X1 is so good that it makes the X3 redundant.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

I'll not buy a demo Alto 800, the Tiguan is just ruled out. Customers would have literally put it to maximum torture that if you do purchase it, I can predict a new thread being started by you named VW Tiguan : Niggles Thread.

Dude. The Tiguan was launched last week. How will you get a demo car with discounts when most dealers haven't even got test drive cars yet! He's talking about a BMW demo car not Tiguan.

[Tejas@perioimpl]

We've been doing the tiguan tracks all through the country: hyderabad, mumbai, bangalore, delhi, pune, chandigarh and next is chennai.

We have driven her extensively and put her through a lot of abuse during build testing obstacles and the drives.

Pleasantly surprised with the amount of space in the car and the very sedan like handling.

I'm happy to answer any queries regarding performance. Real time performance, don't ask me numbers.

PS: i'm not paid that well to say good things about the car.

[driven646]

Originally Posted by Tejas@perioimpl

We've been doing the tiguan tracks all through the country: hyderabad, mumbai, bangalore, delhi, pune, chandigarh and next is chennai.

We have driven her extensively and put her through a lot of abuse during build testing obstacles and the drives.

Pleasantly surprised with the amount of space in the car and the very sedan like handling.

I'm happy to answer any queries regarding performance. Real time performance, don't ask me numbers.

PS: i'm not paid that well to say good things about the car.

I'm pretty keen on the Tiguan and have seen it up close and also taken a very brief Test drive.

The only thing I'm still confused about is it's performance considering the lower state of tune it's 2.0 engine is offered in....as the TD was not long enough for me to really put it through the paces.

I own a 2011 model 2.0 TDI Passat with the six speed DSG and have been highly satisfied with it's performance and that would be my minimum benchmark as well.

Also I live in HP so there will be a lot of Hill driving so anything that is under powered is a big no no for me...

So what do you think about the Tiguan's performance? is it more than adequate? could be better?

I was awaiting the post GST prices and hopefully a trust worthy review before booking it.

[sj_koova]

I have done a detailed test drive and I didn't feel the power in inadequate at all. For it's weight, the torque number is pretty good and they have a good transmission backing it as well.

On paper Tucson is 182BHP. But I couldn't really say what that additional 40 bhp doing in Tucson except in sport mode.

I wonder if Tiguan can be an upgrade for you from Passat. It is a practical car, but not premium enough for the price they ask.