The 2.0L TSI engine, DQ381 DSG gearbox and VW's 4Motion AWD system of the SUV is a touring combination made in heaven.

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It has now been six months since I purchased the Tiguan. Six glorious months.

Every single day I've stepped into the car, every single drive has put a smile on my face. Whether a slow daily commute or those wonderful out-of-city blasts.

Since I brought her home half a year ago I've put in about ~3,500 kilometres. Not as much as I thought I'd have run by now but life, routine and travels.

I've written down the experience thus far in a manner that I hope will be informative and helpful to most.

Daily commute

Excellent sound insulation from the hustle and bustle of Bombay's peak hours. I had originally mentioned in my post that T-BHP/others had perhaps gotten it wrong when opining on the stiff suspension of the vehicle, I'll very much take that back. The vehicle definitely rides stiffer than ideal, but not to the point of great discomfort. A last-gen Octavia-like suspension tuning balance though would have been perfect.

Factory tints, excellent seating position and cushioning paired with Auto Hold make for effortless bumper-to-bumper days. I would like to mention that the AC has largely been sufficient but during the hottest days I do find myself moving the fan blower speed to the 3rd position out of 7, otherwise it sits in a very silent 1st position.

Highway runs

For a raised ride height 'SUV' vehicle the Tiguan sure has felt car-like on the highways. One switches lanes seamlessly accelerates ferociously and brakes with immediacy. I now realise why those big German cars would just blast past me on the highways so confidently, they just don't realise the numbers they're doing. The earlier mentioned slightly stiffer suspension is a non-issue on the highways. Absolutely flat ride, again being an SUV I was surprised by the next to nil amount of body roll in this vehicle's highway manners.

Ghat climbs

Most of what I've written earlier was to be expected, though what was not expected is what I experienced on the ghats, so I've dedicated a paragraph.

One cannot do high speeds on the twisties yet I found myself just effortlessly going past all cars big and small, cheap and expensive even at sedate speeds. On my first ghat run in the Tiguan, I thought perhaps they had been full of people and luggage but on following climbs, I decided to have a look at the cars I was just cruising past, a lot of those vehicles had either two persons or less and presumably similar luggage load as mine. I realised it's the car, the sheer grip with the 4motion system which offers full-time AWD in D1 and D2, following which drive to all 4 wheels offered in any gear if it feels a wheel(s) is losing traction.

The 2.0L TSI engine, DQ381 DSG gearbox and VW's 4Motion AWD system is a touring combination made in heaven.

Moving on, in the original post I had mentioned that later I'd put a thorough review of the excellent IQ Matrix headlights that came with this car. But now I don't think a review is needed as such so I'll just share some of the pictures. These were taken in certain stretches of Aamby Valley in Lonavala where there were no street lights.

The above pictures might not do justice given the limited patch of road where I took them but believe me the I.Q. matrix LEDs on the Tiguan are fantastic. They spread when they see the road widen, narrow and sharpen accordingly on smaller lanes and the throw is great. There are times when the ambient light sensor(?) doesn't calculate the environmental lighting correctly and the low beam throws a much-faded beam than is ideal thinking the road is adequately lit but that's rare. I am considering getting the front camera module retrofit as some Tiguan owners have gotten, after which the lights will automatically dip as an individual/car comes in front of you so as not to blind them.

So now that the main ownership experience has been largely covered, I would like to mention a small incident I had on the road.

Slow-moving traffic ahead of me, nearly none behind me. An imbecile biker, of the kind who likes to swerve sharply left and right when changing lane to lane was behind me. The vehicle in front of me braked so did I, at this point I imagine the said moron tried to swerve to my adjacent lane expecting me to keep moving even though the car in front had braked and rammed my rear bumper while trying to overtake into a narrow gap on the other lane. The noise I heard was a loud thud. I got out and this was the 'damage'

What you see in the first image is the chrome lining in perfect alignment, this is the left side where the biker did not hit my car

I was very surprised by the negligible damage. Given the loud thud I heard I figured both holding clips would be gone on either side of the bumper with a nice bend in the middle and I'd have a claim merely 3 months into ownership. While you expect the exterior metalwork and interior plastics to be top-notch for such vehicles, Volkswagen's CKD import products seem to compromise nowhere. Absolute master race.

And now finally to some just criticism. The service experience

After the 1st service(VW Downtown, Sewri workshop) which wasn't a service I believe but a check-up of sorts post the first month of delivery. No issues with the service/check-up but then they delivered my car unwashed and tobacco spat on. The interiors also appeared not properly vacuum cleaned.

After the 2nd checkup/service the past week, they returned my car this time well washed and cleaned although I had mentioned to him in advance my previous experience on that point.

However, post drop off no mention verbally over the phone on what checks were done on the car by the service advisor. And unlike the first time when the service advisor(a different person) asked me if I wanted to fill the air in one of the tyres which was showing low pressure which I declined to do as they did not have Nitrogen and only Air. This time around the service person just went ahead and filled my Nitrogen filled tyres with air. I had to completely deflate and reflate with Nitrogen at a pump, safety aside the TMPS readings went wonky showing all kinds of strange numbers because of this mix.

Also, after the person dropped the car back home I saw that two sunblinds were just kept in the dickie instead of being placed back on the window and one of the sunblinds, the rear right quarter one was bent. This was a paid-for accessory.

I called the service advisor immediately and said he'd get back to me. The next day he got back to me with no desire to replace the bent one with a new one giving laughable reasons. Great buying experience, and ownership experience thus far. But VW really needs to have a look at their post-sale service quality and training.

Mr. Ashish no amount of marketing or Ad spend will ever be as good as word of mouth.

6 km/l in Bombay and a respectable 14 km/l on highways are the honest figures. I think I've covered most things of my Tiguan Ownership. If anyone has any questions please feel free to ask : )

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The new Atal Setu bridge sure makes short work of long distances!

BHPian Maky recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Republic's Day went a bit like this.

As before Volkswagen Downtown, Prabhadevi organised the event but this time Volkswagen India joined in

Gathered around 6:30 AM at VW Downtown's Prabhadevi showroom

Flag Hoisting ceremony at around 7 AM with the little kiddos doing the honours : )

And off we all went.

Nimble on the roads, Beast on the highways

Arriving at Saltt, Karjat. The new Atal Setu bridge sure makes short work of long distances!

Breakfast is just an excuse for us enthusiasts, isn't it : P

Us

A few hours were well spent with like-minded passionate people.

Some coffee to go and left for home

Many many thanks to Volkswagen Downtown for organising this run. Looking forward to more events in the future.

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This time I had the winter set installed on the previously bought Audi Q5 rims.

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Time for winter prep.

Fresh wiper blades and a washer fluid top-up.

This time I had the winter set installed on the previously bought Audi Q5 rims. It only meant that I had to do the tire swap myself for this winter. And my rough timing for this job was about an hour. Which is not bad for a first try using the car’s emergency jack. This includes cleaning the hubs, applying anti-seize, and taking time torquing the lug bolts properly.

Was lucky since the tire swap was followed by the first heavy dump of snow for this season just three days later.

I also took the time to thoroughly wash the car and give it the once-a-year wax treatment. This was an intense job taking almost two hours because I had to clay the front multiple times to remove embedded dirt on the hood and the front bumper. The finish visually doesn't say much, but it is quite different to the touch and much more resistant to picking up fresh dirt and grime. Unfortunately, I didn't take any before and after pictures.

Northern Lights

Emphasized by the electronics of a digital camera.

And soon after the day finally came when we saw our first Aurora show in Calgary. It was mesmerizing, to say the least. Can only emphasize the need to get a nicer camera set up for the next time.What we saw with naked eyes was a faint teal-tinted light doing the dance which comes out very colorful when captured on a digital camera. Lucky after many failed and missed opportunities.

And here's a bonus of the sunrise in Calgary.

When you see light literally hitting the ceiling before it hits the ground.

Earlier this month I got the Oil change and underbody inspected at my usual place, followed by the 4-Motion Service at VW which came with a hefty $560 hit to the wallet. But was worth it since they changed fluids for the transfer case, Haldex Unit, and the rear differential. Also got the engine and transmission software update as part of a recall which was mainly just loading a newer parameter set into the brains of the car so it doesn't throw up false codes. The warranty expires on 30th Jan and still weighing the odds that I'll need it.

Got to have a closer look at the 2024 Atlas which is really growing on me. 269 bhp from this 2.0 TSI engine, feels adequate in a 7 (adult) seater, and has a towing capacity of ~2,500 kg. VAG is really wringing out the performance of this engine. Good thing, that this too doesn't have the DSG. Okay, too much talk for now.}

Upcoming trip to Kelowna, BC for the new year gathering with friends here. Hopefully will update soon.

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Volkswagen is offering benefits of up to Rs 1.46 lakh and Rs 1.17 lakh on the Taigun and Virtus, respectively.

Volkswagen has announced several year-end benefits on its cars. These include a massive discount of up to Rs 4.2 lakh on the Tiguan.

The Tiguan is available with a cash discount of Rs 75,000, corporate benefits of up to Rs 75,000 and an exchange bonus of Rs 1 lakh. Besides this, dealers are offering a 4-year Service Value Package worth Rs 86,000 and special benefits of up to Rs 84,000.

Volkswagen is offering benefits of up to Rs 1.46 lakh on the Taigun. This includes a cash discount of up to Rs 40,000, an exchange bonus of up to Rs 40,000, corporate benefits worth Rs 30,000 and special benefits worth Rs 36,000. The Topline AT variant without the powered front seats gets the maximum cash discount.

The Virtus is available with benefits of up to Rs 1.17 lakh. This includes a cash discount of up to Rs 50,000, an exchange bonus of up to Rs 20,000 and corporate benefits of up to Rs 17,000. VW is also offering special benefits worth Rs 30,000

I couldn't tell the difference till I ran my fingers across to feel the border.

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The Tiguan got done with PPF treatment.

I decided to pick Llumar Platinum over the other competing brands. It comes with a Ceramic coating baked in as per the detailer. Provided is a 10-year warranty period for this specific Paint Protection film.

I'm not sure if it comes across through the compressed pictures posted here but I feel the car's Blue is now uniformly a shade darker compared to the original colour.

I wasn't aware this happens after PPF but apparently, it does. After speaking to a couple of people as well as looking it up. It's minor but noticeable enough for me. Something about Gloss finish/Light refract.

Other than that, the workmanship itself was fantastic and I would gladly refer this person to anyone in Bombay who requires such a service.

The tail light and headlight are only PPF'd on the direct back and front-facing panels not around the sides. I couldn't tell the difference till I ran my fingers across to feel the border.

The cheaper Garware with similar properties was available for ~1L and came with a 5-year warranty period. While Garware is a known brand I personally felt that they are relatively new to the PPF game, and their longer-term PPF wear is an unknown so I decided to go for a more experienced make and pay the premium associated. The final cost for Llumar Platinum was 1.4L for the ~230 odd sq. ft. that is the Tiguan.

I have also applied Llumar Stratos 70 Sunfilm across the front Windshield after being recommended for heat rejection and clearer night driving. I drove from Bombay to Karjat and back at night and I can confirm the glare reduction is apparent. The sunfilm is not noticeable from the outside whatsoever. The detailer did not recommend the sun film for the four windows as they come from the factory with tint. The cost was 10k for the Stratos windshield sunfilm. I am now considering doing the Panoramic roof with the same 70-grade LLumar film as well.

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I felt that the engine of the Skoda Kodiaq was not that responsive since I had already taken a test drive of the VW Tiguan by then.

BHPian cyakkr1709 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The Tiguan - Buying Journey and first-month ownership review - totally worth it!

Background:

Having driven cars like Swift and Celerio, I upgraded to a Hyundai Elantra 4 years back. The purchase of the Elantra is also a story for another time when I had gone to buy the Creta in 2019 but without any test drive, got sold on the Elantra and booked it on the spot. In a span of 5 mins, I had moved on from a budget of 15 lacs to 21 lacs and from one segment to another.

I loved the Elantra and for me, it was the first taste of semi-premium cars which set the standards for me - the 2 Ltr Petrol engine, nice cabin isolation and supple suspension - it indeed was a great experience. But the one thing which I never accounted for was the low seating position in a sedan which would become a pain for me.

In hatchbacks which I owned earlier, one sits straight and high unlike in a sedan where you sit low-reclined and this created a new problem for me - backache! Over the last year this problem became quite prominent in the Mumbai traffic where any drive of more than 20-25 mins caused me discomfort and in Mumbai 20 mins is what it takes at times to just get out of parking, let alone go someplace 5 or 10 km away!

This got me thinking and while the inherent need for an SUV and comfortable seating position became stronger, the prospect of owning a new car in the semi-premium/premium segment also parallelly excited me - and while financially it was a stretch, the excitement pushed me onwards!

Buying journey:

I could only semi-convince my wife (You know what I mean as she looks at savings more than spending being from the Finance side!) and started scouting in May'23, the two most critical requirements being - a solid petrol motor and an SUV due to the aforementioned 'seat comfort' reason.

The cars I looked at with a planned budget of up to ~50 lacs:

• Hyundai Tucson - A good car, all-round package but two things I could never get my head around - the under-powered 2 ltr petrol, same as my earlier Elantra and build quality apprehensions (the CKD coming to India somehow did not inspire total confidence, dare I say, the Elantra felt a much better built car being a CKD as well)
• Hyundai Alcazar - Again a good car overall but two concerns - the weak-ish 1.5 petrol turbo and even in this car I could not find comfortable seating despite a TD which lasted ~40 minutes
• Toyota Hycross - never a serious contender as the waiting time was 24 months, the Toyota people also did not seem too interested in selling either the Hycross or the Fortuner
• Did not consider any Tata/Mahindra cars since I feel while they are great cars but will take at least another 4-5 years before they reach close to the finesse and reliability of Japanese/Korean/European manufacturers
• Audi Q3 - A superb car though the VFM equation did not work out for me - most of the features and space one could want you could get in a Tiguan or a Kodiaq - yes, agree you don't get the premium badge
• BMW X1/Merc GLA - the petrols on paper look underpowered (Another reason for not going with Marquee brands was the even higher cost of maintenance as well as the price-value equation) - I personally believe the value equation with Marquee brands makes good sense beyond models priced >70 lacs which for me was beyond budget - no offense to the current owners - these are all great cars and I envy whenever I see one!
• Skoda Kodiaq - Boy, what a car, the smile on my wife's face said it all in the TD (and she is not even a car buff), it made the shortlist, although I felt that the engine was not that responsive since I had already taken the TD of the Tiguan by then
• Tiguan - a car which at first was just another option for us, in fact, the first time we saw the car - our first impression was just about OK - the seats impressed me though - one of the few cases where I never needed to adjust the seat too much and it just worked! The car really does grow on you though - I took a couple of test drives apart from numerous showroom visits whenever I got a chance while traveling. Every time I saw/drove the car, it grew on me and made more and more sense + the super comfortable seats, it was shortlisted as well.

Deciding in favour of Tiguan:

In the end, the decision was between Kodiaq and Tiguan - and what tilted in favour of Tiguan was:

• Same platform - same engine - better tuned and more responsive
• Apt size and fun to drive, never really needed those 2 extra seats of Kodiaq
• A good ~9 lac cheaper compared to top-end Kodiaq (compared to Tiguan with 4 yr SVP, 4+2 yr EW)
• What I was foregoing in Kodiaq which was important to me - ventilated seats, 360 deg camera
• What I was getting additional in Tiguan - IQ Matrix LED Head Lights (One of the best I have seen), Not a 360 deg camera but yes it has 360 deg sensors (It is there in the newer OBD2 models from June onwards, god knows why VW is not publicizing it - it's a great feature and has been working great for me)

I bargained hard with the SA and booked the Dolphin Grey in Aug'23 with a delivery date fixed for Sep'23 first week. The SA was super prompt and helpful and since the car was in stock (June MFD), all timelines worked out and we took the delivery on 1st Sep'23. As a part of the deal, got 4 yrs SVP with 4+2 yrs EW and changed a few of the so-called default accessories to what I wanted.

First-month ownership experience:

Observations over the first month (~850 kms), I will also talk about some points from my experience which people have raised concerns about:

• Drive experience - The car is just amazing, in Sports Mode it shows its true colours and pushes you back into the seat, just too good
• Build Quality - top notch - feels built like a tank, not even a single niggle or cabin noise yet
• Handling - handles like a charm, brakes with aplomb, it makes you push the car hard - the confidence it inspires is just amazing
• Ride Comfort - This is where I was apprehensive reading about it online - my experience - it is fairly ok now after 850 kms of run-in. Point to note - when the car is new it rides a bit harsh but give it 500 kms or so on the odo and the ride does smoothen out. What also does not help the cause is that for some reason the showroom guys kept the tyre pressure at an insane 46 psi for the TD vehicle as well as in my car when it was delivered - again, god knows why. Keep TP at 34 psi and it rides much much better. Is it as good as Kodiaq or even my earlier Elantra - it is not - but it is 90% there for me - if one wants a car which is well-planted at high speeds then low speed ride comfort may have to be compromised a bit I feel.

Things which I miss/could be better:

• Ventilated seats - This for me was super-critical since my Elantra had it, but looking at the VFM, compromised here and ended up going for an after-market solution (the one I am using is only half effective though) - this is the biggest miss for me in an otherwise superb car
• Audio Mute Button - Don't know if the option exists but I have not found any button to mute the infotainment, it is a chore moving the volume knob/button all the way up/down every time
• Phone call controls - there is no dedicated button to accept/end calls - it is all controlled through either the ICE screen or the sub-menu within the instrument cluster - very tricky when you are driving and not at all user-friendly
• In Auto AC mode the air recirculation mode is switched on/off automatically by the system leading to unpleasant smells entering the cabin at times. As a result, I am regularly running the AC on manual mode with air recirculation switched on. On the same note, the cooling efficiency also is lesser than my erstwhile Elantra, I would rate it a 7.5/10, it is not bad, it is just ok.

Apprehensions:

• After Sales Service - Having read so much gloomy stuff about VW/Skoda after-sales, don’t know what to expect, only time will tell
• Long-term Reliability - Have parked in my mind additional expected spends over the course of ownership - I truly hope those parked funds remain parked and do not get used!! I am very happy with the car so far and plan to keep this for at least 6-7 years if not more
• Resale - My last car Elantra also did not have a very good resale value but I enjoyed it every bit for the duration I owned it. I believe that as your ownership crosses 7-8 years the percentage loss gap on resale also reduces a bit - I do understand for many it is quite important, but I am okay with that compromise as for me the ownership and drive experience over the time I own the car is more important than the resale value ~7-8 years down the line.

I hope my experience helps someone out there and adds value, thanks for reading!

Sharing a few images from the delivery day.

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It has been quite a journey from a humble Maruti Swift bought over a decade ago to a German CKD.

BHPian Maky recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I started looking for cars about two and a half years ago around February-March of 2021. With an open mind, I decided that I would try my very best not to care about brands or have any preconceived notion about a make or model, go out and see for myself what the Indian market offered across a large price band within and below my budget. After all, we are very long-term car owners and best to consider everything. The only set guidelines I had in my head were that it had to be bigger than these 'micro' SUVs as I felt they were simply the same size as my Swift but body profiled to make them appear grander than they actually were.

For my vehicle considerations, I will give my blunt opinion here. I tend to speak very plainly, please do not find offence If you happily own any of them. These are just my personal views. Following are the cars I test-drove, some once and some as many as 4-5 times before the final decision. You will find them to be as previously stated, a very wide price band:

Jeep Compass

Love at first sight and also the very first car I test-drove in early 2021. This is also the only car I went to see with my childhood friend. It was truly marvellous the moment I stepped into the cabin. It really felt like a cabin that belonged in the car of a higher segment, at least the front. The car in the Model S was completely feature-loaded. The test drive was satisfactory as well. I test-drove this car a total of 5 times. Three times in its Petrol variant and twice in its Diesel avatar. It took me the DSG experience to later realise the gearbox in the Compass was dumb. I almost booked this car right away but slept on it and good thing I did, seeing what a pitiful state they are as a brand today. Regardless, Jeep is indeed special, I would like to see it continue in India. I wish Jeep all the best.

Jeep Meridian

Solidly built as Compass but solid niggles as Compass as well. Besides, It felt no meaningful amounts bigger on the inside compared to the Compass. If anything the slightly larger width made the otherwise lovely interior feel less 'wrap-around'.. less cosy.. less special. Finally going by T-BHP reviews and other post-sales feedback it seemed almost as if the customer base was the QA department. I crossed this car out right away.

Honda City Hybrid

I had no desire to evaluate the Honda City. Nothing specific but It just felt like the City's time has come and gone. However, upon my friend's insistence, I went and test-drove the Hybrid version of the Honda City. It was alright. Smooth but finite power. I recall the car running out of breath at some early 100s kph for whatever reason. Nothing the city did to offend or excite. Crossed it out.

Skoda Octavia

Of all the sedans I drove this is the only one I truly considered exceptional. It also took my 2.0 TSI virginity and introduced me to the wonderous world of Turbocharged Stratified Injected engines and DSG gearboxes. What a lovely car. The only negatives I can think of are that It felt too small in the rear bench and the noticeable L&K pricing premium for features I couldn't do without was annoying. I shortlisted this car.

Mahindra XUV 700

Yet another great VFM package. It's really great to see the homegrown manufacturers now capable of making such vehicles. The only complaints I had were about the plastics and the loud of a petrol engine in-cabin noise. I test-drove just the Petrol. The car had body roll as can be expected from this size of vehicle. Shortlisted.

Tata Harrier

The first impression I got from the Harrier was once again that of a top VFM product. However, It just felt like a lack of polish on everything, every little thing. Regardless after the Harrier, I'm excited to see where Tata goes with Gen 2.

Skoda Superb

Simply Superb! All the bells and whistles. Perfectly tuned suspension is a very good package overall. It was also available with great discounts on certain colours when I went to see it just before discontinuation. It just seemed to add 10 years to my age when I drove it!

Skoda Kodiaq

The closest thing whether mechanically, buildwise or pricewise to my final choice. A great car but I found it to be just too fat and not nearly as 'chuckable' to drive. No complaints otherwise.

Also, I would like to mention that I was among the crowd who believed VW>Skoda when it comes to parts quality etc. but after some time with the Kodiaq I am not sure anymore, I felt the Kodiaq to be every bit as well built as my Tiguan. I would like to add that the dealership experience at Skoda Worli(Mody India Cars) was not great, I walked away thinking they did not consider me as a prospective client. They were more interested in buying my old car than selling me a new one.

Skoda Kushaq

I am just not impressed with the VAG 'India 2.0' cars. Interiors were notches down on their 'proper' CKD counterparts, whether design or build quality. The Engine and Gearbox are the only saving grace for this otherwise mediocre package.

Hyundai Tucson

I was very excited about this release. Like a lot of people, I found the front end to be very attractive, but I wasn't as excited about the sides and rear. I felt them to be too aggressive-looking. Then when I finally saw the car in the showroom I had the opposite reaction, the front felt tame and the sides were not as offensive as in the pictures. I found The Tucson to be a great VFM product. The build is arguably better than the typical Hyundai variety, and features galore. Unfortunately, the Tucson in the more reasonably priced Petrol variant was anemic, but phenomenal in Diesel form. While you could put the power down very well with the Diesels explosive 416nm, you couldn't do much with it, the handling was compromised by virtue of its size, unfortunately. Finally, in Diesel form, it reached uncomfortable heights in pricing for the package. I'm the least brand-conscious person you'll ever meet but at that moment I just didn't feel like dropping ~40L on a 'Hyundai'. It also bothered me that Hyundai chose not to release a safety rating for the Tucson sold in India which otherwise has gotten a 5-star rating which caused some 'Indianised' concerns for me. The Tucson did not make the shortlist.

Hyundai Creta

Aaah the golden child of the Hyundai stable. Again like the Tucson great VFM this car and decent engine. Not sure what I could add about one of the best-selling vehicles in India. It ticks all the boxes except safety and for me, size. I also did not care much for the current gen Creta's design language. I shortlisted Creta.

Kia Seltos

A sportier version of the Creta. Once again similar complaints on the safety and size front. The only saving grace was the design felt more appealing, to my eyes anyway. The suspension also did not feel as harsh as has been mentioned about the Seltos I felt. I shortlisted this.

Volvo XC40

A friend of mine heard I was considering the Kodiaq so he quickly suggested I check out the XC40. He had bought a XC60 from them the year previous so I got a helpful reference through him. I got a friendly explanation, a test drive and an offer as a result. Offer which I have shared in the Luxury car price thread. The build quality top tier as expected, but the Volvo XC40 felt really confusing to me. It was way too small in the back and not nearly as posh feeling as its other siblings in the front. The Kodiaq was much more attractive to me at this price point. The drive itself was sedate and not exciting. I quickly crossed this out of contention.

Maruti Grand Vitara

I found the drive to be very smooth, all thanks to Toyota. A very different experience compared to what my expectations have been for Maruti's all these years. Unfortunately, the cabin space seemed finite and the interiors, both design and quality made it simply feel like a Brezza XL.

Toyota Hyryder

I would say about the same experience as the Grand Vitara. I really wish Toyota started better distinguishing their products. The salespeople tried very hard to convince me in what meaningless ways their Toyota was better than Maruti's version.

Audi A4

After realising the sheer amount of deep discounting being offered for Audi I thought it would be worth to go see this car. The car seemed fine to me, fantastically comfortable suspension and great build quality inside and out, but the family did not approve. The rear was deemed too low for the elderly and overall space as expected was on the lesser side. I would like to thank Manson from T-Bhp for his reference : )

Volkswagen Virtus

A great-looking sedan with the fantastic 1.5 TSI + DSG combo! what's not to like?... well the Maruti of it all. Similar to the earlier Kushaq experience. Crossed out after half a test drive.

Volkswagen Taigun

Similar feelings as Kushaq and Virtus. The Taigun looked decent in pictures but in person, It seemed to look more hatchback than a mini-SUV, perhaps it's due to its very rounded-off design but at much smaller dimensions? I do not know. For reasons I can't explain I liked the similar sized Kushaq more than I did the VW version. Taigun crossed out.

Volkswagen Tiguan

While I started looking at cars around Feb-March of 2021, the Tiguan I came across much later in April of 2022. This isn't a car I was seriously considering as I was still very much in love with the Compass. Upon my first visit to the VW showroom in Prabhadevi, I found the Tiguan's build quality superb, fit and finish as expected of a CKD Import.. but I thought the much cheaper Compass is very well built isn't it?

However, when I first test-drove the car I quickly realised how night and day different the Compass and Tiguan really were. This felt incredible. It was an SUV being able to switch lanes and take bends as cars much lower. What a well-engineered piece of kit I thought. Back to the showroom after the first test drive, I went and sat in the back. Clearly saw the practical advantage this had over my beloved Compass. Also, unlike the Compass the Tiguan did not progressively get the cheaper feeling as you went towards the back. After getting out of the rear seats I popped the dickie and yes once again a very practical car indeed.

I left the showroom with mixed feelings. Here I had decided in my mind the Compass Petrol in the Model S variant was all I ever needed in a car but the Volkswagen Tiguan was just better in almost every way. I say almost as the interior design felt inferior to the Compass, the design mind you, not the quality.

Over the next few weeks, I resumed my vehicle search for some of the above-mentioned cars.

However, I found myself back in the VW showroom a month or so later. This time around I took a longer drive, found a more comfortable driving position, pushed the car further to its limits(the most one can safely on local roads anyways!) and felt myself to be very much at home in the car. I would also like to mention that the suspension is often mentioned as hard for this car I found it to be only mildly on the stiffer side, but otherwise perfectly balanced. Perhaps they have worked on the suspension since the initial 2021 MY models or perhaps others might want to play with their PSI.

Over the next 1.5 years, I visited the VW showroom 3 more times. Something about the Tiguan just kept pulling me back there. What an engineering marvel! About a month ago on my final 5th test drive, VW had introduced a '2.0' revision of the facelifted Tiguan. Internally labelling it as OBD2. The OBD2 Tiguan came with Wireless charging, Auto-Park, lighter Cream leather interiors, I say cream as it's not quite the beige tone we're all familiar with in most cars, and the new BS compatibility. The OBD1 Tiguan is still available and now for a lesser price but you had to make do with a Dec' 2022 MY, black interiors and similarly the lack of the aforementioned features.

With the upcoming newer generation Tiguan coming soon I did have some back-and-forth thoughts on waiting or going ahead. Seeing the super crossover camo renders the decision was made easily.

After some 2.5 years of searching, I finally pulled the trigger and Booked the Volkswagen Tiguan on Krishna Janmashtami, Thursday, the 7th of September. I picked Nightshade Blue as the colour. I received the vehicle on Ganpati day, Tuesday, the 19th.

It has been quite the journey, from a humble Maruti Swift bought on loan over a decade ago to an outright German CKD. I am very pleased to share our special day with you all : )

Big Daddy Tiguan

During the ongoing festive period, I closed the Tiguan at 42.08L including SVP and 6th year Extended Warranty and 31k worth of accessories, with Insurance(All Cover Tata AIG) from outside. I got 1.5L for my old car and an out-of-pocket 40.58L in total for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It's a weird one. Not rattling, but a tad squeaky. Like wind gushing through a tiny gap.

BHPian srahiman recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Greetings!

I own a 2022 VW Tiguan, purchased Feb 2022.

I get a strange noise from my steering wheel column on driving non-stop for over ~80 Km/ over an hour. Reported the issue to VW in Oct 2022 (first long drive post-purchase). Post initial denial/ unable to reproduce battles, they finally acknowledged the issue as an "Operational Issue", and the vehicle can continue to be driven without safety concerns. I'm informed they are working on the issue that's S/W related and an S/W update will be provided when approved. Have not given any timeline for resolution.

I am aware of another 2 VW Tiguans in Bengaluru having the same issue. Would like to know if anyone else is experiencing the issue. More importantly, have you driven the car much further after the noise started on the drive? I'm quite nervous driving the car for long each time the sound starts, so have not taken the car out for long-distance trips since Oct 2022.

While VW's response lacks the confidence I need to venture out for long-distance travel, I'm looking for some confidence from others who may have had this issue and drove the car further on the trip despite the sound.

Any input will be helpful

Here's what BHPian Jaggu had to say on the matter:

What kind of noise is this? Squeaks or rattling? Some more details would really help. Next time do shoot a video, that would be good as evidence as well as to figure out what is wrong?

An update from BHPian srahiman:

Pursuing aggressively. But they don't seem to have the urgency. Moreover, they are not able to explicitly say driving the car with the sound will not lead to mechanical/ safety issues. Quite frustrated.

It's a weird one. Not rattling, but a tad squeaky. Like wind gushing through a tiny gap. I have a few videos, but I see we cannot upload them here.

Here's what BHPian Jeroen had to say on the matter:

As Jaggu mentioned a video with the noise audible would be very helpful.

From memory, the one issue with the steering on this car is the clock spring. That might make an odd sound. Try and listen carefully if you can hear the sound near the steering column, just aft of the steering wheel.

For reference about what a clockspring is what it does and where to find it: it so happens I did a little write-up on my Jeep's clockspring recently.

See if you can provide us with the video/audio and try and pinpoint the location.

If it is the Clockspring software updates are not going to fix it.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The third-generation Volkswagen Tiguan is expected to debut in India by the end of 2024.

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off the third-generation Tiguan. The new model is based on the latest iteration of the MQB Evo platform and comes with an updated plug-in hybrid powertrain.

The 2024 Tiguan is 30 mm longer than the outgoing version. As a result, boot space has increased to 652 litres. Volkswagen has made several changes to the exterior design of the Tiguan. The SUV gets a sleeker front fascia, courtesy of a slimmer grille and gloss black surfaces. The dual-pod LED headlamps also have a smoked effect.

The rear end of the Tiguan is based on VW's newest design philosophy. It features Taigun-like wraparound tail lamps housed inside a single continuous unit. It also features an LED light bar.

The interior of the Tiguan gets a major upgrade over the old model. The centre console houses a massive 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The dashboard has a minimalistic look thanks to the lack of physical buttons. The SUV gets a 3-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel and a digital instrument cluster, with the front seats getting massage, heating and ventilation functions.

The 2024 VW Tiguan comes with two PHEV powertrain options, with either 201 BHP or 265 BHP. The PHEV version is equipped with a 19.7 kWh battery that offers an all-electric range of 100 km.

VW also offers the Tiguan with a 1.5-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It also gets cylinder deactivation tech. Customers also get the option of a 2.0-litre engine producing 201 BHP or 261 BHP.

Volkswagen has carried over the 2.0-litre diesel engine. It is available in two states of tune - 148 BHP and 190 BHP.

The third-generation Volkswagen Tiguan is expected to debut in India by the end of 2024.

I steered clear of Audi, BMW and Mercedes cars just to avoid paying a fortune to get parts replaced. But fate / VW didn't spare me.

BHPian barathi23 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I own a Volkswagen Tiguan 2019, purchased in December 2019. I have been driving the car for around 10,000 kilometres a year on average. I have driven it for around 49,000 km till June 2023. I have made less than 5 long drives (over 200 km) in the whole time I have owned the car. I mostly drive to and from my work and hit the highway for less than 100km on weekends. I have never serviced my vehicle anywhere other than the dealer in my town. One day in mid-June 2023, while driving back, after going about just 2 km the rear wheels started to misbehave, they acted like the brake was being applied, and I heard short screeching noise from the rear wheels. It felt like the brake was misbehaving and the brake being automatically applied when my foot was not even on the brake, slowly applied the brakes and the rear wheel began getting more and more locked up as I brought the vehicle to a stop along the side of the road. When I finally stopped the vehicle the rear wheel was completely locked up and when I tried to move the vehicle slowly the vehicle wouldn't even move. All this happened in a maximum of 10 seconds. I was driving at 40kmph since I was inside the city. The drive selector was in normal mode. I don't use the four-wheel drive unless I'm entering an underground parking of a building, I have never taken the vehicle off-roading.

Now coming back to the incident, I was worried and called the VW service centre person, the person who usually handles my service requests. He said the roadside assistance is not available at this time of the evening and I have to arrange my own means of towing it back to my place since the service centre closes by 6 pm. I told him how am I supposed to tow the vehicle if the rear wheels didn't rotate. He told me it might be a problem with the brake pads or ABS sensor. I had just changed to brake pads 7000 km previously. He asked me to wait for a while and try starting the vehicle and see if the problem persists.

I waited 10 minutes started the vehicle and moved it. Hola it moved no sign of any issues. But anyway I went back to the office and parked my car. Got another car and went home. My home is 15km from the office. It was a Saturday evening. Then I had some work on Monday, dint use the vehicle on Monday. On Tuesday it took the car to the VW service centre, which is 25km from my office. On the way, I could feel the rear wheels gripping slightly on 2 occasions. I reached the service station and reported the same to them. 2 service engineers got in the car and asked me to get in the passenger seat and we drove for 2 kilometres, there were no issues. They said there was no issue and said let's go back to the service centre, I asked them to drive further to see if the issue replicates. And as we drove 2 more kilometres the issue did not appear and we decided to go back to the service centre. As soon as we made a U-Turn I could slightly feel the slight gripping noise from the rear wheel. I told them that and they could sense the slight gripping noise as we drove further, but soon faded away and there was no noise or gripping. As we reached the service centre and made a turn to cross the road the wheel gripped totally and the wheels froze in the entryway in the service centre. We stopped the vehicle for 5 minutes and again started and moved the vehicle to the service floor. They said they inspected the vehicle and found out what the issue was.

2 days later they said the brake rotors and brake pads need replacement. it costs 50,000k including labour. I said okay do it. A few days later the parts arrived and they were replaced. But the issue still persisted. They said there could be a problem with the differential. However they don't have the tools to open the differential, and it will take one more week to get the tools to open it.

1 more week later they said the differential was worn upon inspection, this could be due to the computer system malfunction. The computer system could have malfunctioned because the sensors of the vehicle could have malfunctioned due to any heat issue. They plugged the vehicle into the computer and said all sensors were working fine. But maybe they caused some malfunction while driving. The differential is gone, it needs to be replaced. It costs 5lakhs.

I asked them to claim it out of the warranty. They replaced the differential, which had to be ordered from Germany. It took 1 month to arrive and then replaced. Volkswagen company said they will not pay out of warranty, because it is wear and tear. I have to shell out 5lakhs to get the vehicle out of the service centre.

I can't believe Volkswagen makes vehicles that are worth scrap after 5 years of use. Vehicles made in Europe don't suit the Indian Roads. I made it a point never to buy Automatic 4-wheel drive vehicles. Not just that never buy expensive stuff. Vehicles are just for moving from point A to B and all these fancy features are just waste. Just get a car with decent convenience features like good interiors, a good music system, a good centre console, and powered seats. That's it. All other features like automatic all-wheel drive, ADAS tech, sunroof, and DSG, are ways companies lure you to sell their cars. And after that, they don't give a damn about how consumers live with this. I meant to buy a BMW X1 initially, but I heard from a friend of mine that the steering column after 20,000 km in 3 years time and he had to spend a fortune on getting it replaced. I steered clear of Audi, BMWs, and Mercs just to avoid paying a fortune to get parts replaced. But fate / VW didn't spare me. Tiguan Service cost is not low either. I paid 50k for crown oil, and general service in the 4th year service. They told me more stuff has to replace the 5th year service and the estimate runs over 60k. But by the middle of 5th year, I got served this.

In my life, I'm never going for techy cars. I'm an engineer and I understand all moving parts have wear and tear, and there is no escaping these huge bills. Definitely, in less than 8 years, the differential will fail in Haldex/4Motion cars.

In case you are interested in all-wheel drive cars go for the Thar with manual all-wheel drive or other cars with manual all-wheel-drive. Automatic all-wheel drive cars rely on sensors and sensors will fail in time, waiting to serve you "big and well".

Sorry for the long post. I cut out the parts when I tried negotiating fruitlessly to claim a warranty. But I don't know big tech jargon about cars and they used them wisely to chuck my case.

Here's what BHPian Guna had to say on the matter:

Sad to hear about the ordeal.

Differential is not a wear and tear item and it is not designed to be replaced in it's lifetime due to wear and tear. It is like a gearbox, if it fails during the warranty, they need to replace it free.

Please write to VW and tell them you are approaching the consumer court.

Here's what BHPian Akshay1234 had to say on the matter:

In this case, I think the Haldex AWD system is integrated into the rear differential. Hence these guys possibly didn't know what or how to diagnose and ended up replacing the complete assembly. That being said, it certainly should be covered under warranty, as a Haldex shouldn't fail this soon. When DSGs are covered under warranty, so should the Haldex. Please take it up with VW.

Here's what BHPian ajmat had to say on the matter:

Another possibility leading to premature differential wear could be that the tread depth of the tyres differs by 4 mm or more. This leads to wrong inputs leading to even more wear.

Here's what BHPian dhanushs had to say on the matter:

If your car is under warranty, there is no reason why the differentials shouldn't be covered. If the diffs are wear and tear then the whole car is a wear and tear item and whatever warranty is, is a scam.

This is a red flag. I think they made a mistake in their showroom by not properly replacing the oil and hence you landed in this situation. That's also why they are not claiming warranty on the same.

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