ID. Tiguan, unsurprisingly, is unlikely to be offered in South Africa anytime soon.
ID. Tiguan replaces the ID.4 despite being an effective facelift model. Picture: Volkswagen
Teased towards the end of last month, Volkswagen has officially unveiled the joint replacement for the ID.4 and ID.5, the ID. Tiguan.
‘New’
Devised as brand-new, the ID. Tiguan essentially rates as a facelift version of the former that received its first refresh two years ago.
Succeeding the coupe-styled ID.5 now leaves Volkswagen without a fastback-inspired EV crossover in Europe as the ID. Unyx 07 is currently only sold in China.
Similar to the ID. Polo, the ID. Tiguan will be sold alongside the conventional combustion-engine Tiguan instead of replacing it as the ID. Cross is expected to do with the T-Cross on the Old Continent only.
Styling changes
Stylistically, the ID. Tiguan follows the example of the ID. Polo and ID. Cross by receiving the ID division’s Pure Positive styling language.
Compared to the ID.4, it benefits from a new front bumper, new LED headlights connected by a lower positioned full-width light bar, a restyled sealed grille, new lower air intake and an illuminated Volkswagen logo.
Down the side, the ID. Tiguan retains the same silhouette as the ID.4, while at the rear, the bumper has been changed along with the light clusters, now connected via small LED strips, also encompassing the illuminated Volkswagen logo.
New alloy wheel designs and a revised colour palette round the ID. Tiguan’s exterior off, with buyers still having a choice of four trim levels: Trend, Life, Style and R Line.
Dimensions
Dimensionally, the ID. Tiguan is unchanged from the ID.4 and therefore has the following measurements:
- Length: 4 585 mm;
- Wheelbase: 2 766 mm;
- Height: 1 640 mm;
- Width: 1 852 mm
Now able to tow 2 000 kg instead of the previous 1 800 kg, it still offers 532-litres of the boot space with the rear seats up, and an additional 32-litres underneath its bonnet.
Brand new inside
Riding on an unchanged version of the MEB+ platform, the interior has undergone an extensive update to include a new dashboard, the same steering wheel as the ID. Cross and ID. Polo, the return of physical buttons and a volume knob for the audio system.
Along with new air vents and a completely restyled floating centre console housing a pair of wireless smartphone charging pads, buyers also have the option of a new 12-inch display on the passenger side.
The infotainment system is also new and measures 15-inches across all variants, while the equally new 10-inch Digital Cockpit instrument cluster can be configured with retro dials mirrored on the original Golf and Beetle, the Golf Country, Golf 4, first generation Tiguan and the cross-country series Race Touareg.
New options are electric, heated and ventilated front seats with massage and memory functions, a panoramic sunroof and a 480-watt Harman Kardon sound system.
No added power but no more GTX
On the power front, the same choice of battery packs as the ID.4 feature; a 58-kWh unit that powers a single 140kW/310Nm electric motor on the rear axle, and a larger 77-kWh that also motivates a single but 210kW/545Nm rear motor.
Completing the range is the dual-motor all-wheel drive 4Motion, which, as its designation points out, adds a second electric motor with the 77-kWh battery for a total output of 220kW/545Nm.
Unlike the ID.4 and ID.5, the ID. Tiguan no longer offers a performance GTX model, whose dual-motor configuration developed 250kW/679Nm.
Sorry, South Africa
Going on-sale in Europe from next week (13 October) priced from €42 695 in Germany, which equates to R790 171 when directly converted and without taxes, the ID. Tiguan, unsurprisingly, has not been earmarked for South Africa anytime soon.
