Volkswagen has taken another step in merging the SUV with the car, but unlike the smaller Crosspolo, this one actually makes sense – it actually has all wheel drive while the Crosspolo was a Polo with a higher ride height and some extra cladding. The Tiguan is also more fun to drive and it’s pretty practical as well. The Tiguan tested here is comparable to the North American Tiguan SEL, although of course there is no diesel engine available to the market, unlike in New Zealand. The 2.0 litre four cylinder diesel produces 103kW and 320Nm and while the official 0-100km/h (0-62mph) figure is 10.7 seconds it feels quicker than that. It’s the diesel torque of course, and as the Tiguan comes with a six-speed automatic gearbox you’re always in the sweet zone of torque delivery. The rest of the Tiguan is exactly what you would expect from a contemporary VW product. The interior is sober but well assembled, and the ride quality is pretty comfortable. You have all the usual safety acronyms to keep you on the road so the ultimate driving experience is one of slightly dulled competence than anything else, but the Tiguan does seem to be a very practical car. The Tiguan tested here comes with the optional full length glass roof – priced at NZ$2500. There are two electrically operated screens in case the sun gets too hot, but with them open the Tiguan feels very airy indeed, which makes the mid sized vehicle seem much larger on the inside than it really is. Despite VW’s TV advertising which implies the Tiguan will go virtually anywhere it’s actually a soft roader and will be used as such. Like some other vehicles in the VW range the Tiguan comes with ParkScan Parallel Parking Assistant, which as well as having far too many capital letters in it will actually park your car for you. This option is not offered in the North American market. First you engage the system and drive slowly down a line of parked cars. When the system spots a gap big enough it gives the driver a readout on the dashboard. The driver stops, puts the car into reverse and the steering wheel begins to move on its own as a servo motor takes over. The driver then lets the car idle backwards, controlling it on the brake. Once the rear wheel has reached the kerb the driver puts the car into drive and the steering wheel takes over again, completing the perfect parallel park. So perfect in fact that on the school run that it’s possible fit into a gap so small that the driver in the car behind may actually begin to move out of the way, which actually happened. There are some downsides to the system, as it can’t really be used on a busy road because it takes time to slowly drive along until the car finds a spot and then the driver has to stop exactly at the correct position – if the car moves a little too far forward the system decides that the driver is continuing down the road. Still, it is fun to have people watch the driver park while they are holding their hands above their head, it’s a real kick. Category:Home › Other • Pomegranates: A newly discovered superfood • Where did the joke why did the chicken cross the road come from and why is it funny? • Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents? • Spiritual evolution of human consciousness • Tips for getting a college basketball scholarship • Living with Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) • Caring for the caregiver • Technologys impact on society
