Tinted windows, body kit and aggressive stance. It can only be the new Volkswagen Tiguan R Line, developed to give VW's famously conservative compact SUV a tad more bite in the sector. While all of those touches give the R Line a purposeful posture on the road, in Candy White paint job it's a bizarre mix that begs the question about the intended market for the Tiguan R Line. It's where school-run Mum and wannabe gangster meet. The former will like the Park Assist gadgetry, built-in satnav, the passive and active safety features and the command driving position. But the latter will enjoy the R Line's free-revving 2.0-litre TFSI petrol engine with plenty of low-down grunt, good off-road ability, fog lights, tinted rear windows and over-egged body kit. So, something for everyone. But what's VW's small-but-hard SUV like to live with? Interior As time has gone by in the automotive industry certain words have become more common. Yes, there's lots more gadgetry and engineering jargon, but the word that's on everyone's lips these days is binnacle - a term that probably didn't exist before 2002. Binnacles are those handy little compartments around modern-day cars that let you stow away your mobile, beverage, keys, ipod, laptop and packed lunch. The Tiguan is full of them. In the roof console, in the doors, under the boot floor, and beneath the front seats: Binnacles. This makes the Tiguan an extremely handy car for storing pretty much anything you want, assuming its binnacle-shaped. But the space inside isn't especially impressive. A length of 4427mm compared to the 4199mm of the Golf shows the benefits and the pitfalls of small SUVs. Their maneuverability isn't compromised in the same way that X5s, Touaregs and Range Rovers are, but while they're much taller they can't offer a lot more legroom. Still, the Tiguan is hardly cramped, and there's ample space in the back for three. With the rear seats up there's 395 litres of luggage space as opposed to the Golf, with 350 litres. So, it's not massive. However, folding the seats down opens up a decent amount of space at 1510 litres - and there's always those handy binnacles. Inside, the Tiguan R Line is a classy place to be. VW, rightly or wrongly, gives the perception of a slight edge over other volume manufacturers, and sitting inside the R Line it's hard not to come to the same conclusion. Aluminium pedals and trim are standard, as is smart black cloth upholstery, with leather as an expensive option. My demo model admittedly had all the bells and whistles that come with the Comfort and Convenience Pack, plus built-in satnav and multimedia system, dual-zone climate control, welcome lights and self-dimming rear-view mirror. All of which made the model a cosseting, comfortable and somewhat cocooned place to be. But without all those extras the interior is still well made. The dash is intuitive, a flat-bottomed multifunction steering wheel is added to R Line models and there are plenty of automatic driving aids. If the myriad of passive and active safety aids aren't enough to prevent a shunt there are at least six airbags in all models and a five-star NCAP rating to fall back on. The gadgetry is extremely impressive and the automatic Park Assist, which will parallel park with only pedal input from the driver, is a selling point in itself. I found myself demonstrating it to disbelieving onlookers as often as I was simply driving the car. Styling The Tiguan was noted for its conservative styling when it hit the roads and seemed to constitute a conscious move away from the perceived aggression of off-roaders. The big-brother Touareg looks like it might crash into your living room at any moment, but the Tiguan would knock timidly on the door before asking if you'd like to make a donation. The R Line goes some way to rectifying that with a body kit that's rather more sure of itself. To extend the metaphor, the R Line would egg your house. Side sills, spoiler, fogs, tinted windows, dual pipes, chrome trim, huge Omanyt alloys and extra badging all give the R Line more purpose than the vanilla Tiguan, though the Candy White paint scheme will probably be a bridge too far for most. I happened to catch sight of another white Tiguan R Line when out in the demo car and was taken aback by how dominating it was. Set against the urban backdrop of Liverpool it looked at home, like it was part of the scenery. Driving I was a bit taken aback by how firm the ride in the R Line is, which is presumably a combination of sport suspension and 255/40 wheels. However, the R Line does feel firmly planted on the road with little body roll and plenty of grip. Essentially it handles pretty much like a Golf. ESP can be deactivated if you want to push matters. The Tiguan took some limited off-roading in its stride due to VW's admired 4MOTION technology, though these small SUVs aren't exactly built for serious mud plugging. The R Line is equipped with a choice of 2.0-litre diesel engines in 138bhp and 168bhp guises and a range-topping 198bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine. I had the latter, equipped with a six-speed manual box. It pulls strongly from low down but can be a little gruff around the town. Settling down on the motorway it's clear that the R Line, with this powertrain, has easily enough power and torque - and the R Line comes into its own when cruising. Despite all its tough outward styling, the Tiguan R Line feels most happy when eating up the miles between cities and is an assured cruiser. R Line Pricing Which ever way you look at it, Volkswagen's R Line is not cheap to buy or live with. A few grand can easily be shaved off the asking price by plumping for similar models from Ford, Renault or others. The forthcoming Audi Q5 and BMW X1 may be more direct rivals though, with their premium gloss. Two-wheel drive base models start at just under £20K, which appears to make the Tiguan pretty affordable. However, for the R Line spec there's another £5K to pay and with factory-fit options like satnav, leather and parking sensors and you're looking at around £30K. An autobox is another thousand quid. Running costs are not particularly good either, especially for the petrol models. Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are not especially impressive, although diesel models make far more sense. But I don't believe people will buy the R Line with running costs in mind. Whether bought for urban showing off or more sedentary work between the house and the school, or up and down the motorway the Tiguan will provide either thrills or comfort. So, who is the Tiguan R Line for? Funnily enough I think it's suitable as a car for whoever has the cash to buy and run it. It works as bling as much as it works as school run. I liked the R Line, but I don't know why anyone would splash the cash over a cheaper model. Then again, when does common sense come into buying a car? Volkswagen Tiguan R Line 2.0 TSI 4MOTION 5dr 4 X 4 For: Tougher styling and stance, quality interior, impressive gadgetry, flexible engine Against: Space is below par in sector, very pricey with added kit, high running costs Engine: 198bhp 2.0-litre TSI Price: £25,745 (without added options) Power: 198bhp (200PS) @ 5100rpm Torque: 207lb-ft @ 1700rmp Transmission: Six-speed manual CO2: 199/km Combined MPG Manual: 31.7mpg VED: Band J Top Speed: Manual 125mph Sprint time: 8.5 seconds Maxmimum boot space: 1510 litres boot Towing weight: 1662kg Insurance group: 19E
