Battery size: 58–77kWh
Max charge rate: 165kW
WLTP range: 373 miles
Introduction
It might be hard to believe, but the VW Tiguan is just as important to Volkswagen as the Polo, Golf, Passat and even the Beetle. More than 8.3 million have been built since the car launched in 2007, and Volkswagen says it is currently the bestselling model not only within the VW brand but across the entire Volkswagen Group.
Just like with the ID.Polo, this next phase of VW EVs are using traditional model names to make them both more familiar and appealing. It's all part of the new 'True Volkswagen' philosophy, which "consistently places the core values of the products at the centre of vehicle development", with these values being "timeless, friendly design, uncompromisingly simple operation, optimal use of space, quality that extends beyond class boundaries and innovative technologies".
Basically, VW wants to now build cars that actually feel like VWs – something that hasn't really been the case for the first wave of ID models, such as the ID.4. Along with the ID.Polo, there's a lot riding on this.
Range, battery and charging
The ID.4 came with 58kWh, 77kWh and 79kWh battery sizes, but the ID.Tiguan will initially come with just the 58kWh LFP and 77kWh NMC packs.
That equates to WLTP range of 279 miles (450km) for the 58kWh battery ID.Tiguan Pure, and 372 miles (600km) for the larger 77kWh NMC pack. That means, on paper at least, the ID.Tiguan will have a slightly longer range than the outgoing ID.4, and even beats the Smart #5, although cars like the big battery Peugeot E-3008 and Citroen e-C5 Aircross do go further to a charge, if that's your priority.
As for charging, the smaller battery peaks at 105kW DC, while the 77kWh versions manage up to 165kW, which is the same as the ID.4. That means around 26 minutes to get from 10–80% with the 58kWh battery and approximately 29 minutes for the bigger one. Every version gets 11kW AC charging, which means between eight and 12 hours on a home wallbox. There's also vehicle-to-load capability via Volkswagen's PowerSocket adaptor, allowing you to run electrical equipment from the car's battery.
I can't help but feel a little disappointed here. We had hoped that the ID.Tiguan would sweep in with updated batteries and charging, as the ID.4's hardware was fine but nothing to write home about. Especially when you remember rivals like the Tesla Model Y and XPeng G6 are much faster to charge.
Practicality and boot space
The new ID.Tiguan is a very practical car, complete with 534 litres of boot space, and even a small frunk for your cables. Granted, a Skoda Enyaq has a fraction more boot space - as does the Peugeot E-5008 and Tesla Model Y - but when I was having a look around it was obvious that this will be a great family car. The boot load lip is fairly low, the seats fold flat if you need them to, and you'll get a chunky buggy or a couple of big dogs back there no worries.
Rear passenger space is great, too. The flat floor makes for loads of legroom, the high roof makes it feel airy and you also get charging ports and a centre rear armrest. Nice! As with the rest of the Tiguan, it doesn't feel particularly radical. Maybe it's even a bit boring. But blimey, it'll do the job well.
Interior, styling and technology
I went to see the new, electric Tiguan in a studio, and you can have a look at the full walkaround video for a closer look. But suffice to say that VW has gone a bit more conventional, with more physical buttons and a bit less screen dependancy. We can all agree that this is excellent news! Part of this new ‘True Volkswagen’ philosophy has been the company listening to feedback from customers and people such as Electrifying.com and implementing changes.
Key to these improvements have been interiors that have a more quality feel, less overwhelming technology, and a return to simplicity – buttons, knobs and controls, for instance. The ID.Tiguan incorporates all of this, and I rather like it. It's not exciting but it does the job and the buttons make it easier to quickly change important things like cabin temperature.
It's all very grown up, I admit, but there is one big easter egg. The ID.Polo has a retro mode, which gives the digital driver's display and infotainment screen a very VW Golf Mk1 design – it's easily one of the coolest things we've seen for a long time, and shows VW is really leaning into its heritage for its new range of EVs.
For the ID.Tiguan, VW has looked to the Mk4 Golf – so, when you press the retro mode button, the dials change to those of the Mk4 (back-lit blue with red needles) and the same 'Gamma' radio design you found in the Mk4. Moreover, there's a lovely nod to past here – if buyers of the original Golf Mk4 didn't pay extra for a CD player, there was an empty slot in the dashboard underneath the 'Gamma' radio. For the ID.Tiguan that slot returns, but the 'void' is filled with different images of classic VWs. It's really neat.
What do you think of the exterior? It's not radical, is it?! But I think it looks very recognisably Volkswagen, and it's got that sensible, familiar, reassuring vibe that VW is definitely going for with this. Let us know what you think with a comment on the vid. I confess I'm not sure about the bronze colour, but I rather like it in white!
Motors, performance and handling
I caused quite a scene on the outskirts of Vienna, Austria. Driving a camouflaged ID.Tiguan turned quite a few heads I can tell you – especially with my car's jazzy wrap that's disguising the car's real design for a few more weeks.
I only got behind the wheel for around 30 minutes so my driving impressions are rather limited. But just like with the new ID.Polo there's a sense of old-school Volkswagen solidity on the road. The controls have a weighty, well-engineered feel, and even in my short drive the ID.Tiguan felt a cut above a Renault Scenic or a Nissan Ariya, for instance.
The Tiguan also felt quieter, softer and more refined than the ID.4 – more grown up, I suppose you could say. I'm sure a longer drive once the car has been fully unveiled will be even more impressive.
The new ID.Tiguan will come in three versions – 190hp for the 58kWh model, 286hp for the rear-wheel-drive 77kWh model, and 299hp for the twin-motor 77kWh version. The entry level version should be able to sprint from zero to 62mph in 8.5 seconds, and the 286hp model in 6.6 seconds. The 299hp four-wheel-drive model will be the quickest for the time being, getting to the benchmark 62mph in 6.3 seconds.
Pricing and on sale date
We don't know what the Volkswagen ID.Tiguan costs yet, as VW hasn't given us UK pricing. The list price, and the monthly finance costs, will ultimately determine just how convincing the whole package looks.
It'll likely follow the same trim line-up as the new ID.Polo, so the range should kick off with Life and rise to Style. There's even a rumour that the ID.Tiguan will come in a sporty R-Line spec just like the existing petrol and diesel-powered Tiguan – again, in an effort to make electric VWs seem more familiar and less odd-ball.
If I were to stick my neck out, I'd say prices would start from a smidge under £40,000 and rise to a little over £50,000. But as soon as we know more we'll let you know.
Verdict
Even on this very short drive and with the limited details we have so far, it's becoming clear that the ID.Tiguan feels like a very significant course correction for Volkswagen. The ID.4 wasn't a bad car - far from it - but it arrived during a period when Volkswagen seemed convinced that an electric car had to look different, operate differently and sometimes make everyday things needlessly complicated.
The ID.Tiguan feels like the opposite approach. It's supposed to be a Tiguan, but an electric one, and that might be exactly what Volkswagen needed all along.
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