By: IOL Motoring Staff
Johannesburg - Volkswagen South Africa has confirmed that the new Tiguan will be launched locally towards the end of 2016.
VW's second entry into this growing segment is all-new from the ground up and like the latest Golf and Passat, it's built on VW's weight-saving MQB modular platform.
VWSA will only confirm the engine line-up and pricing closer to launch, but we're sure to get a good spread of the variants available overseas, which include four petrol and four diesel options, all turbocharged of course.
The TSI turbopetrol range in Europe kicks off with the 92kW and 110kW 1.4-litre motors and there’s a brand new 132kW 2-litre slotting between those and the familiar GTI-sourced 162kW 2-litre.
Surprisingly the most potent engine in the range is a new 176kW twin-turbocharged 2-litre, hovering above three more affordable options boasting the same cubic capacity but with output levels of 140kW, 110kW and 85kW.
4Motion all-wheel drive is available with all but the least powerful TSI and TDI engines.
The new Tiguan is 60mm longer and 30mm wider than its predecessor, but also 33mm lower, and it consequently promises a roomier cabin and significantly more boot space - 615 litres with all seats in place. Despite the growth spurt, the SUV is 50kg lighter than its predecessor.
This Tiguan promises progression on all fronts, with VW claiming that it brings "previously unseen levels of quality and refinement" to its sector.
It also offers a generous helping of modern gadgets such as head-up display, pedestrian monitoring, online traffic and parking space info and full integration of Apple and Android smartphones.
Watch this space for more information when the vehicle reaches local shores later this year.