Road Test: Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace 2.0 TDI 4Motion
The Tiguan is one of my favourite SUVs, especially in R Design form and it’s basically a GTI with more space and all-wheel drive. The Allspace tries to pull a similar trick. By feeling like a compact car, that seats 7. But what’s It like to drive for a weekend? We head up and down the N1 to find out.
Interior
When you climb into the Allspace the cabin feels remarkably like a Golf 7 and if you’ve ever driven anything of that size the Allspace will feel quite familiar inside. Allspace starts at R571 100 and our vehicle was fitted with quite a few optional extras, such as 9.2”touch screen first found in the Golf 7.5 and the fantastically huge panoramic sunroof. The now common active info display looks and feels great and although not the novelty it once was when Audi first introduced the technology to the masses, doesn’t feel out of place on the Allspace. The front seats on our test unit were heated, a feature that has become my new favourite go-to button in this especially chilli Cape Town winter. Everything else feels pretty much like any other VW in the range, familiar and ergonomic. Boot space is a healthy 700 litres with the 3rd row of seats down and an impressive 1775 litres with all the rear seats folded down thanks to the longer wheelbase. The 3rd row of seats are ideally suited for kids and they are a very handy tool if you need an extra seat or two every now and then.
On the road
The Allspace has one massive trump card up its elongated sleeve. It feels like a compact(ish) car. From the inside one wouldn’t know the difference other than the fact that once used to the car one can notice the extra space between the front and rear axles. But other than that Allspace feels nimble and easy to navigate around even the narrowest roads thanks to relatively firm suspension. An optional offroad kit is available if you want some extra ride height but Allspace remains true to the Tiguans sporty nature. 0-100 is rated at 9.9 seconds thanks to the 110kw and 340Nm engine, and claimed fuel consumption is 6.6l/100. The torquey diesel engine always willing and the really rapid 7-speed DSG gearbox providing seamless gear changes.
Exterior
The Allspace confuses onlookers abit as most guess that this might be an all-new Tiguan. Not as chunky as the handsome Tiguan the All sapace is actually 210mm longer, and has a noticeably different design when the two are side by side. The Front grill is new and the rear three quarter is a complete redesign thanks to the extra metal on its haunches. Speaking of the rear, the rear tailgate opens automatically from the inside, but oddly doesn’t close from the inside. One has to hit the button on the tailgate to shut the boot. This has me scratching my head for a while. Perhaps a safety feature?
Verdict
On the road, this is a car that feels like it has five seats but the kids can tell their friends everyone’s invited. Is it more Tiguan than Touarag? I’d say more Tiguan thanks to its compact feel. With not many competitors in this segment, Allspace is as niche as they come, and an interesting choice for potential Tiguan buyers who want some extra space.
Tiguan comes with a 3 year 120 000km Warranty and 3-year 45 000km service plan
