Volkswagen Tiguan R Line : WALK THE LINE

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R Line trim brings extra aggression and a sporty flavour to the Tiguan compact 4x4. Steve Walker takes a look.

Any seasoned practitioner will tell you that successful off-road driving comes down to having two things - enough ground clearance and the right tyres. There are other important factors certainly, but get these right and you'll be well on your way to achieving the ultimate goal when driving away from the queen's highway - not getting stuck. None of this bodes particularly well for the Volkswagen Tiguan R Line we look at here. It's a 4x4 but with a full body kit taking a big bite out of its ground clearance and 19" alloy wheels shod with low profile tyres, it's never going to be the ideal partner for journeys into the great unknown. Fortunately, the R Line's target buyers will be more than happy sticking to the blacktop.

Volkswagen might not have a glittering history of producing rugged 4x4 vehicles but it goes further than most rivals in equipping the Tiguan compact 4x4 for off-road work. The Escape models feature an adapted nose which increases the approach angle, a radiator protection grille, underbody protection, hill descent control and a compass. The R Line is the polar opposite of this, designed specifically for maximum style and impact in more refined surroundings. This is the Tiguan for parking outside trendy urban eateries, not driving through a field of turnips. Only the Tiguan's top engines are available with the R Line trim. The 2.0-litre TDI common-rail diesel unit can be ordered with 138bhp or a beefier 168bhp while the 2.0-litre TSI alternative is a turbocharged petrol engine with 197bhp. Performance is brisk for a car lugging around a weighty Haldex all-wheel-drive system with the less powerful diesel covering the 0-60mph sprint in 10.5s, the more powerful one dipping under the nine-second barrier and the TSI petrol a second faster than that. The diesel engines that are likely to be the bigger sellers marry their punchy low-end performance with first class refinement thanks in part to their common-rail fuel injection architecture and these are likely to be the biggest sellers in the R Line despite the obvious appeal of the fiery turbocharged petrol unit.

"The Tiguan was already one of the sharpest vehicles in its class to drive and in R Line from, it plays up to those strengths."

There aren't many compact 4x4s that can match the Tiguan's road manners. For a company with little history in the sector, Volkswagen did a great job of endowing the car with nimble handling and rigid body control. The ride is also well judged, staying smooth and supple even over rough surfaces. Volkswagen's mainstream products tend to tread a conservative path when it comes to design but the Tiguan R Line was devised by a separate department with a solid record of producing Volkswagens with extra attitude. Volkswagen Individual was responsible for the Passat R36 and the Touareg R50 as well as the Tiguan R Line and its input is clear when you cast an eye over the vehicle's pumped-up lines. The deeper bumpers and side skirts might scupper its off-road ability but they help produce the R Line's purposeful stance along with the blistered wheelarches. A splitter and diffuser are integrated into the front and rear bumpers respectively and a neat spoiler sits above the tailgate. The Tiguan is based on the Golf hatchback with elements of the Passat suspension system thrown in but Volkswagen have done a typically thorough job of converting their family hatch favourite into a 4x4. The Golf uses an all-aluminium sub frame but this was deemed not sufficiently strong to handle the buffeting that committed owners might subject their Tiguan too. As a result, the vehicle uses a modular sub-frame that's aluminium at the front and steel at the rear. The Tiguan was also the first vehicle to receive Volkswagen's electric steering system which has been designed to eliminate kickback and enhance accuracy. Sitting at the top of the Tiguan trim level hierarchy, the R Line leaves little to the imagination in terms of standard kit. The cabin environment is jazzed up by a racy flat-bottomed steering wheel, sports seats and aluminium pedals while climate control, fog lights, automatic head lamps, automatic wipers and sports suspension are also thrown in. Given the R Line's preferred habitat is the urban jungle rather than the actual one, Volkswagen's Park assist function should be a popular option. The system will automatically steer you into a parallel parking space at the side of the road. All you have to do is work the throttle and brake. Ford airbags come as standard as does ESP stability control. There's a bit of a gap between the petrol and diesel engines in terms of running costs. The petrol unit can manage 31mpg which is some way behind the 44mpg the 138bhp diesel returns on the combined cycle. The 168bhp oil-burner looks a very good bet with 43mpg combined cycle economy and 172g/km emissions despite its lively performance. Though the upfront sticker price isn't cheap, whichever variant you choose, you'll probably be better off choosing this Volkswagen than a cheaper South Korean alternative when you factor in depreciation and whole life costs. Insurance group costs are low too, with a group 9 showing for the entry-level model. Off-roading might not be on the agenda with Volkswagen's Tiguan R Line but that won't deter most compact 4x4 buyers who prefer not to get their tyres dirty anyway. The R Line sacrifices some ground clearance through a sporty make-over that seems certain to appeal in this image conscious market sector. The Tiguan was already one of the sharpest vehicles in its class to drive and in R Line from, it plays up to those strengths. Enhanced styling inside and out add to the appeal and there's also a lengthy equipment list as you'd expect from a range-topping Volkswagen. The pricing positions the car at the upper end of the compact 4x4 sector but it rarely feels less than a high class product and does a good job of justifying the premium.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Volkswagen Tiguan R Line
PRICES: £24,640-£25,525 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 9
CO2 EMISSIONS: 167-234g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 7.9s / max speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0 TDI 140] (urban) 35mpg (extra urban) 52mpg / (combined) 44mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS, ESP, four airbags
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/heightmm 4427/1809/1686