Test drive VW Tiguan R-line

At the beginning of the summer season, the Leningradskoye Highway is unbearably crowded. "Burgundy" cork, stuffiness and a discharged phone - from idleness, I begin to count "Tiguanas". Here is a pre-styling crossover dusting on the side of the road. Another red Tiguan with a crumpled rear door is trying to wedged in front of the truck, and the SUV loaded to the top already seems to be scraping its wheels against the rear arches. But with the R-Line package on the road - not a single one ...

At the beginning of the summer cottage season, the Leningradskoye Highway is unbearably crowded. "Burgundy" traffic jam, stuffiness and a discharged phone - from idleness I begin to count "Tiguanas". Here is a pre-styling crossover dusting on the sidelines. Another red Tiguan with a crumpled tailgate is trying to wedge itself in front of the truck, and the loaded SUV already seems to scratch its wheels against the rear arches, but continues to vigorously maneuver between cars. There are a lot of Tiguanas on the road, but I am driving a special one - a top crossover with the R-Line package. These are definitely not bought by summer residents and they are not at all popular with novice drivers.

Usually the essence of such packages comes down to additional options and external styling. For example, the S-Line from Audi or the AMG-Line from Mercedes-Benz do not involve technical modifications. The R-Line package that the Volkswagen Tiguan has received is based on a different principle. This is, first of all, a more powerful engine and other transmission, and only then body kits and spoilers.

The R letters, which are too randomly scattered throughout the body, indicate that under the hood of this Tiguan is the most powerful engine available for a crossover. It is a 2,0-liter TSI with 210 horsepower. In technical terms, the power unit does not differ from the Tiguan engines of the same cubic capacity with a return of 170 and 200 horsepower. The top unit has a different firmware and a slightly changed cooling system.

The engine spins quickly in the mid-range and maintains a maximum torque of 280 Nm almost to the very cut-off. 10 hp increase in comparison with the 200-horsepower version, it would not have affected the dynamics so significantly if the R-Line would have been offered with a 6-speed "automatic", which is equipped with the rest of the 2,0-liter versions. In the top-end version, the motor is paired with a 7-speed DSG. As a result, the Tiguan was 200 seconds faster than the 1,2-horsepower version. From a standstill to 100 km / h, the SUV accelerates in 7,3 seconds - the average among modern hot hatches.

Of all classmates with the Tiguan in terms of dynamics, only the Subaru Forester can be compared, which in the version with a 2,0-liter turbocharged engine accelerates to "hundreds" in 7,5 seconds. Mazda CX-5 with 2,5 L (192 hp) aspirated does the same exercise in 7,9 seconds.

Due to the appearance on the top version of the "robot" Tiguan became more nervous in traffic jams. Vibrations when switching from the first to the second, kicks and small tremors only encourage you to get out of the jam as soon as possible and put the selector in manual mode. It is he, by the way, that allows you to partially get rid of irritability - in a deaf congestion it is better to fix the first gear. In this case, the box will stop grinding and shuffling the steps unnecessarily.

The suspension in the R-Line version has not received any changes. As before, it is multi-tasking, swallowing most of the unevenness of the road surface, and copes well with dashing turns, dampening the excess roll of a crossover with a short wheelbase and high ground clearance. If you wish, you can not reduce the speed in front of speed bumps and tram tracks - it is almost impossible to break through the Tiguan's suspension.

The Tiguan R-Line was not limited to some technical changes. Exterior styling, which is impossible not to notice, made the crossover more modern. It seems that this is not a package of improvements, but at least a restyling. The aerodynamic body kit is designed in such a way as to visually make the car more squat. At the same time, 200 mm of ground clearance, which the owners of the base Tiguan are proud of, have not disappeared anywhere: you can park at high curbs without fear.

In the special version, the Tiguan received 18-inch alloy wheels with exactly the same pattern as on the previous generation Golf R. Less noticeable black linings on the wheel arches - a decorative element that makes the crossover look a little wider. The Tiguan R-Line turned out to be faster and younger than the basic version. Having bought this, you will definitely not be blamed for being old-fashioned and lacking in taste.

Internally, there are significantly fewer changes compared to the standard crossover. The Tiguan R-Line features a black headlining, R-branded seats and a GTI-style sports steering wheel. The German order inside the SUV for the full 7 years that the model spent on the assembly line has already begun to become obsolete. The not very convenient location of the multimedia, paired air ducts and glossy overlays on the front panel are also offered in the R-Line version.

The equipment of the Tiguan has not undergone any changes either. For example, the RNS 315 navigation complex, which comes in the basic R-Line version, is devoid of Bluetooth. The navigation maps themselves are already in need of updates. For example, the system does not know the first sections of the M11 highway (bypassing Vyshny Volochok and in the Moscow region). Front parking sensors are not available for the Tiguan, and a rearview camera is available exclusively for a surcharge ($ 170).

It is possible to select the complete set not by piecewise adding options, but by ordering a whole package of equipment. For example, Technic ($ 289), which includes a rear-view camera, automatic high-beam assistant, tire pressure monitoring, keyless entry to the cabin and connectors for connecting audio devices.

Although the R-Line package involves a significant modernization of the crossover, the changes did not affect the functionality. It still has a small trunk (470 liters), high ground clearance by the standards of crossovers, and getting into an SUV is as convenient as before. Inside there are many niches, coasters, shelves and other containers for small things. In this regard, the SUV from Volkswagen can compete with minivans - it has a similar fit and excellent visibility from the driver's seat.

The extra power and external decorations are not cheap. For the fastest Tiguan, Volkswagen dealers ask for a minimum of $ 23. This is $ 630 more than the base crossover with "mechanics" and 23 TSI (630 horsepower) costs. The advantage of the top-end R-Line is that it is very difficult to meet the same on the road - at the moment it is a piece product that Volkswagen customers rarely order, largely due to the high cost. But the Tiguan is good at separating from the numbers and market layouts.

The German crossover is already ideologically outdated, but by no means looks like an outsider in its segment. It is 200 kg heavier than the Mazda CX-5, it does not have fresh options like Yandex.Traffic jams like the CR-V, and the Tiguan optics, even in the maximum versions, remain xenon, while the Nissan Qashqai, for example, is available for order from LED headlights. But it has excellent geometric cross-country ability, good capacity and high liquidity in the secondary market. The R-Line package did not globally improve the model, but it did make the Tiguan a little younger.

Roman Farbotko

Photo: Polina Avdeeva