The Tiguan is rare in that none of its engines are naturally aspirated; they’re either turbocharged (and in some cases also supercharged) TSI petrol units, or turbodiesels, as fitted here in 138bhp 2.0-litre form.
Volkswagen's 2.0-litre common rail diesel was the one we tested. Outright performance is good. Achieving 60mph in 10.3sec is very good, in fact, and this engine is also quite flexible, as 50-70mph in 9.9sec in top gear reveals. The problem is with the delivery. This is a relatively noisy engine, with a gruff, rattly nature that intrudes far more than you get in, say, a diesel Honda CR-V or Land Rover Freelander.
Still, the gearshift is good. It’s a six-speed manual unit with a positive, if slightly rubbery shift, while the six-speed DSG dual-clutch unit is a good option, albeit at £1250.
The Tiguan’s status as a tall wagon is confirmed at the pumps, as our overall economy of 31.2mpg is very respectable. The brakes are good, too, hauling the 1.75-tonne car to a stop from 70mph in less than 50m.
But none of this gives us a clue to the Tiguan's true intentions. These are generally revealed in the ride and handling, as can be seen in the Honda CR-V which is the best-handling small SUV on the road at the moment and is accordingly not particularly adept off it. At the other end of the scale you have the new Jeep Cherokee, whereas the Freelander has the broadest spread of ability.
That broadness isn’t going to be threatened by the Tiguan, but this is one of the keener SUVs to drive, with responsive steering and good body control and agility. In short, the Tiguan is very good everywhere except in its ride, which in the Sport model is stiffened to the point where it’s fidgety in town and grainy on a motorway.
The best-handling SUV, though? Not quite. A CR-V is still more enjoyable, with the Tiguan and Nissan X-Trail not far behind.