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Apr 17, 2023

2023 Volkswagen Tiguan Comfortline R

Polished crossover a favourite on norther Ontario routes About 80 kilometres

Polished crossover a favourite on norther Ontario routes

About 80 kilometres east of Sudbury, Ontario, Highways 575 and 64 join together in a 55-kilometre stretch of narrow, winding two-lane that rolls and carves through forests of trees, rock, and moose, all connecting Highway 17 from Verner at the south to Highway 11 near Temagami on the north side.

Of all the drives in northern Ontario, this is a favourite. Thanks to the beautiful landscape, sparse signage and infrastructure, and (mostly) smooth and twisty tarmac, driving the Field cutoff is simultaneously relaxing, scenic, and engaging.

When it comes to the market's latest crossovers, this stretch of highway quickly separates the ‘good’ from the ‘great’ when it comes to handling, steering, and dynamics. Specifically, the narrow lanes, soft shoulders, plentiful corners, and heavy transport-truck traffic mean that a vehicle which responds precisely and mitigates driver workload tends to be just the ticket for a rewarding drive. Here, you want a vehicle that responds faithfully, leaves the driver no second-guessing, and doesn't wear them down or bore them into fatigue — especially important during moose season.

MSRP $33,995 to $44,495

I managed a few passes of the Field cutoff during a recent test drive of the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan Comfortline R-Line Black, and the experience led me to count this tester among other recent favourites for this drive route, such as the Mazda CX-5 Sport Design Turbo and Honda CR-V Touring Hybrid.

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That's largely to do with the Tiguan's handling, polish, calibration, and response.

I experienced reduced workload at the steering wheel, flatter and more stable handling, and improved driver confidence. Though handling and cornering aren't the most important attributes to most crossover shoppers, they’re easy to appreciate here — and that's the case with the VW Tiguan.

The steering is light on centre, quickly heavies when an input is applied, and points the Tiguan's nose confidently into bends as the suspension quickly sets and keeps things feeling planted and bolted on.

Mid-corner bumps do little to upset the machine's composure. Just keep your eyes up and your next corner front-of-mind, and the Tiguan Comfortline R-Line steers and handles with a dense, athletic feel that reminds of how a luxury sport sedan feels heavy and reassuring, but also eager at your fingertips. If you’ll frequently travel via winding highways and backroads, I think you’ll appreciate the engaging, easygoing, encouraging feel of the Tiguan.

During highway cruising, I noted good control of road and suspension noise levels, and appreciated a solid, composed feel beneath me. At higher speeds, allow for some wind noise — specifically from the upper areas of the windshield. Though I had no complaints about highway ride comfort, some competitors deliver a ride with less wind noise at speed, and by around 110 km/h I had to raise my voice a little for a Bluetooth phone call.

On the roughest backroads I test crossovers on, the Tiguan impresses with strong control over body motions, keeping the ride from getting too bouncy and its occupants more stable for more of the time. On these worst-case testing surfaces, the Tiguan's ride can feel brittle and choppy at times, though noise and dramatic lurches are nicely controlled.

Brakes feel polished and precise too, with a strong initial bite available from a light press on the pedal, and a reassuring buildup of stopping force with minimal leg work. You can stop the Tiguan with a quick flick of your ankle, not your whole leg.

The EA888 powerplant generates 184 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. The bulk of the pulling power is concentrated between about 2,000 and 5,000 RPM, a little shy of the 6,000 RPM redline. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard on all trims.

The Tiguan's powertrain has several strengths, but a few weaknesses too.

On the plus side, pulling power is smooth and eager from even a light throttle press at highway speeds and beyond. With the engine spinning at 2,000 revs or more, the turbocharger kicks in with minimal lag to surge the Tiguan along smoothly and strongly, and downshifting is typically optional unless there's a big hill to climb or a quick pass is required.

In around-town traffic, however, the Tiguan's driveline can feel clumsy and awkward at times. When adjusting throttle inputs at low revs, drivers may notice some subtle lurching, wobbling, and vibrations from the driveline, especially when shifting up and down at low speeds.

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Mind the selected drive mode as you test a Tiguan for the first time. A dial near the drive selector allows drivers to call up ECO, NORMAL, and SPORT drive modes (among others), and they have a major effect on the responsiveness of the machine. Be sure to try each mode.

Throttle response can prove inconsistent in certain situations. Specifically, pleasing pulling power can require a near-full-throttle stomp from lower speeds, and throttle response at parking speeds can feel aggressive or even startling. None of this applies at cruising speed.

At lower (and very slow) speeds, my tester sometimes felt lazy when I expected snappiness, and had a hair-trigger throttle when I was expecting it to be gentle. Eventually, your right foot will learn to help smooth things out.

Shoppers who will do a lot of lower-speed driving in city- and highway commuter traffic have smoother-driving (and more efficient) options for the job. For instance, hybrids like the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, and RAV4 shine here for their ability to use electric motors to smooth out power delivery, saving fuel in the process.

While some competitors deliver smoother driveline operation in certain situations, it's hard to argue with the Tiguan's sense of style.

After a week at the wheel, I appreciated my tester's upscale flair and an on-road presence befitting an up-level product. The handsome looks, athletic stance, and recently updated styling elements see a machine that's detailed, trimmed, and decorated tastefully from top to bottom. Though I’m not a fan of the fake exhaust tips, my cameras appreciated the Tiguan's chiseled character lines, dynamic lighting accents, and chrome-trimmed details.

The sense of style carries inside too, where a digital instrument cluster and proximity-detecting touchscreen infotainment interface combine with generous use of premium materials and gloss finishes to create a modern, clean, organized, and techy cockpit.

Handy storage is plentiful around the driver, the infotainment system is vivid and logical, and the chubby leather-wrapped steering wheel and metal pedal covers offer some sporty signals to enthusiasts. Add in the playful use of texture, shapes, and gloss, and you’ve got a cabin that's easily among the segment's most rewarding and original to look at.

On functionality, the rear cargo area is flat, deep, and wide. Handy cubbies at the rear corners of the cargo area make it easy to keep smaller items (like washer fluid jugs) secure. A relatively low load-in height and a load floor that sits flush with the edge of the cargo opening should make it easy for average-sized family canines to jump in and out too. I was particularly surprised by rear seating space: the wide-opening doors and generously sized openings mean adults can slip easily in and out of their seats. Rear legroom is is particularly generous, even with four adults aboard.

Up front, the steering wheel controls may be an issue for some. These touch-sensitive pads are textured and backlit for a slick look that matches the high-tech displays and interfaces nearby. Each pad is a single large button, with individual functions backlit within. The single button pad knows where your finger pressed it and engages the corresponding function.

These look slick, but leave your fingertips blind. Conventional setups use an arrangement of toggles, buttons, and wheels for drivers to feel around without taking eyes away from the road. The Tiguan's setup lacks this tactile feedback, leaving you to fumble around on the pad before clicking the function you want. The pads don't need to be clicked to engage, however, so as you feel your way around for the right function, others can accidentally activate. After a week at the wheel, the only reliable way to engage the function I wanted (and only that function) was to look away from the road and find it on the steering wheel before clicking.

It's a small gripe atop an otherwise-compelling tech package.

The Tiguan is powered by one of Volkswagen's most advanced engines, the EA888. With turbocharging and direct injection, this four-cylinder generates 184 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque on regular gasoline. From the driver's seat, expect ample pulling power and an advantage in low-to-mid-RPM throttle response compared to non-turbocharged competitor engines. In simple terms, the EA888 makes plenty of power from such low revs that the engine hardly sounds like it's working.

Chain-driven dual overhead camshafts operate variable intake valves whose duration can be modified. In light-load situations, the intake valves open for a shorter duration and with less lift. Under load, the intake valves can be opened more deeply, and for longer durations to maximize power.

In human terms, this is like taking quicker, shallower breaths while you’re at rest, and taking longer, deeper breaths when you’re doing hard work. Variable valve timing allows the EA888's breathing to adapt to the situation in real time for maximum efficiency or performance.

Other features built into engine breathing systems ensure a high level of fuel and air mixing within the combustion chamber. For instance, an asymmetric flap in the intake manifold causes air to swirl and become turbulent before entering the combustion chamber. As it enters the cylinders, the turbulence helps rapidly disperse fuel very evenly throughout the cylinder, from edge to edge, for more efficient combustion.

As the variable intake valves allow turbulent air into the cylinders, fuel is blasted into the swirling intake air mass at over 3,600 PSI by direct injectors positioned within the cylinders. These injectors can spray up to three injections of fuel during each intake stroke, enabling further blending of the air-fuel mix for optimal combustion.

Injecting fuel at such high pressure causes the liquid gasoline to expand rapidly as it's freed into the cylinder, causing a cooling effect within. As each injection of gasoline helps drop combustion chamber temperatures, engineers can use a higher (11.7:1) compression ratio with reduced risk of knock or detonation — even on regular-grade fuel.

With standard turbocharged power and 4Motion AWD included on all trims, the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan starts at $36,332 with eight-inch infotainment, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, heated front seats, 17-inch wheels, and Front Assist with autonomous emergency braking.

Stepping into the $40,332 Comfortline model adds 18-inch wheels, smart key system, wireless functionality for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, vinyl seating, and more.

An extra $3,000 gets you into a unit like my tester, the Comfortline R-Line Black. This model steps up the sporting appeal with 19-inch wheels, enhanced exterior styling elements with black trim, aluminum door sills, a panoramic sunroof, and customizable interior ambient lighting.

Topping the model range from $46,832 is the Tiguan Highline R-Line, with 20-inch wheels, an around-view camera system, Fender audio system, leather seats with front and rear seat heaters, and more.

Shoppers seeking a compelling combination of pricing and feature content must-haves will likely gravitate towards the Comfortline trim, with its expanded selection of connectivity, safety, and convenience features complimented by wireless smartphone connectivity.

According to NRCan, the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan should use a combined 9.4 litres of gas for every 100 kilometres it drives. Highway-oriented drivers will use a bit less fuel, while those commuting in the city will use a bit more.

The Tiguan R-Line uses slightly more fuel, with combined consumption clocking in at 9.8 L/100 km. At $1.50 per litre, a Tiguan R-Line will therefore use about 60 cents more gasoline per 100 kilometres versus a non R-Line Tiguan.

Assuming you drive 25,000 kilometres per year and pay a buck and a half for a litre of gas, a Tiguan will generate an annual fuel bill of about $3,525, with the slightly thirstier R-Line coming in at $3,675 — an extra $150 annually.

For comparison, the 2023 Honda CR-V has a combined fuel economy of 8.4 L/100 km for an annual fuel cost of $3,150 using the math above. That's a savings of about $375 per year versus a comparable Tiguan. Unlike the Tiguan, the CR-V is available with an added-cost hybrid engine which reduces fuel use by 2 L/100 km — a fuel savings of about $3 per 100 kilometres driven. In the CR-V Hybrid, the annual fuel bill is $2,400 — a savings of $750 per year versus the standard CR-V and about $1,125 versus the Tiguan.

The Toyota RAV4's 8.5 L/100 km combined fuel consumption rating results in an annual fuel cost of about $3,187. The available RAV4 Hybrid lowers that figure to 6 L/100 km, saving 2.5 litres of fuel (or $3.75) for every 100 kilometres driven. To summarize, a RAV4 uses about about $340 less fuel per year than a Tiguan, while the RAV4 Hybrid uses about $1,275 less fuel per year than a Tiguan.

The Nissan Rogue's 8.3 L/100 km average consumption generates an annual fuel bill of about $3,110 — a $415 annual advantage versus a comparable Tiguan.

A comparable Subaru Forester uses about $450 per year less fuel than a Tiguan.

The Chevrolet Equinox closes this gap, using about $150 less fuel per year than the Tiguan. Its 9 L/100 km combined consumption rating falls just below the 9.4 L/100 km figure registered by the Volkswagen.

The Hyundai Tucson is perhaps the Tiguan's closest fuel economy match: in the Tucson, the 9.3 L/100 km combined fuel economy is just behind the Tiguan's 9.4 L/100 km figure, and fewer than $40 separate the annual fuel costs of the two. The Tucson is available with a hybrid engine that cuts its fuel consumption by 2.9 L/100 km, a savings of about $4.35 for every 100 kilometres. Therefore, the Tucson Hybrid annually drinks about $1,100 less gasoline than the standard Tucson, and about $1,140 less than a comparable Tiguan.

Justin Pritchard is a Sudbury, Ontario based automotive journalist and award-winning presenter, photographer, videographer and technical writer. Every week, Justin uses his keyboard, voice and cameras to share his latest automotive reviews and discoveries with his audience, via multiple Canadian television programs, print and online publications.

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