At first glance, the VW Tiguan R-Line appears unmistakably sporty. Its taut lines, hunkered-down stance and sporty accents make it immediately apparent that it isn’t your average SUV. The Tiguan R-Line is special and it gets you excited long before you take a closer look, let alone step inside it.
But, of course, you can’t resist walking up to it — who can resist the appeal of a sporty VW, after all? Then, the details begin to emerge. You barely move your eyes away from its clean, athletic front-end which flaunts Matrix LED headlights before your attention is arrested by its 19-inch Coventry alloys which cut a cool form while wearing decidedly sporty rubber. We could go on about its pulse-racing aesthetics but we know you’ve already made up your mind about it. Glad we’re on the same page!
Step inside and the Tiguan R-Line comes across as an exercise in finesse. It’s sporty all through, but not at the expense of practicality or comfort. Take the racing-inspired seats, for instance. While they sure look the part, with their contours that give the cabin a racecar-like feel, they’re amazingly comfortable to spend long driving days in and even feature a massage function! Over our recent drive in it, which saw us drive across the length of Mumbai’s ever-busy roads and over the NH48 that leads to Surat, it kept us in absolute comfort, with support in just the right places. That, in fact, can be said of the entire cabin.
The R-Line philosophy is that of dynamism rather than of unapologetic track-mindedness, which means no matter what you choose to do in a Tiguan R-Line, sophistication and a heightened sense of luxury are always a part of the narrative. Be it the finer details such as the elegant smart dial or the twist-grip gear selector, or even more prominent elements such as the flat-bottomed steering wheel or the beautifully integrated 15-inch infotainment screen, the Tiguan R-Line is all class.
The theatre begins when you fire up its 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, of course. You can hear a subtle hum from the engine as you do so, which makes its intentions amply clear — it’s a fun-to-drive car and you aren’t going to have to work hard for it. With 204PS and a 7-speed DSG to reign in all of that power, the Tiguan R-Line starts off on an energetic note, with its responses instantly relaying its sporty attitude. As you begin to push further, its German engineered DNA comes through effortlessly; the Tiguan R-Line is a shining example of what German principles of sporty motoring represent. It really does feel like a densely-packed, speed-hungry animal that’s in its prime, once you develop a rhythm with it. If you thought it was all about a power showdown, however, you thought wrong.
Among the Tiguan R-Line’s most incredible qualities are its dynamics. Aside from featuring a brilliantly configured chassis and a properly sporty suspension/tyre setup, the Tiguan R-Line has another trick up its sleeve — DCC Pro. The R-Line’s Dynamic Chassis Control isn’t merely fancy terminology — it strongly contributes to the flavour of this fantastic SUV. The DCC Pro system lets you toggle between 15 levels of damping, which means you can select the exact manner of suspension behaviour you’d like, which elevates your driving experience to a level you’ve never experienced before, certainly not at this price point!
As a result, what you get is an SUV that’s sporty not just in its ambitions but also in its real-world performance. Whether you’re the type who enjoys a spirited highway drive or one who likes corner carving on weekends, the Tiguan R-Line has something thoroughly enjoyable in store for you. But wait — if you thought the Tiguan R-Line was a tarmac-only SUV, you couldn’t be more mistaken. In our time with it, we did venture into the sand dunes of Rajasthan and it was, to say the least, a revelation! Imagine the agility of a sports coupe paired with the ruggedness of a robust SUV — and the refinement you can only expect from a VW — and you can tell just how much fun we had kicking up a sand storm. Don’t believe us? The photographs should convince you.
It’s not everyday that India gets the opportunity to experience an SUV that’s adventurous, aspirational and dynamic, all at once. The Tiguan R-Line, in that sense, is simply exceptional. You may find it instantly desirable for its sportiness and, once you’ve experienced it, you’ll realise how much more it is than just that. One for your wishlist, then? It’s got to be — it’s a proper occasion, this car.
